Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette

What Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette does

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette (CFGL) is an independent private 501(c)(3) nonprofit community foundation established in 1970 in Lafayette, Indiana. It serves Tippecanoe County by managing charitable funds and endowments, administering competitive grant cycles to local nonprofits, distributing scholarships to students, and convening donors, professional advisors, and community leaders. As of recent disclosures, CFGL manages more than 344 funds and endowments with combined assets exceeding $89 million, and awarded over $2.6 million through 125 grants and 58 scholarships in 2023.

CFGL's core products are organized across three primary surfaces: charitable fund management services (donor-advised, field-of-interest, designated, and discretionary endowments), a tiered grant program (Spring/Fall grants for capital items over $10,000, NOW grants under $10,000, Impact grants of $125K-$1M for capital projects, Consulting Assistance grants up to $25K, Field of Interest grants, and Rapid Response grants up to $5K), and a scholarship portfolio that includes the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship administered in partnership with Independent Colleges of Indiana alongside multiple foundation-administered named scholarships. Add-on capacity-building programs include the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy fundraising courses, the Nonprofit Executive Coaching Program (launched 2022), the Douglas W. Eberle Board Governance Series, and the Legacy Society for planned giving. Technology infrastructure is limited to a self-serve online application portal (bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com) and standard content/email channels.

The revenue model is donor-contributions and endowment-based rather than commercial pricing. Revenue is generated through donations, bequests, and investment returns on endowed assets, with grants and scholarships distributed at no cost to recipients. CFGL receives no fees from grant applicants. Major funding events include a $7,061,721 implementation grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in December 2024 through the GIFT VIII initiative for childcare workforce development. The foundation is led by President & CEO David Lasater (since January 2020) with a 9-person staff and an 18-member Board of Directors, and operates a White County affiliate under its tax-exempt umbrella.

Name

Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette

Legal name

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette

Website

https://inspiringgreater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette is an independent 501(c)(3) community foundation serving Tippecanoe County, Indiana, managing $89M+ across 344+ charitable funds, awarding $2.6M+ annually in grants and scholarships, and convening donors, nonprofits, students, and professional advisors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Philanthropy and Charitable Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Community philanthropy
• Charitable fund management
• Grantmaking services
• Scholarship administration
• Planned giving services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions and Endowments: Manages charitable funds and endowments established by donors. Revenue comes from donations, bequests, and investment returns on endowed assets. Uses funds to make grants to nonprofits and scholarships to students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette manages more than 344 charitable funds and endowments valued at over $89 million for individual donors, families, and organizations, providing donor-advised funds, field-of-interest funds, designated funds, and discretionary endowments. It distributes grants to nonprofit organizations through multiple funding cycles (Spring/Fall grants over $10,000, NOW grants under $10,000, Impact grants from $125,000 to $1,000,000, and Consulting Assistance grants up to $25,000) and administers scholarships, including the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship and foundation-managed scholarships, to Tippecanoe County students.

