White Oak Foundation Inc.

White Oak Foundation is a Lechleiter family foundation based in Indianapolis with $16.2M in assets (2024) and annual giving that has fluctuated between $500K and $2.5M in recent years. The foundation is led by John C. Lechleiter (former CEO of Eli Lilly and Company) and family members who serve as unpaid board directors.

Best approach: This is a family foundation with no formal application portal or published deadlines. The most effective strategy is a warm introduction through shared networks in Indianapolis or Nashville. The foundation favors organizations where Lechleiter family members have personal connections or board involvement.

Key decision-makers: John C. Lechleiter (President), Sarah L. Lechleiter (Secretary), and adult children Daniel, Andrew, Elizabeth (Kelly), Allison, and Rachel — all serve on the board with zero compensation, indicating purely philanthropic motivation.

What they look for: Organizations that align with family values around education (especially K-12 independent schools), community foundations that re-grant locally, arts and cultural institutions, and health research (particularly Alzheimer's). A strong letter of inquiry explaining community impact is the recommended first step.

White Oak Foundation's grantmaking reveals clear patterns that applicants should understand:

Grant size distribution: The foundation awards grants ranging from $2,500 to $1.5M, but the distribution is highly concentrated. In 2022, a single $1.5M grant to Brown County Community Foundation represented 61% of total giving. In 2023, the top grant ($501K to the same foundation) was 51% of giving. Typical grants for direct-service organizations range from $5,000 to $100,000.

Geographic concentration: Indiana and Tennessee dominate the portfolio. Indiana receives the most grants by count (Indianapolis-based schools, arts organizations, and United Way). Tennessee is the second focus area, centered on Nashville (Oak Hill School, Harpeth Hall, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Cheekwood). West Virginia receives targeted grants through Greenbriar Valley Community Foundation. Occasional grants go to Arizona (Banner Alzheimer's) and Massachusetts (Harvard Business School).

Sector breakdown: Education is the primary focus (K-12 independent schools, college scholarships, Catholic schools). Arts and culture is a consistent secondary area (Hoosier Art Salon, Indianapolis Art Center, Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Cheekwood). Health research (Alzheimer's) and faith-based institutions (St. James Catholic Church/School) receive smaller but recurring support.

Repeat grantees: The foundation strongly favors repeat relationships. Brown County Community Foundation, Park Tudor School, Oak Hill School, Banner Alzheimer's Foundation, and Harvard Business School appear in multiple years, suggesting that once a relationship is established, multi-year support is likely.

Among Indianapolis-based family foundations with $10M–$25M in assets, White Oak Foundation is notable for several characteristics:

Asset growth trajectory: Assets grew from $675K in 2011 to $16.2M in 2024 — an extraordinary growth rate driven by contributions (likely from John Lechleiter's Eli Lilly compensation) and investment returns. This positions the foundation for continued giving expansion.

Payout rate: The 2023 payout of $983K on $12.6M in assets represents a ~7.8% distribution rate, above the 5% minimum required for private foundations. In 2022, the payout was even higher at ~37% due to the $1.5M Brown County Community Foundation grant. This indicates the foundation takes its charitable mission seriously and is not simply warehousing assets.

Lean operations: With zero staff compensation and no reported operating expenses beyond grants, the foundation operates with minimal overhead. All board members are family and unpaid. This means nearly 100% of disbursements go to charitable purposes.

Compared to peers: Similar-sized Indianapolis foundations (e.g., Glick Fund, Fairbanks Foundation) typically have professional staff, published guidelines, and formal application processes. White Oak's informal, family-directed approach is more characteristic of family foundations half its size, suggesting applicants need personal connections rather than polished proposals.

The most recent available data (2023-2024) shows White Oak Foundation in an active growth phase:

2024 financials: Total assets reached $16.2M with $3.04M in total giving across 26 grants — the highest grant count and second-highest giving total on record. Revenue of $10.5M included $3.7M in contributions and $5.6M from asset sales, suggesting portfolio rebalancing or a liquidity event.

2023 highlights: $982,799 in total giving across 14 grants. Brown County Community Foundation remained the anchor grantee at $501,894. New or expanded grants included Greenbriar Valley Community Foundation ($100K) and Hoosier Art Salon ($100K). Assets stood at $12.6M.

Growth trajectory: The foundation has roughly doubled its assets every 3-4 years since 2011 ($675K → $1.1M → $2.1M → $5.1M → $6.6M → $12.6M → $16.2M). If this trajectory continues, giving capacity will expand substantially.

Leadership continuity: The Lechleiter family board has been stable, with the addition of Allison and Rachel Lechleiter as directors in recent years — the next generation is engaged, suggesting the foundation has long-term philanthropic plans.

White Oak Foundation does not publish formal application guidelines, but analysis of their grantmaking patterns suggests the following approach:

1. Start with a personal connection. This is a family foundation — cold applications are unlikely to succeed. Seek introductions through Indianapolis civic networks, Nashville social circles, or Eli Lilly alumni connections (John Lechleiter was CEO of Eli Lilly from 2008-2017).

2. Send a concise letter of inquiry. Given the lack of a formal portal, a 1-2 page letter addressed to John C. Lechleiter at PO Box 80238, Indianapolis, IN 46280-0238 is the appropriate first step. Include your organization's mission, the specific project or need, requested amount, and how it connects to the foundation's interests.

3. Align with their geography. If your organization is not based in Indiana, Tennessee, or West Virginia, you need an exceptionally compelling reason for the foundation to fund outside its core areas.

4. Request an appropriate amount. For a first-time grant, $5,000–$25,000 is realistic. Only anchor institutions with established relationships receive $100K+ grants.

5. Demonstrate educational or community impact. The strongest theme across their portfolio is education — from elementary schools to college scholarships to community foundations that support learning.

6. Be patient with timing. With no published deadlines and a small family board, decisions likely happen at quarterly or semi-annual family meetings rather than on a fixed cycle.