Butler University Receives $22.5 Million Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for Neighborhood Partnership Initiatives

Butler University has been awarded $22.5 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. (the Endowment) to fund efforts that contribute to a thriving Midtown Indianapolis neighborhood. Butler is one of 13 Indiana higher education institutions receiving grants through the latest round of implementation grants in College and Community Collaboration, a competitive Lilly Endowment initiative.

Butler will use grant funds to support initiatives within The Butler Gateway Project: Creating a Thriving Midtown, which aims to create a vibrant, interconnected community between Butler University and Midtown Indianapolis. Grant funding will accelerate the growth of collaboration opportunities between Butler and key community partners, including the Martin Luther King Community Center (MLK Center), Tarkington Park, and Midtown Indy, Inc., all located within a few miles of Butler’s campus. The grant also will support projects on Butler’s campus that will directly benefit the surrounding community, including the restoration of Holcomb Gardens and construction of a new Safety and Transit Hub.

“This incredibly generous gift from Lilly Endowment advances the Butler Gateway Project, which will accelerate the University’s excellence, innovation, and societal impact to benefit our students and the communities around us,” Butler University President James Danko said. “Lilly Endowment’s vision to strengthen quality of life and place in Indiana communities aligns perfectly with the vision for the Butler Gateway Project, which is based on the notion that a thriving Midtown creates a thriving Butler.”

Danko first unveiled his vision for the Butler Gateway Project at Hinkle Fieldhouse during an April 2022 event celebrating the culmination of the $250 million Butler Beyond campaign. The Butler Gateway Project focuses on four key areas: elevating people, elevating Midtown neighborhoods, safety, and connection. The initiatives supported by Lilly Endowment’s grant provide a foundation that will catalyze progress with others envisioned in the Butler Gateway Project, which will be announced in the coming months.

“This grant from Lilly Endowment not only funds the projects for which it is intended, it allows us to lay the groundwork for future development of Butler’s campus and community efforts,” Danko said.

Lilly Endowment launched the College and Community Collaboration grant in early 2023. The initiative is designed to encourage Indiana’s colleges and universities to work closely with community stakeholders to envision and jointly undertake significant community development efforts to create more vibrant places in which to live, learn, work, and play.

“While varied in scope and reach, the proposed initiatives and projects reflect a commitment by stakeholders, inclusive of faculty, staff and students from these institutions, business leaders, government officials, and community leaders, to create vibrant communities where all residents can thrive,” Jennett M. Hill, president of the Endowment, said. “The Endowment looks forward to seeing all the projects in the CCC initiative evolve. We are enthusiastic about the prospects for both the institutions and communities and are eager to see these institutions and their community stakeholders collaborate to breathe life into their promising projects.”

The $22.5 million grant includes support for the following:

MLK Center Expansion

• Funds will be used to contribute to the construction a 42,000-square-foot wellness center for youth and sports programming, affording Butler students the opportunity to engage with youth in the neighborhood.

Tarkington Park Phase II Expansion

• Funds will be used to provide additional playground and shelter enhancements, complementing the additional walking space, multi-use sports field, pickleball courts, and green infrastructure that are under development, and providing opportunity for deeper engagement and programming with the Butler community.

Holcomb Gardens Preservation

• Butler will partner with the Indiana Native Plant Society to replant and restore Holcomb Gardens and create sustainable landscaping throughout Butler’s campus.

Midtown Indy, Inc.

• Funds will support Midtown Indy, Inc.’s work to improve coordination among anchor institutions, build trusting relationships with community members, and strengthen built infrastructure for the economic vitality of the Midtown region.

Safety and Transit Hub

• Located on Butler’s campus, the Hub will service pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicular traffic. Butler University Police, who patrol the neighborhoods to the south and east of campus, will be relocated to the Hub. This facility will also expand parking options on campus.

Expanding Community Partnerships

• The grant will also fund a new Director of Community and Campus Development to develop and expand community-oriented programming for Butler faculty, staff, and students, and to support project management of the Butler Gateway Project.

“Butler University’s vision, which was established in collaboration with Midtown Indy and community leaders, is as bold as it is impactful to addressing both the University’s and the Midtown community’s needs,” Rachel Dickerson, Executive Director of Midtown Indy, Inc., said. “Our longstanding partnership with Butler will be elevated through the Butler Gateway Project, as we strengthen the connection between campus and the community, to cultivate a thriving Midtown.”

“The objectives for the Butler Gateway Project align with ours at MLK Center, namely the investment in our community’s health, wellness, safety, and connectivity, which will elevate Midtown Indianapolis as a destination where everyone can live, work, and play in the Beloved Community,” Allison Luthe, Executive Director of MLK Center, said.

“Indy Parks and the Indy Parks Alliance of Indianapolis are focused on providing enriching experiences for all that lead to healthier lives, inspiring experiences, and vibrant communities,” Phyllis Boyd, Director of Indy Parks and Recreation, said. “Butler University’s commitment to our shared Midtown Indianapolis neighborhood, and their investment in Tarkington Park, will improve the lives of thousands of our neighbors—young and old.”