Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams

What Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams does

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams is a nonprofit research and education center founded in 2007 and operated as a division of Grace College & Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. It serves Kosciusko County, which contains more than 100 freshwater lakes and 600+ miles of streams that collectively contribute over $400 million annually to the local economy. The center's core research program conducts weekly summer sampling of 16 lakes and 14 stream sites using IDEM-approved quality assurance protocols, supported by an in-house laboratory certified by the Indiana Department of Health for E. coli testing (October 2024) and equipped for microcystin toxin analysis and algae species identification. A network of 14 solar-powered Doppler stream sensors provides continuous real-time monitoring of water velocity, depth, and temperature at key inflow and outflow sites.

The center's education arm reaches more than 10,000 K-12 students annually through programs including the Classroom Lake Experience (40-gallon aquariums deployed in 30+ classrooms), Lake Adventure Days field trips, an annual art contest, and standards-aligned curriculum for every major Kosciusko County school district. Community engagement is delivered through the bi-weekly Lake Doctor Podcast, a Field Notes blog, four annual print newsletters, and a Lake Directory covering 100+ waterbodies. The recently launched Lake RX program, funded by a $10 million Lilly Endowment grant awarded in April 2025, packages the center's research into custom "prescriptions" combining land management, in-water interventions, and community education for individual lakes.

The organization is funded entirely through philanthropic channels: donations, grants (Lilly Endowment, K21 Health Foundation, Kosciusko County Community Foundation), corporate sponsorships, and planned giving. It maintains no fee-for-service pricing model and does not sell products. The center is led by Creighton Brothers Endowed Director Dr. Nate Bosch (limnology PhD, University of Michigan; 18 peer-reviewed publications; two-time Chandler Misner Award recipient) and operates with seven regular staff and up to 30 student staff drawn primarily from Grace College.

Name

Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams

Legal name

Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams

Website

https://lakes.grace.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams is a Grace College-based nonprofit that conducts scientific research on Kosciusko County's 100+ lakes and 600+ miles of streams, delivers K-12 water education to 10,000+ students annually, and provides certified water quality testing and prescription lake-health programs to local government, lake associations, and community partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Research & Water Quality Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water, Stormwater, Drinking Water) (EUAHACAC), Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater) (EUANAJAH), Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Freshwater lake research
• Water quality monitoring
• Environmental education programs
• K-12 science education
• Watershed research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Winona Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations: The center accepts cash, check, and credit card donations. Donors can give online, by mail, or in person. Donations support research, education programs, and community outreach.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: Major funding from Lilly Endowment ($10 million grant to kickstart Lake RX program), K21 Health Foundation (supports Lake Doctor Podcast and research), and private donors. Also receives funding from state and federal agencies.
3. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Accepts estate gifts, bequests, gifts of appreciated stocks/bonds, real estate donations, life insurance, IRA/401(k) distributions, charitable lead/remainder trusts, and charitable gift annuities.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support specific programs such as the Lake Doctor Podcast (K21 Health Foundation, Rick & April Sasso) and Classroom Lake Experience aquarium sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams is a nonprofit research and education center that monitors water quality, studies lake and stream ecosystems, and delivers K-12 environmental education programs in Kosciusko County, Indiana. It conducts weekly sampling of 16 lakes and 14 stream sites, certified E. coli and microcystin testing, real-time stream sensor monitoring, and hands-on science programming for over 10,000 K-12 students annually. The center also provides research collaboration, data, and lake-health prescriptions to lake associations, local governments, and community partners.

