Our mission is to build community and create opportunity that empowers every person to reach their full potential.

Who We Are

Glick Philanthropies is an Indianapolis-based family of charitable initiatives dedicated to building community and creating opportunity that empowers every person to reach their full potential.

Our Approach to Building Community

Together, we cultivate equitable communities by supporting initiatives and nonprofit organizations creating systemic change. Our partners are providing accessible and affordable housing, supporting a healthy democracy, and strengthening the Central Indiana Jewish community and cultural life.

Our Approach to Creating Opportunity

We provide support that empowers community-serving organizations to fill critical gaps for our neighbors. Our partners are creating opportunity by expanding equitable opportunities in the arts, closing education achievement gaps, improving access to basic needs, and increasing economic mobility.

  • initial charitable initiatives established
    initial charitable initiatives established
  • grantmaking focus areas
    grantmaking focus areas
  • awarded to charitable causes
    awarded to charitable causes

Our Values

Who We Are

At Glick Philanthropies, we are guided by the core values of equity, compassion and integrity.

The Story

The roots of Glick Philanthropies started to form in 1947 when Eugene B. Glick and Marilyn K. Koffman married and founded Indianapolis Homes Inc. which became the Gene B. Glick Company.

Timeline

1944

While serving as a GI in WWII, Gene Glick and his fellow GIs were under heavy shell fire and he dove into an ice-covered slit trench. He later said, "If I survive, I'm not going to forget this day. Any time I think I've got it tough or things aren't going well, I'm going to say to myself, 'Glick, how does this compare to November 11, 1944?'"

1945

In April 1945, Gene Glick and his comrades liberated Dachau concentration camp.

1946

After the war, Gene returned to Indianapolis and joined Peoples Bank, where he established its GI loan program. While working at the bank he saw a tremendous business opportunity: His fellow veterans were starting families, but there was a serious shortage in housing.

1947

Gene Glick & Marilyn Koffman married and founded what would become the Gene B. Glick Company, one of the largest privately held real estate development firms in the country.

1962

Gene B. Glick Company became the largest single-family home builder in Indiana and entered the multi-family housing market.

1981

Gene Glick founded Pro-100, a six-week summer youth employment program for economically-disadvantaged youth in Indianapolis. Pro-100 evolved into what is now known as TeenWorks.

1982

Gene & Marilyn Glick established Glick Family Foundation to support their charitable outreach.

1998

Gene & Marilyn Glick established the Glick Fund at Central Indiana Community Foundation and the Glick Fund at the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis.

2005

Gene & Marilyn Glick established Glick Housing Foundation.

2008

Glick Housing Foundation acquired its first two apartment communities, Loper Commons in Shelbyville, Indiana and Hampton Court in Indianapolis.

2012

Marilyn K. Glick, born in 1922, passed away.

2013

Gene B. Glick, born in 1921, passed away.

2015

Glick Philanthropies was established to bring together Glick’s various charitable initiatives.

2016

Glick Philanthropies launched an apartment community-nominated grant program that focuses on supporting basic needs for individuals and families. Since 2016, over $5.5 million has been awarded to nearly 300 nonprofit organizations across the country.

2019

The Success Center at Carriage House East, a Glick Housing Foundation community, opened to foster a sense of community and help families achieve their goals.

2021

Glick Housing Foundation acquired seven affordable housing properties in Indiana. At the time of the acquisition, it was the largest in the history of the Foundation and one of the largest in Indiana for 2021.

2023

With the encouragement and support of the current board, Gene & Marilyn’s grandchildren and eldest great-grandchild formed the ‘Next Generation’ committee and directed its first grant.

2024

Glick Philanthropies launched Healthy Democracy as a funding and engagement focus area.

Our Charitable Initiatives

Glick Philanthropies continues to carry on Gene & Marilyn’s philanthropic legacy through grantmaking and community leadership.

Glick Family Foundation
Est.
1982

Established in 1982 by Gene & Marilyn Glick, Glick Family Foundation is one of the most active private family foundations in Indiana and has awarded more than 4,000 grants totaling $200 million to nonprofit organizations, including the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick, TeenWorks, the Glick Eye Institute at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and many more. This also includes annual legacy grants to more than 50 nonprofit organizations.

