The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy operates as an academic institute within the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. It focuses on examining charitable giving patterns among racial minority communities. ¹

Background

Established in 2015, the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy honors the legacy of William G. Mays, an Indianapolis businessman who founded Mays Chemical Company and participated in local civic and philanthropic activities over nearly 50 years. Mays died in 2014, and the institute emerged from discussions between his widow, Rose Mays, and Indiana University (IU) officials. Rose Mays, a retired professor and administrator at the IU School of Nursing, proposed the institute to reflect her husband’s emphasis on giving within diverse groups. ¹

The institute positions itself as a convener for discussions on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” in philanthropy, and calls for broader demographic representation. It operates without a separate nonprofit status, functioning as a program of the university-based Lilly School. ²

Programs and Activities

The institute conducts research, training, and public engagement activities centered on philanthropic behaviors in minority groups. Research efforts examine perceptions, practices, and needs of donors from diverse backgrounds, often funded by external grants. For instance, a two-part webinar series on African philanthropy in higher education received support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. ³

Public programming includes the Mays Family Institute Diverse Speaker Series, launched in the 2018-2019 academic year. ² This series features national figures discussing “diversity” in nonprofits and philanthropy. Past speakers have included Helene Gayle, former president of the Chicago Community Trust; Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League; Susan Batten, CEO of the Association of Black Foundation Executives; Luis Miranda, founder of the Mir Foundation; and Noah Drezner, an expert on LGBT-related giving. In 2020, the series hosted a discussion on racial justice with Morial and Tony Mason, president of the Indianapolis Urban League. ^{4  5}

Training initiatives target emerging leaders and professionals. The “Athlete to Advocate” executive certificate program, developed with the Indiana Fever WNBA team and Anthem Inc., trains athletes to advocate for social causes and enhance their giving. Other collaborations include fundraising training with the United Negro College Fund and the PepsiCo Foundation’s Solid Black program. ^{3  6}

Funding

The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy functions as a program of Indiana University, so its finances integrate into the university’s budget rather than appearing in a standalone nonprofit tax return. Initial funding came from gifts by the Mays family and friends to establish the institute in 2015. ⁴ In 2018, the Black Philanthropy Circle, an Indiana University giving group focused on scholarships for Black students, provided a $150,000 seed gift to support early operations. ^{7  8}

Ongoing support derives from university allocations, external grants, and partnerships. The Carnegie Corporation of New York funded a 2023 webinar series on African philanthropy. The PepsiCo Foundation contributed to leadership training programs, including Solid Black. ⁴ Revenues for the broader Lilly School totaled approximately $25 million in 2023, with about 40 percent coming from grants and contracts. ⁹

Leadership and People

Rose Mays is the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy’s founder and a member of the Lilly School’s board of visitors. Mays is a professor emeritus at the Indiana University School of Nursing. ¹⁰

In 2024, LaKoya Gardner was promoted to director of the institute. Gardner previously held leadership roles at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, where she raised funds for campus infrastructure projects. She holds a master’s degree in business from Indiana Wesleyan University, focusing on organizational leadership, and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Indianapolis. Under Gardner’s tenure, the institute has developed partnerships with organizations such as the United Negro College Fund, the Indiana Fever WNBA team, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the PepsiCo Foundation. ^{11  12  13}

As of September 2025, Una Osili holds the role of dean’s fellow for the institute while also serving as associate dean for research and international programs at the Lilly School. Osili, who occupies the Efroymson Chair in Philanthropy and Economics, leads research efforts on diversity in giving patterns. ¹⁴

1. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “The Vision of Rose Mays.” Accessed September 22, 2025. https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/institutes/mays-family-institute-on-diverse-philanthropy/stories/rose-mays-vision.html. 
2. Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. “Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy.” Last modified 2025. https://indyencyclopedia.org/mays-family-institute-on-diverse-philanthropy/. 
3. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy.” Accessed September 22, 2025. https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/institutes/mays-family-institute-on-diverse-philanthropy/index.html. 
4. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Black Philanthropy Month.” Accessed September 22, 2025. https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/institutes/mays-family-institute-on-diverse-philanthropy/black-philanthropy-month.html. 
5. “Liz Thompson Featured in Mays Speaker Series.” Indianapolis Recorder, March 7, 2024. https://indianapolisrecorder.com/liz-thompson-mays-speaker-series/. 
6. “Mays Family Institute Advances Deep Convictions.” Charitable Advisors, July 10, 2018. https://charitableadvisors.com/mays-family-institute-advances-deep-convictions/. 
7. Indiana University Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “Black Philanthropy Circle Pledges $150,000 to Mays Family Institute.” Spring 2018. https://diversity.iu.edu/news-events/news/spring-2018/19-black-philanthropy-circle.html. 
8. Indiana University. “Black Philanthropy Circle Pledges $150,000 to Mays Family Institute.” June 25, 2019. https://news.iu.edu/live/news/25783-black-philanthropy-circle-pledges-150000-to-mays. 
9. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Giving USA: U.S. Charitable Giving Totaled $557.16 Billion in 2023.” June 25, 2024. https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/news-events/news/_news/2024/giving-usa-us-charitable-giving-totaled-557.16-billion-in-2023.html. 
10. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Rose Mays.” Accessed September 22, 2025. https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/people-directory/mays-rose.html. 
11. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Gardner Appointed Director of Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy.” April 9, 2024. https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/news-events/news/_news/2024/gardner-appointed-director-of-mays-family-institute-on-diverse-philanthropy.html. 
12. “LaKoya Gardner Named Director of Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy.” Indianapolis Recorder, April 11, 2024. https://indianapolisrecorder.com/lakoya-gardner-named-director-mays-family-institute-on-diverse-philanthropy/. 
13. “Gardner Appointed a Director at Lilly School.” The NonProfit Times, April 15, 2024. https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/gardner-appointed-a-director-at-lilly-school/. 
14. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “Faculty and Staff Directory.” Accessed September 22, 2025. https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/people-directory/index.html.