With the grant, Camp Lutherhaven will enhance outdoor ministry spaces surrounding its new Welcome Center, expand its dining hall to increase capacity for summer campers, and improve seasonal staff housing for summer program staff and ministry impact interns. These projects reflect Lutherhaven’s mission to provide Christ-centered experiences where individuals encounter God through community and creation. By creating intentional spaces for devotion, gathering, and daily living, these improvements aim to strengthen the camp’s ability to carry out meaningful ministry in environments that foster faith formation, relationships, and personal growth.
“This grant is an incredible affirmation of the ministry that takes place at Lutherhaven and the importance of the spaces where that ministry happens,” said Keith Peters, Executive Director. “Our hope is not simply to build or expand facilities, but to create environments where campers and staff can more deeply experience God through His creation, build lasting community, and grow in their faith. These projects allow us to steward what we’ve been given in a way that serves more people and strengthens the impact of our ministry for years to come.”
This grant is in addition to a Lilly Endowment grant of $1,000,000 made in December 2025 through an earlier round of funding in the Capital Project Initiative for Residential Youth Camps.
The grant is one of 40 implementation grants being awarded through phase 3 of the Lilly Endowment initiative, which aims to help Indiana residential youth camps improve the overall camp experience and outcomes for youth through new, enhanced and expanded facilities integral to quality youth camp programming. The latest grants, which were competitive, are providing partial support for large-scale capital projects.
About Lilly Endowment
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
