Our generous, visionary founders foresaw the need to study, understand, and teach about philanthropy.
Now the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy plays a leading role in moving this integral component of life and society forward—across the country and around the world.
1986: Planning grant establishes a planning committee and proposal for the Center on Philanthropy
1987: Center established; Inaugural Colloquium held at the University Place Conference Center
1987: The Fund Raising School transferred to Indiana University
1988: First philanthropy courses held on the IU Indianapolis and IU campuses
1988: Robert Payton appointed as full-time Executive Director
1989: National Board of Visitors established
1990: Indiana University Press Book Philanthropic Studies series established
1992: Center served as the first U.S. host for the International Conference of Research on Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations (formed to become ISTR)
1993: M.A. in Philanthropic Studies approved
1993: Warren Ilchman appointed as Executive Director
1994: ARNOVA moved headquarters to the Center on Philanthropy
1996: The Fund Raising School courses offered in Mexico with the partnership of Procura
1997: Eugene Tempel appointed as Executive Director
1999: Signature Research Project organized (now known as PPS (Philanthropy Panel Study))
2001: Efroymson Chair in Philanthropic Studies created. Kirsten Grønbjerg appointed as first chairholder
2002: Lake Family Institute on Faith and Giving and Lake Chair established
2003: Ph.D. in Philanthropic Studies approved by the IU Trustees
2003: Acquired Women’s Philanthropic Institute
2005: Millennium Project initiated to focus on philanthropic leadership in communities of color, among women, and youth
2005: First contract with Bank of America to conduct giving study of high net worth individuals
2008: Patrick Rooney appointed as Executive Director
2008: First Ph.D. graduated with Doctorate in Philanthropic Studies
2009: The Fund Raising School and SPEA developed joint series of executive education courses focusing on nonprofit management
2010: First Bachelor’s of Philanthropic Studies established
2010: Women Give report on gender differences in philanthropic behavior released by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute
2011: 13 RISE scholarships pledged for undergraduate students
In 2012 the School of Philanthropy (first in the nation) was approved by the IU Trustees and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education
2012: Gene Tempel appointed as Founding Dean of the new School of Philanthropy
2013: Lilly Family School of Philanthropy inauguration and naming event
2014: David King selected to lead Lake Institute on Faith & Giving
2014: The Fund Raising School celebrated its 40th anniversary and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute celebrated its 10th anniversary at the school
2015: Amir Pasic named Eugene R. Tempel Dean
2015: Lilly Family School of Philanthropy moved to University Hall on the IU Indianapolis campus
2015: Establishment of the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy in honor of William and Rose Mays
2016: Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America, joins the school as our Distinguished Visiting Practitioner and Visiting Fellow
2016: Named John A. List as Visiting Robert F. Hartsook Chair in Fundraising
2017: Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances and Index of Philanthropic Freedom transferred from the Hudson Institute to the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
2017: Partnered with Visiting Robert F. Hartsook Chair in Fundraising, John List and his colleagues at the University of Chicago, to present the fourth Science of Philanthropy Initiative Conference
2017: Celebrated the school’s 30th anniversary with a kickoff event featuring fellow students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the school