Product overview

The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette operates as a unified philanthropic services organization offering charitable fund management, grant programs, and scholarship services. The core offerings include donor-advised and field-of-interest funds, multiple grant cycles (Spring/Fall, NOW, Impact, and Consulting Assistance), the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship partnership, and foundation-administered scholarships. Capacity-building programs include the IU Lilly Fundraising School partnership, Nonprofit Executive Coaching Program, and Douglas W. Eberle Board Governance Series. Additional services encompass the Legacy Society Initiative for planned giving, the Gold Key Society for professional advisors, and regular publications including annual reports and newsletters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Charitable Fund Management Services Comprehensive management of charitable funds including donor-advised funds, field-of-interest funds, designated funds, and discretionary endowments for individuals, families, and organizations.
• Grant Programs Multiple grant funding cycles including Spring/Fall grants for capital items over $10,000, NOW grants for amounts under $10,000, Impact grants for capital projects ranging from $125,000 to $1,000,000, Consulting Assistance grants up to $25,000 for development, marketing, or strategic planning, Rapid Response grants up to $5,000 for immediate community needs, and Field of Interest grants aligned with specific endowment purposes.
• Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2.6 million awarded in 2023 through 125 grants and 58 scholarships
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Greater Lafayette Career AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2024Partner in $7M childcare initiative to develop Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship program and career pathways.
• Right Steps Child Development CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2024Partner in $7M childcare initiative, working on sustainable pipeline of trained early educators. Also administers Imagination Library program for 4,200+ preschool children.
• Ivy Tech Community College - Greater LafayettecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2024Partner in childcare workforce development providing career pathway programs through the $7M Lilly Endowment grant.
• United Way of Greater LafayettecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2020Joint COVID-19 Response Fund partnership. Collaborated on $1.3M+ grant distribution and ongoing community initiatives including Tippecanoe COVID-19 Housing & Stability Hotline.
• Greater Lafayette CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2020Partner in COVID-19 Response Fund and community initiatives.
• North Central Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on Nonprofit Executive Development Initiative providing scholarships for nonprofit leadership certification programs.
• Duke EnergymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of Nonprofit Executive Coaching Program for local nonprofit leaders.
• Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide administrator of Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. ICI approves final scholarship recipient selections.
• Wabash Heartland Innovation Network (WHIN)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner10-county consortium dedicated to fueling prosperity through digital agricultural and next-generation manufacturing. CFGL is a proud partner.
• Community Foundation of White CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate foundation operating under CFGL's tax-exempt umbrella since 1998. Allows access to Lilly Endowment matching funds for endowment building.
• Indiana University Lilly Family School of PhilanthropycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing Fundraising School courses in Lafayette. Participants can earn Certificate in Fundraising Management.
• Cook Research IncorporatedminorOthersCorporate partner honoring employees through charitable gifts for milestone anniversaries and retirements via Cook Medical Incorporated Endowment.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Lilly Endowment Inc. Major institutional funder that awarded CFGL its $7M GIFT VIII grant and underwrites the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship program. Not a competitor but a critical ecosystem player governing CFGL's scholarship and large-grant pipelines.
• United Way of Greater Lafayette: CFGL's strategic co-funder for the COVID-19 Response Fund and ongoing community initiatives. Comparable as a same-geography fundraising/grantmaking nonprofit that competes for some donor dollars and collaborates on community programs.

Direct peers

• The Indianapolis Foundation: Affiliated Indiana community foundation (part of the CICF family) administering donor-advised funds, scholarships, and place-based grantmaking. Comparable as a fellow Indiana community foundation serving a single metropolitan area.
• Central Indiana Community Foundation: Largest Indiana community foundation, serving the Indianapolis region with donor-advised funds, scholarships, and grantmaking. Highly comparable as a peer community foundation in the same state with the same Lilly Endowment relationship.
• Ball Brothers Foundation: Indiana-based family/independent foundation with strong Muncie-area focus and statewide grantmaking. Comparable as a regional Indiana grantmaking foundation with a scholarship/grant product mix.
• Hamilton County Community Foundation: Indiana-based community foundation serving Hamilton County (near Indianapolis). Comparable as a county-level community foundation offering donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive grant cycles.
• Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne: Community foundation serving northeast Indiana through donor-advised funds, grant cycles, and scholarships. Directly comparable mid-size Indiana community foundation with similar grant product mix and Lilly Endowment ties.
• Community Foundation of White County: Affiliate community foundation hosted under CFGL's tax-exempt umbrella since 1998. Directly comparable as a county-level Indiana community foundation operating in an adjacent service area.
• Legacy Foundation: Community foundation serving Lake County, Indiana (northwest Indiana). Directly comparable as a county-level community foundation offering donor-advised funds, scholarships, and competitive grants.

Regional players

• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Largest U.S. community foundation by AUM, offering donor-advised funds, scholarships, and place-based grantmaking. Comparable product mix but operates in a substantially different (and much larger) geography and donor market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-foundation-of-greater-lafayette

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette