Taylor University Secures $250,000 Planning Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor University has secured a $250,000 planning grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. that will help the University seek up to $25 million in additional funding to support transformational work in the community of Upland and Grant County.

Lilly Endowment made the grant through its statewide initiative, College and Community Collaboration. Colleges and universities are anchor institutions in the state’s towns, cities, and regions, and with this initiative, Lilly Endowment seeks to address, among others, a concerning trend in Indiana: although the state is one of the top in the country in terms of attracting students through higher education, it ranks near the bottom when it comes to retaining them after graduation.

The planning grant will enable Taylor to work closely with community members to identify a project to help address this and other important issues in a way that is mutually beneficial for the University and its community.

Taylor is the recipient of the grant, but the ultimate success of the project will depend on strong collaboration and input from Grant County leaders and residents. The proposed project that is identified by the University and town will be submitted to Lilly Endowment for funding consideration in the initiative’s second round.

If the proposal is successful, Taylor and the local community stand to gain 30 percent of the total investment needed to make their revitalization plan a reality – up to a maximum possible grant of $25 million. The University will seek to fund the remaining cost of the chosen cost through institutional and private investment, and through funds the University hopes to apply for through READI 2.0, an initiative from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation designed to advance quality of life, place, and opportunity around the state.

“We were thrilled when Lilly Endowment launched this initiative because of how closely it aligns with our Taylor Thrives strategic plan and the work that the university and our community members have already been envisioning with Upland,” said William Hagen, Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff. “The funds provided through this first phase and those we stand to gain in the second phase will catalyze these efforts.”

Taylor’s strong collaboration with Upland spans over a century and includes a strong history of engagement between town and University leaders. Taylor has participated in or sponsored three significant planning initiatives with Upland in the last decade, but funding through College and Community Collaboration is poised to be its largest investment in the town. Taylor hopes its efforts will serve as a test case for schools not just in Indiana, but nationwide, for how small, liberal arts colleges can help transform a community for good.

“This isn’t about building a new residence hall that will employ a handful of local residents,” said Ron Sutherland, President of the Upland Town Council. “Lilly Endowment wants to see a tighter improvement in quality of life and economic development impact on the community around us.”

Taylor and Upland will use the $250,000 planning grant to engage in a four-month, comprehensive community master-planning process that will result in a transformative proposal to Lilly Endowment. This process will include market assessment, community engagement, and plan development. Taylor and Upland officials will work with Marsh Collective, a consultant with extensive work in community renewal work, and conduct visits to at least two other university towns with a proven track record of successful revitalization plans.

“The collaboration that will take place in the next four months is a testament to what many of us already know,” said Jonathan Perez, town manager of Upland. “The symbiotic relationship between our town and Taylor directly correlates with each other’s success.”

Taylor will present its plan – and its implementation cost – in Lilly Endowment’s first deadline window this September. Receiving the second round of funding would have an incredible impact upon the future of Taylor and Upland, which together serve nearly 4,000 residents and students. Regardless of the outcome, the $250,000 grant is a gift in and of itself.

“In the end, we’ll be holding a robust plan that we can choose to pursue through other means,” Sutherland said. “And we will have had the opportunity to create that plan through intentional conversations and assessments that may not have happened otherwise.”

About Taylor University

For 177 years, Taylor University has combined rigorous academics with the Christian faith and remains the oldest nondenominational school in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). For nearly three decades, Taylor has been ranked a top Midwest College by U.S. News & World Report. The University’s graduation rate is the fourth highest nationally among peer institutions, and 98 percent of Taylor’s graduates were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. With a strong legacy of service and global opportunities, Taylor also ranks sixth nationally for study abroad internships and travel opportunities.