A Legacy of Giving: Efroymson Family Fund 1998-2016
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Chicago High School for the Arts A LEGACY OF GIVING: EFROYMSON FAMILY FUND 1998-2016 “HOW WONDERFUL IT IS THAT NOBODY NEED WAIT A SINGLE MOMENT BEFORE STARTING TO IMPROVE THE WORLD.” ANNE FRANK A LETTER FROM THE EFROYMSON FAMILY Dear friends, In 1998, Dan and Lori Efroymson established the large, to organizations like Efroymson Family Fund, one of the first donor- The Nature Conservancy, “to advised funds at the Central Indiana Community save and protect the lands and Foundation (CICF). Through this fund, we the waters on which all life depends;” wanted to continue the long legacy of charitable and Indiana Landmarks, “to preserve, restore commitment by the Efroymson family. and repurpose historic places… and revitalize communities;” and The Children’s Museum of The Efroymson family moved from Evansville, Indianapolis, where for many years we have helped Indiana, to Indianapolis in the early 1870s. present special exhibits, including The Power of Gustave, the oldest son of Jacob and Minnie Children, which tells the stories of Anne Frank, Efroymson, became a prosperous businessman Ruby Bridges and Ryan White, three children who and philanthropist in our city. Later on, Gustave’s made a difference in the world. two sons, Clarence, an economist and professor of economics at Butler University, and Robert, a We have also reached out to places like Haiti, a lawyer and businessman, became respected civic country ravaged by natural disasters, helping local leaders and philanthropists. Like their father, they artists to sell their crafts to generate income. were quite successful in their personal affairs and felt that it was their responsibility to help those We helped the arts by supporting museums such in need, thus playing instrumental roles in the as the Indianapolis Museum of Art, where we welfare of the people living in Indianapolis, Central funded ARTx, an initiative to attract and engage Indiana and beyond. new audiences and local artists through creative programming; and also art education for young From 1919 to 1999, three generations of people through grants to organizations like the Efroymsons—Gustave, Robert and Dan—served Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts), a without interruption on The Indianapolis public 4-year college preparatory for visual and Foundation board of trustees. Lori Efroymson- performing arts; or through the Efroymson Aguilera served on the CICF board from 2002-2012. Contemporary Arts Fellowship Program, which Since Dan’s passing in 1999, Lori Efroymson- has distributed $1,000,000 to 50 contemporary Aguilera and their two children, Jeremy and Midwestern visual artists. Elissa, have continued the family’s philanthropic legacy of providing financial support to charitable We believe in innovation and creativity, and they organizations throughout Indianapolis, the state of have become the overarching theme that links Indiana, across the United States and, occasionally, all our grants. We are happy to hear about the in other countries. successes of our grantees because their success is also our success. This brief history of our family leads us to the present. By the end of 2016, the cumulative giving We thank Joanna Nixon, our fund manager, whose of the Efroymson Family Fund, in the 19 years since creativity has helped us in our permanent quest its establishment, has exceeded $100 million. We to be more innovative, and in doing so, has helped are pleased and proud to share the impact of the our grantees to achieve their goals. We also want Efroymson Family Fund with all of you. to thank Central Indiana Community Foundation and their staff for their constant support over the Since 1998, the Efroymson Family Fund has years. awarded almost 1,900 grants. Some of them were Lori Efroymson-Aguilera Jeremy Efroymson Elissa Hamid Efroymson Chair Vice Chair Vice Chair EFROYMSON FAMILY FUND CUMULATIVE GRANT-MAKING 1998 - 2016 SNAPSHOT $102,510,093 CUMULATIVE DOLLARS AWARDED 1,863 GRANTS AWARDED FIELD OF INTEREST 1998 - 2016 28% ARTS & CULTURE 22% 28% 24% ENVIRONMENT 22% HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 24% 16% 16% CIVIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 10% 10% EDUCATION GEOGRAPHIC AREA 1998 - 2016 41% MARION COUNTY 24% OUTSIDE INDIANA 24% 20% CENTRAL INDIANA 41% 14% OUTSIDE CENTRAL INDIANA 14% 20% GRANTEE SPOTLIGHTS “We are happy to hear about the successes of our grantees because their success is also our success.” —Lori Efroymson-Aguilera Chair Blooming flowers along White River EFROYMSON FAMILY FUND GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS THE NATURE LANDMARKS MUSEUM OF CONSERVANCY SAVING INDIANA’S CONTEMPORARY CONSERVING & HISTORIC BUILDINGS ART PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT The Efroymson family is a significant ELEVATING advocate for