For Immediate Release
Aug 31, 2026 at 6am
Indy Chamber Foundation Receives $2.25M Grant from Lilly Endowment to strengthen Life in Indy Initiative
The investment will refresh and scale the platform’s digital presence, talent attraction initiatives, and community storytelling
INDIANAPOLIS. Today the Indy Chamber Foundation announces the next chapter of its Life in Indy regional storytelling platform, powered by renewed support of $2.25 million in grant funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. Continuing an integral relationship catalyzed at Life in Indy’s launch in 2020, this grant marks a capacity-building investment in livability storytelling and talent growth in the Indy region.
Life in Indy provides information and stories about neighborhoods, schools, faith communities and spiritual life, museums and other cultural amenities, and major employers across the Indianapolis region. Its design and content are designed to appeal broadly across demographics, industries and age groups. Visitors to Life in Indy can use the platform to connect with local residents to learn directly about the Indy region.
With new funding from Lilly Endowment, this asset that is designed to help people discover and connect to the Indy region will modernize its approach to digital storytelling, deepen community connections with authentic storytellers to elevate the region’s profile, and expand its research capacity to identify opportunities for building positive perceptions of Indy across the country. Life in Indy is a significant part of Indy Chamber’s strategic goal of establishing the Indianapolis region as the top destination for talent in the Midwest by 2030.
“Life in Indy is a crucial engine for helping prospective residents discover the Indy Region and consider making it their home,” said Blaine Zimmerman, Chief Talent and Marketing Officer at the Indy Chamber. “This support from Lilly Endowment will help sustain the initiative’s work as we continue to build the infrastructure, partnerships, and methodology necessary to tell Indy’s story.”
Since Life in Indy launched in 2020, it has yielded results exceeding major project milestones. It has published more than 200 stories about Indy and receives more than 30,000 monthly visitors. More than 4,000 prospective residents have requested to connect with additional resources; and more than 650 employer partners used Life in Indy content in their recruitment and onboarding processes.
At a pivotal moment for the growth of the Indy region, Life in Indy continues to accelerate Indy’s story, told by the locals building it.
About Life in Indy
Life in Indy is a community-driven storytelling platform created to attract talent and highlight authentic experiences across the Indianapolis region. With articles, videos, and first-person narratives, Life in Indy celebrates the people, places, and stories that make Indy home.
About the Indy Chamber
The Indy Chamber serves as a regional voice for progress, uniting business and community to strengthen the Indy region’s economy and quality of life. Through bold advocacy, economic development, and small & mid-size business support, we help fuel growth, expand opportunity, and position the region to compete and thrive. Working alongside civic, corporate, and community partners, the Indy Chamber focuses on attracting investment, developing talent pathways, and elevating the Indy region’s story. Guided by our core values – Love Indy, Dream Big, and Move Together – we bring leaders together to shape the conditions for growth and build a future where the Indy region leads the Midwest and competes on a global stage.
About Lilly Endowment
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation based in Indianapolis. The Endowment was created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with our founders’ wishes, we support the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana, it funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion.
