Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Background

The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy traces its origins to 1986, when a planning grant established a committee to develop a proposal for what would become the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. The center was formally established in 1987 and held its inaugural colloquium at the University Place Conference Center in Indianapolis. That same year, the center absorbed the Fund Raising School, a professional training program founded in 1974. Robert Payton, a former diplomat and college president, was appointed the center’s first full-time executive director in 1988. ^{2 4}

The center’s master’s degree in philanthropic studies was approved in 1993, and its doctoral degree followed in 2003. In 2010, the center launched the first bachelor’s degree program in philanthropic studies in the country. In 2012, Indiana University trustees approved the elevation of the center to a stand-alone school — the first school of philanthropy in the world — and Gene Tempel, who had previously led the center as executive director, was appointed as its founding dean. The school was formally inaugurated and named the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in 2013 in honor of the Lilly family of Indianapolis, whose philanthropy is closely tied to the Lilly Endowment, one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Amir Pasic was named as dean in 2015, holding the title of Eugene R. Tempel Dean of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and remained in the role as of 2026. ^{5 1 2 6 7}

Academics

The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy offers a bachelor of arts in philanthropic leadership, a master of arts in philanthropic studies, a Ph.D. in philanthropic studies, and a professional doctorate in philanthropic leadership (PhilD). In May 2026, 17 scholars from the inaugural cohort of the PhilD program received their degrees. The school also offers undergraduate and graduate certificates and an accelerated B.A./M.A. program. ^{8 9}

The school houses the Fund Raising School, a professional development unit offering courses, seminars, and certificate programs in fundraising management, fundraising leadership, planned giving, digital fundraising, and nonprofit executive leadership to practitioners around the world. As of 2026, the school also operated a Community of Fellows program, inviting visiting and resident scholars and practitioners to engage in research and program development on subjects including philanthropic advising, impact investing, higher education and philanthropy, policy and philanthropy, and sports and philanthropy. ^{10 11}

The school annually produces Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy, published by the Giving USA Foundation, which has tracked charitable giving in the United States for more than 70 years. The 2026 edition of Giving USA reported that U.S. charitable giving reached $617.20 billion in 2025, surpassing the $600 billion mark for the first time. ¹²

Institutes and Initiatives

The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy houses five research institutes and initiatives. The Lake Institute on Faith and Giving focuses on the intersection of religious belief and philanthropic practice and hosts an annual Lake Distinguished Visitor Program. The Women’s Philanthropy Institute conducts research on gender differences in philanthropic behavior and produces the Women Give report series annually. The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy, established in 2015 in honor of William and Rose Mays, focuses on philanthropic leadership among racial minorities and hosts an annual Black Philanthropy Month recognition program. The Higher Education and Philanthropy Initiative examines the relationship between institutions of higher education and philanthropic giving. ^{13 14 15 16 17}

Finally, the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative (MPI) was a unit of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy dedicated to advancing research, education, and training on Muslim philanthropy. The MPI claimed to be the only academic initiative in the United States focused exclusively on Muslim giving and describes its mission as equipping communities, organizations, and leaders with information on Muslim philanthropy through research, education, training, and convenings. The MPI was directed by Shariq Siddiqui. The initiative published research, hosted symposiums and webinars, offered capacity-building programs to nonprofit professionals, and administered fellowships and awards in the field of Muslim philanthropy. The MPI also published a newsletter called Khayr and maintained a council of advisors drawn from scholars and philanthropic practitioners. ¹⁸

Leadership

As of 2026, Amir Pasic held the position of Eugene R. Tempel Dean and Professor of Philanthropic Studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, a role he had held since 2015. Before joining the school, Pasic was the vice president of international operations at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), an international professional association for educational institutions. He previously held the position of associate dean for development and strategic planning at the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, as well as the executive director of its Foreign Policy Institute, where he continued to hold a fellowship as of 2026. Pasic also previously held the position of deputy director of the World Security Project at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and deputy vice president for advancement at George Washington University. ^{5 2}