Glick Housing Foundation
Est.
2005

Founded in 2005, Glick Housing Foundation is an Indianapolis-based public charity creating communities where every person has a place to call home and the opportunity to reach their full potential. With a focus on resident well-being, we provide affordable apartment homes to more than 14,000 residents in 56 communities across 12 states. All residents have access to onsite case management, tailored programming, and basic needs support at no cost. Through acquisition, development, and long-term ownership, we preserve affordable housing while advocating for creative solutions to expand affordable housing options.

Visit GlickHousing.org
The Glick Fund at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF)
Est.
1998

The Glick Fund at CICF, a donor-advised fund, was established by Gene & Marilyn Glick in 1998 to support a variety of philanthropic organizations and programs in Central Indiana. The Glick Fund at CICF has awarded more than 1,000 grants totaling $85 million to nonprofit organizations.

The Glick Fund at the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis (JFGI)
Est.
1998

As descendants of some of the earliest Jewish families in Indiana, Gene and Marilyn Glick established the Glick Fund at JFGI, a donor-advised fund, in 1998. This fund supports local organizations, agencies, and programs that serve Indianapolis’ Jewish community and strengthen the city’s Jewish cultural life. The Glick Fund at JFGI has awarded more than 175 grants totaling $20 million to nonprofit organizations.

The Legacy Continues

Commitment to the Far Eastside

The Glick Company was proudly founded on the far eastside of Indianapolis. In partnership with organizations including Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), JD Finish Line Foundation, and The Indianapolis Foundation, Glick Philanthropies formed the Far Eastside Success Initiative in 2015. Since then, Glick Philanthropies has invested more than $10 million in programs and services that empower and support the far eastside community, including affordable housing, resident services, and grants to nonprofit organizations, including Community Alliance of the Far Eastside. Glick Philanthropies’ investment resulted in $50 million in additional investment from community partners.

Get to Know the Far Eastside
Connecting People & Places on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail

Gene and Marilyn Glick were fascinated with the idea of a thoroughfare connecting some of Indy’s most popular neighborhoods. Fitness advocates well into their 80s, they liked the idea of a public recreational resource in the heart of the city. Yet, they realized the recreational aspects were just a small part of the Trail’s potential impact. The Trail was a great opportunity to encourage cultural exchange, expand community awareness, and promote economic growth. With a lead gift of $15 million, Gene and Marilyn helped move the Cultural Trail from a dream to a reality in Indianapolis. 

Gene and Marilyn Glick not only gave to the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick, but also commissioned the Glick Peace Walk. This stunning portion of the Trail along Walnut Street celebrates the lives of individuals who made peaceful contributions to humanity. Glick Philanthropies continues to support the Cultural Trail in a variety of ways, including annual financial support for maintenance.

Explore the Cultural Trail
Celebrating Indiana Literature through the Indiana Authors Awards

The Indiana Authors Awards were established in 2009 through the vision and generosity of Eugene and Marilyn Glick as a way to honor the contributions of Hoosier authors to the literary landscape in Indiana and across the nation. The Indiana Authors Awards are proudly powered by Indiana Humanities and made possible through the generosity of Glick Philanthropies.

Explore the Indiana Authors Awards
Advancing Science through the Glick Eye Institute

In 2009, Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology broke ground on the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute. The building on Michigan Street in Indianapolis, with its ornate windows and signature sculpture, is truly an intersection of health care, research and education, said Louis Cantor, MD, who was the chair of the ophthalmology department when the project began. The Glicks provided the university $20 million to construct the eye institute and another $10 million in endowment funds to ensure it would have a lasting impact and advance the recruitment of faculty and scientists.

“Buildings don’t do things; people do,” Cantor said. “But the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute supports the people. It gives them a sense of purpose, a reason for why they’re here.”

Explore the Glick Eye Institute

Our People

  • Our Team

    At Glick Philanthropies, our team members bring varied experiences and perspectives to the work each day – all aligned with the mission to build community and create opportunity.

  • Ryan Brady

    Ryan Brady

    Vice President
  • Ben Grande

    Ben Grande

    Director of Philanthropy
  • Stephanie Jones

    Stephanie Jones

    Philanthropy Coordinator
  • Lily Marks

    Lily Marks

    Communications & Engagement Specialist
  • Isaac Mervis

    Isaac Mervis

    Portfolio Manager
  • Hannah Riffle

    Hannah Riffle

    Communications & Engagement Manager
  • Ben Tebbe

    Ben Tebbe

    Senior Philanthropic Advisor
  • Jennifer Vigran

    Jennifer Vigran

    Consultant

Board of Trustees

The Glick Family Foundation Board of Trustees oversees strategic goals, grantmaking decisions, and sets policies related to governance and organizational management.

