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Every five years, the Fairbanks Foundation’s Board of Directors reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing Indianapolis to guide our work moving forward. In 2020, the Board reaffirmed its commitment to three focus areas: Education, Health, and the Vitality of Indianapolis.  From 2020 to 2024, we have worked to improve outcomes in these areas by awarding grants; sharing research and data; convening and collaborating with organizations doing similar work; and raising awareness of opportunities and challenges facing Indianapolis.  Explore our new goals and strategies by focus area.

As one of the largest cities in the country, Indianapolis is home to a vibrant community and a wide array of industries, from sports and entertainment to life sciences and the arts. Attracting and retaining talent, fostering innovation, and offering a high quality of life for the people of our city is essential to ensuring the vitality of Indianapolis.  GOAL: Create a more vibrant Indianapolis.  STRATEGY: Identify potentially high-impact grant opportunities consistent with the Foundation’s core values.  Additionally, this focus area also includes two categories of grants, which align with Dick Fairbanks’ wishes when he presided over the Foundation:  Note: The Foundation does not accept inquiries within the Vitality of […]

A good education can open doors to new opportunities. Yet in Indianapolis and across the state, many K-12 students do not earn passing scores in subjects such as math and English. As a result, far too few students graduate high school prepared for college or in-demand careers. At the same time, employers struggle to find skilled talent to fill available jobs. GOAL: Improve student academic outcomes and address the workforce skills gap.  STRATEGIES: Read more about our grantmaking process.