Product overview

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams is a research and education center at Grace College that offers a suite of interconnected products and services focused on lake and stream health in Kosciusko County, Indiana. The core offerings include a Live Data platform with 14 stream sensors providing real-time water monitoring, a Blue-Green Algae Research Program with weekly toxin testing across 16 lakes, and an E. coli Testing Program certified by the Indiana Department of Health. Educational products include K-12 programs such as Classroom Lake Experience (aquarium installations), Lake Adventure Days (field trips), and the annual Art Contest. The Lake Rx initiative provides custom prescriptions for lake health combining land, water, and community solutions. Additional offerings include The Lake Doctor Podcast, Field Notes blog, Beneath the Surface annual reports, and a comprehensive Lake Directory covering 100+ local lakes. All offerings are unified by the center's mission to make Kosciusko County lakes clean, healthy, safe, and beautiful through research, education, and collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Stream Sensor Network Real-time continuous water monitoring service providing live data on stream flow, velocity, depth, and temperature for 14 stream sites serving lake associations, local governments, and the general public.
• Blue-Green Algae Research Program Weekly in-house microcystin toxin analysis and algae species identification for 16 local lakes and seven public beaches during the summer sampling season (June–August).
• E. coli Testing Program Indiana Department of Health-certified laboratory testing for E. coli bacteria in local water bodies with weekly data reporting and genetic source tracking capabilities.
• Kosciusko County Lake Directory Comprehensive database covering 100+ freshwater lakes in Kosciusko County with detailed information including location, size, depth, and research data for each lake.
• Classroom Lake Experience Classroom aquarium program providing 40-gallon aquariums housing native fish species to 30+ classrooms throughout Kosciusko County, maintained by the Lilly Center aquarium team throughout the school year.
• Lake Adventure Days Annual field trip program for fourth-grade classrooms featuring fishing, water testing, watershed building, water conservation exercises, and lake-themed art activities at local lakes.
• Lilly Center Art Contest Annual art competition inviting 4th–12th grade students to submit creative depictions of local waterways, with winning entries displayed in public spaces throughout the county.
• Lake Rx: A Prescription for Healthy Lakes Custom lake-health prescription program combining scientifically-backed land management practices, in-water ecosystem restoration, and community engagement solutions tailored to individual lakes.
• The Lake Doctor Podcast Bi-weekly podcast providing locally-sourced science and news about Kosciusko County's lakes and streams, featuring interviews with lake-related experts.
• Field Notes Blog Blog featuring articles written by lake experts covering research findings, educational topics, and news about local lake ecosystems.
• Beneath the Surface Annual Report Annual report making limnological principles accessible to the public by investigating relationships between land, water, and living organisms in local lakes.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2020, drop in microcystin in 14 local lakes sampled; eight lakes had none detected at all
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grace College & SeminarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lilly Center is a division of Grace College & Seminary, advancing the college's mission through community-focused lake and streams research and education. Provides facilities, administrative support, and student workforce.
• City of WarsawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on stormwater management, implemented E. coli reduction measures at Center Lake beach, and plans pier redesign for improved water flow.
• The Watershed FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal environmental nonprofit working on lake protection. Co-founder of Clearly Kosciusko initiative and partner in community education efforts.
• Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau (KCCVB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty tourism agency that assumed leadership of Clearly Kosciusko brand in 2023. Partners on promoting lake recreation and tourism.
• Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty agency focused on conservation. Co-hosts events like birding expeditions and collaborates on watershed protection.
• Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState environmental agency that approved the center's quality assurance plan for research methods and provides regulatory guidance.
• Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency managing fish and wildlife. Collaboration on fisheries research, zebra mussel management, and aquatic plant control.
• Lake Associations (12+ including Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Wawasee POA, Webster Lake Conservation Association, Chapman Lakes Conservation Association, and others)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple lake-specific associations representing property owners. Partners on research data sharing, best practices implementation, and community education.
• Kosciusko County School Districts (Warsaw, Wawasee, Tippecanoe Valley, Triton, Whitko, Whitley County)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll major county school districts partner on K-12 educational programming including field trips, Classroom Lake Experience, and Lake Adventure Days.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing technical and financial assistance for conservation practices including agricultural best management practices.
• Army Corps of EngineersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency managing water resources. Detroit District covers northern Kosciusko County; Louisville District covers southern areas.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council: Northern Michigan nonprofit conducting lake monitoring, public education, and watershed protection across inland lakes. Closely mirrors the Lilly Center's combined monitoring-plus-education nonprofit model, in a different but adjacent lake-rich geography.
• Freshwater Future: Great Lakes and inland lake nonprofit providing grants, training, and policy advocacy to local lake and watershed groups. Operates a similar grant-funded model supporting community-based freshwater protection across the upper Midwest.
• The Watershed Foundation: Kosciusko County-based nonprofit focused on lake and watershed protection, co-founded the Clearly Kosciusko initiative with the Lilly Center. Directly comparable in mission, geography, and community engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• Alliance for the Great Lakes: Largest nonprofit dedicated exclusively to Great Lakes protection, with policy, volunteer, and Adopt-a-Beach programs. Overlaps with the Lilly Center on lake water-quality advocacy but operates at much larger scale across the broader Great Lakes basin.
• Great Lakes Commission: Binational compact agency coordinating Great Lakes policy, research, and funding programs. Overlaps with the Lilly Center on lake health research and lake association coordination but at a regional policy scale.
• Center for Limnology (University of Wisconsin-Madison): Premier academic freshwater research center with long-term lake monitoring programs (e.g., North Temperate Lakes LTER). Closest analog in combining basic limnological research, public education, and long-running data collection on inland lakes.
• Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program: Federal-university partnership supporting research, education, and outreach on Great Lakes water quality, including harmful algal blooms. Comparable combination of scientific research, K-12 education, and community programming in the same Illinois-Indiana region.

Regional players

• Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates: Statewide Minnesota nonprofit advocating for lake and river protection through policy, education, and research funding. Comparable in mission scope (lake property owners, lake associations, policymakers) but organized around advocacy rather than direct monitoring.
• Lake Champlain Basin Program: Federal-state-local program coordinating water quality monitoring, research, education, and grants for the Lake Champlain basin. A directly comparable single-watershed monitoring and education program operating at a larger geographic scale.
• Huron Pines: Michigan-based conservation nonprofit operating conservation, monitoring, and education programs in the northern Great Lakes region. Similar nonprofit operating model with grant funding, paid staff, and volunteer engagement on freshwater resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CenterforLakes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KosciuskoLakesKLAS
• Facebookfacebook.com/CenterforLakes
• Instagraminstagram.com/thelillycenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lillycenter

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams