Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program

Overview

The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. Since the program was first offered in 1998, the Lilly Endowment has remained steadfast in its belief that education at all levels is indispensable to the personal, civic, and economic well-being of Indiana’s residents and communities.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program is a state-wide program administered by local community foundations throughout Indiana. The Community Foundation administers the program locally in coordination with the Community Foundation Alliance (our governing body), and Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) which provides statewide oversight of the program.

The program provides scholarships for otherwise unreimbursed full tuition, required fees, and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree at an accredited public or private nonprofit college or university in Indiana. The Community Foundation will nominate three students to receive the scholarship.

Learn more about Lilly Endowment!

Scholarship Cycle Now Closed

Scholarship Eligibility

Once you have reviewed How to Apply, please review the scholarship criteria below. Once you determine eligibility, click the Apply Now button to begin your application. You can always start your application and return later to complete and submit.

Conditions for the Award

Students named as Lilly Endowment Community Scholars must:

Graduate from an accredited Indiana high school and receive their diploma no later than June 30, 2025. A high school is considered accredited for purposes of the program if it is accredited by the State Board of Education or by a national or regional accreditation agency that is recognized by the State Board of Education. Although home-schooled students are ineligible to apply for the LECS, students enrolled in accredited online high schools may be eligible. Contact your Community Foundation for more information.
Intend to pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an accredited public or private nonprofit college or university in Indiana.
Select the college or university they will attend prior to May 1, 2025.
Apprise the Community Foundation Alliance annually of their academic status while pursuing their baccalaureate degree and of their postgraduate status (education and employment) for at least ten years after graduation.
Account for and return to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) any amount of the allocation for required books and equipment remaining at the end of each school year.
Disclose additional scholarship offers. (When recipients receive additional scholarships, those additional scholarships will be reviewed in order to ensure that each Lilly Scholar receives the full scholarship amount(s) that are due. The amount awarded under the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program may be adjusted to avoid having a scholar’s total award package exceed the Cost of Attendance.)
Agree to the conditions outlined in the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Agreement.

Eligibility Requirements

Qualified applicants will:

Be a resident of Indiana and graduate from a Vanderburgh County high school by the end of June 2025.
Have a minimum 3.8 cumulative grade point average (4.0 unweighted scale).
Have a minimum SAT score of 1200 or a minimum ACT score of 25.
Graduate with an Indiana Core 40 diploma with Academic or Technical Honors or an International Baccalaureate diploma.
Be available for an interview with the scholarship committee if selected as a finalist.
Apply for the scholarship in only one county.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated on:

Academic Ability: As reflected by the student's GPA (using a 4.0 scale) and number and type of Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Credit (DC/CC), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Honors (H) classes taken and the student's grades in these courses. (10%)
Community Activities: Level of involvement in community activities (10%)
Extracurricular Activities/Employment: Level of involvement in extracurricular school activities and/or time devoted to employment, including work for a family-owned business. (10%)
Honors and Awards: Academic awards, leadership awards, and other recognition from church, school, community, and volunteer activities (10%)
Personal Statement and Goals: Clarity and conviction of ideas, and overall quality of writing. (5%)
Application Essay: Student response is well-written, thorough, and supported with sound reasoning and specific examples. (15%)
Finalist Impromptu Essay:
Quality of writing (i.e. grammar, spelling, sentence structure). (5%)
Extent to which the student answers essay question thoroughly and appropriately, and is able to support their position with reasoning and specific examples. (10%)
Finalist Interview: Includes consideration for (1) thoroughness and appropriateness of answers, (2) language and communication skills, (3) critical thinking skills, (4) knowledge of the community and/or current events, and (5) overall confidence and poise. (25%)

In the event of a tie among the top nominees, members of the committee will select the candidate with the highest score in Academic Ability. If a tie remains after consideration of Academic Ability is reviewed, the student's financial need will be utilized to determine the final nominees and alternates. A student's financial need will be determined by the Student Aid Index (SAI) from the FAFSA form.

Transcripts

Students should submit their most recent transcript directly to the Community Foundation through Parchment or by submitting a request to their guidance counselor.