The Lake Institute on Faith & Giving offers a public forum for exploring the multiple connections between individual philanthropy and faith, particularly within the major religious traditions. Its mission is to foster greater understanding of the ways in which faith both inspires and informs giving. The goal is to encourage donors, whatever their religious orientation or spiritual practice, to become more thoughtful in their personal philanthropy.

Established in 2002 within the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, the Institute honors the memory and legacy of Thomas and Marjorie Lake. Thomas Lake served as chairman of the Lilly Endowment Inc. from 1977 to 1992, after three decades with Eli Lilly and Company, where he rose to become president in 1973. He and his wife, Marjorie, through their volunteer activity and charitable support, played an influential role in enhancing the quality of life for the many citizens and communities within and beyond Indianapolis and Indiana.

The Lake Institute carries out its mission through an expanding program of educational offerings, research, and public forums.

• The annual Thomas H. Lake Lecture brings a distinguished scholar to the Center on Philanthropy to deliver a public address on a topic related to faith and giving. Past honorees include Luke Timothy Johnson, Martin Marty, Mark Noll, and Robert Wuthnow.
• The Institute’s Distinguished Visitors program invites notable practitioners within various religious traditions to engage in extended conversations and discussions with faculty, students, and the interested public.
• The Institute conducts numerous seminars and educational programs throughout the year, including Building a Cathedral for Your Soul: Spiritual Values and Giving, Congregations as Cultures of Generosity, and the multi-day Conversations with Clergy and Laity on Faith, Money and Giving.
• The Institute encourages continuing research in the field through dissertation grants, support for individual research projects, and the appointment of a Lake Scholar in residence at the Center on Philanthropy.

The Institute’s website (see below) is an informative resource for scholars, practitioners, and the general public on topics related to faith and giving. Faculty affiliated with the Institute also serve as outside speakers and consultants for congregations, community organizations, and educational institutions.

The Lake Institute, celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2007, is located at the Center on Philanthropy on the campus of Indiana University and Purdue University of Indianapolis (IUPUI). The Institute is led by Dr. William G. Enright and guided by an advisory board of scholars and practitioners.