Transform Lake County

Transform Lake County is sponsored by Legacy Foundation. Transform Lake County Grants support communities with a sharpened focus on systemic racism, racial injustice, underinvestment, and lack of infrastructure in under-resourced and marginalized communities across Lake County.

Legacy Foundation awards over $800,000 to strengthen Lake County communities - GreatNews. Life Legacy Foundation awards over $800,000 to strengthen Lake County communities Legacy Foundation awards over $800,000 to strengthen Lake County communities Last Updated: December 26, 2025 Legacy Foundation has announced $822,418 in grants to 47 organizations this fall.

The latest funding cycle reaches every corner of Lake County’s 19 municipalities to support high-impact initiatives that include neighborhood flood remediation and community-based mental health programs.

“These grants focus on supporting, improving, and strengthening our Lake County communities by responding directly to what residents and local organizations say they need most,” said Legacy Foundation’s Director of Grants & Partnerships Maranda Fishback Engquist. “Our goal is to help build strong, connected communities where people have the opportunity to thrive today and in the future.

” The Fall 2025 funding cycle, spearheaded by the foundation’s Transform Lake County program, prioritizes Lake County’s most pressing needs over pre-defined categories. This flexible approach allows the foundation to support organizations that are working to create long- term solutions for issues Lake County residents are facing today.

“Transform Lake County grantmaking is supported by Legacy Foundation’s Unrestricted Funds,” Engquist said. “These flexible resources, provided by local donors who care deeply about Lake County, allow us to invest where the need and opportunity are greatest. ” The largest portion of the funding, $322,178.

21, went to 27 “Transform Lake County” recipients. These grants support projects as varied as the Dunes Dog Training Club’s “Pets N Vets” program and Shuler’s Stable boxing gym. The allocation also assisted organizations ranging from the Humane Society of Hobart to municipal improvements like playground enhancements in Highland and prairie restoration in Hobart.

The fall cycle targets urgent infrastructure and social stability through several specialized funds. The bp Community Grant Fund, supported by the bp Foundation, provided $28,800 to six organizations, including St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and St.

Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, to remediate flood damage. Simultaneously, the Resilience Grant program distributed $300,000 among 10 groups, such as Planned Parenthood and Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana, to bridge gaps in federal and state funding cuts. In Gary, the John S.

and James L. Knight Donor Advised Fund allocated $171,440 to four projects, including Capital B Gary and the Gary Arts and Culture Council, to build community trust and foster creativity. While this year’s cycle features several first-time recipients, the foundation continues to see demand outpace its available resources.

This Transform Lake County grant cycle alone drew 64 applications totaling more than $1 million in requests—nearly triple the amount available. To meet this rising need, the foundation is currently offering a two-for-one matching opportunity for donations to the Lake County Community Fund to effectively triple the impact of individual contributions. To learn more about this opportunity visit legacyfdn.

org or call 219-736-1880.

Some of the organizations funded with these grants include: Cedar Lake Historical Association Chikare Health Services, Inc. Citizens for Sustainable Hobart Down Syndrome Association NWI Dunes Dog Training Club, Inc. Elka Child Educational Center Families Anchored In Total Harmony Flourish Community Dev Corp For the Love of the Arts, Inc. Friendship Baptist Church Gary Alumni Pathways to Students Gary Arts & Culture Council Highland Parks & Recreation Homestead Enterprise Housing, Inc. Miller Beach Arts & Creative Northwest Indiana Fencing Club Operation Combat Bikesaver POP on Teen Violence, INC. SAFE Coalition for Human Rights Safe Haven Ministries Corporation St.

John the Baptist Catholic Church St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church Student Conservation Association The Humane Society of Hobart We Care from the Heart, Inc. White’s Residential and Family Services, Inc. 370 E.

84th Dr. Suite 100