preserving places CONTEMPORARY ART IN The Efroymson family has a long SPOTLIGHTS and historic buildings, and both history of supporting environmental Lori Efroymson-Aguilera and INDIANAPOLIS causes and conservation work, and Jeremy Efroymson have served ensuring our land and waters are in leadership roles at Indiana The Efroymson family has a passion protected for future generations. Landmarks. Historic preservation for creativity and consistently Both Lori Efroymson-Aguilera and support from the Efroymson Family supports artists. The fund was an her late husband, Dan Efroymson, Fund has impacted almost every early supporter of Indianapolis served as trustees for the Nature county in Indiana. To date, more Museum of Contemporary Art Conservancy in Indiana. Dan than 300 preservation projects have (iMOCA) both financially and Efroymson also served on the been supported through the fund, through the leadership provided by National Board of Governors for the ranging from planning grants to the Jeremy Efroymson to establish the Nature Conservancy and served as stabilization and rehabilitation of museum in early 2000. To this day, its chair from 1996-1998. Support to buildings, schools, homes, bridges, iMOCA remains Indianapolis’ only the Nature Conservancy benefits churches, barns and monuments. museum dedicated solely to showing environmental conservation efforts The family historically provides and advancing contemporary art. in Indiana, across the nation and critical, early grant support to help iMOCA’s mission aligns with the internationally. Recent leadership catalyze additional investment Efroymson Family Fund’s interest support from the Efroymson Family and local engagement efforts. Most in supporting visual artists and Fund helped the Nature Conservancy recently, the Efroymson family providing thought-provoking and build its LEED Platinum certified has established an endowment innovative arts programming for headquarters in downtown at Indiana Landmarks dedicated the community. Efroymson Family Indianapolis and to establish to saving endangered places in Fund support to iMOCA has helped Kankakee Sands, a unique 7,800-acre perpetuity. fund general operations, exhibitions highly diverse native prairie and by emerging and established wetland in Northwest Indiana. PHOTO: Fowler Theatre by Lee contemporary visual arts, and arts Lewellen education programming. EFROYMSON FAMILY FUND GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT INDIANAPOLIS IU CANCER CHICAGO HIGH MUSEUM OF ART CENTER SCHOOL FOR INSPRING EXPERIENCES SAVING LIVES THROUGH THE ARTS THROUGH ART RESEARCH & SERVICES CULTIVATING THE NEXT The Efroymson family has supported The Efroymson family has been GENERATION OF ARTISTS a significant number of arts and personally touched by cancer. Lori cultural institutions in Indianapolis, Efroymson-Aguilera’s late husband, The Efroymson family has supported Chicago and beyond. They strongly Dan, and their daughter, Rachel, several organizations and programs believe that these organizations are both lost their lives to cancer far too that help children and youth important assets that contribute soon. It is that personal experience develop leadership skills and achieve to the vibrancy of a community. that has instilled a desire to help academic success. The Chicago Lori Efroymson-Aguilera has ease the burden of cancer for other High School for the Arts (ChiArts) served as a board member for the families. The Efroymson Family Fund is a unique program that helps Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) established two endowments that encourage the next generation of and provided a number of leadership fund research efforts at the IU Simon artists and leaders through intensive gifts to the IMA for exhibitions and Cancer Center in honor of Dan pre-professional training in the arts, capital campaign support. She also and Rachel. It is with this support combined with a comprehensive made an endowed gift to establish that life-saving cancer research college preparatory curriculum. a Contemporary Art Fund that can continue. The Efroymson Elissa Hamid Efroymson serves on supports works and installations Family Fund has provided support the board of trustees of ChiArts. by local, national and international to a number of Central Indiana She continues to be a champion visual artists in the entrance organizations that offer critical, for ensuring that underserved pavilion. Most recent support from basic need services to individuals children and families have access to the Efroymson Family Fund enabled with cancer. For example, the high quality academic experiences the IMA to launch ARTx, an initiative Efroymson family funded Little Red and enriching opportunities. to create new, experimental, Door Cancer Agency’s Rides of Hope The Efroymson Family Fund has innovative and participatory art transportation program. Since 2011, provided a number of leadership