  • Marianne Glick

    Marianne Glick

    Chair
  • David O. Barrett

    David O. Barrett

    Vice Chair, President & CEO

  • Stacey Sunderman

    Treasurer

  • Jim Bisesi

    Secretary

  • Tom Grande

    Chief Investment Officer

  • Jackie Barrett

    Trustee

  • Arlene Grande

    Trustee

  • Alice Meshbane

    Trustee

  • Lynda Schwartz

    Trustee
Focus Areas

Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is out of reach for too many Americans.

The health of our neighbors and the strength of our communities rely on affordable housing. Yet when affordable housing is not accessible, meeting other basic needs – education, health care, food security, transportation – is simply not possible.

Affordable Housing

Arts

Together, we are creating community through art.

The arts are essential for personal and community development. The arts inspire innovation, celebrate culture, create connection, empower self-expression, employ creatives, and so much more.

Arts & Creative Expression

Basic Needs

Providing essential basic needs to our most vulnerable communities.

Right now, despite being employed, nearly 40% of Hoosier households cannot afford enough food, keep up with basic housing costs, find reliable transportation, and pay for adequate health services. As our communities continue to face high prices due to inflation, the public, private, and nonprofit sectors must work together to find solutions.

Basic Needs

Economic Mobility

Every person should have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Glick Philanthropies’ basic needs and economic mobility efforts are closely aligned. When – and only when – basic needs are met, opportunities for economic mobility become possible.

Economic Mobility

Education

The path out of poverty begins with a high-quality education for every child.

And yet, thousands of Indiana 4-year-olds from low-income families lack access to high-quality pre-K. Glick Philanthropies invests in initiatives that help low-income families access the high-quality foundation their children need for success in school and in life.

Education

Healthy Democracy

Creating communities where everyone has a voice and opportunity.

Everything we care about – affordable housing, arts, basic needs, economic mobility, education, and the Jewish community – relies on a functioning, healthy democracy. While we wish that philanthropic organizations didn’t need to step up to support democracy, the current landscape requires it. 

Healthy Democracy

Jewish Cultural Life

Ensuring the Jewish community and cultural life are thriving for the next generation.

As descendants of some of the earliest Jewish families in Indiana, Gene and Marilyn Glick established the Glick Fund at the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, a donor-advised fund, in 1998. This fund supports local organizations, agencies, and programs that serve Indianapolis’ Jewish community and strengthen the city’s Jewish cultural life.

Jewish Cultural Life

Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is out of reach for too many Americans.

The health of our neighbors and the strength of our communities rely on affordable housing. Yet when affordable housing is not accessible, meeting other basic needs – education, health care, food security, transportation – is simply not possible.

Affordable Housing

Arts

Together, we are creating community through art.

The arts are essential for personal and community development. The arts inspire innovation, celebrate culture, create connection, empower self-expression, employ creatives, and so much more.

Arts & Creative Expression

Basic Needs

Providing essential basic needs to our most vulnerable communities.

Right now, despite being employed, nearly 40% of Hoosier households cannot afford enough food, keep up with basic housing costs, find reliable transportation, and pay for adequate health services. As our communities continue to face high prices due to inflation, the public, private, and nonprofit sectors must work together to find solutions.

Basic Needs

Economic Mobility

Every person should have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Glick Philanthropies’ basic needs and economic mobility efforts are closely aligned. When – and only when – basic needs are met, opportunities for economic mobility become possible.

Economic Mobility

Education

The path out of poverty begins with a high-quality education for every child.

And yet, thousands of Indiana 4-year-olds from low-income families lack access to high-quality pre-K. Glick Philanthropies invests in initiatives that help low-income families access the high-quality foundation their children need for success in school and in life.

Education

Healthy Democracy

Creating communities where everyone has a voice and opportunity.

Everything we care about – affordable housing, arts, basic needs, economic mobility, education, and the Jewish community – relies on a functioning, healthy democracy. While we wish that philanthropic organizations didn’t need to step up to support democracy, the current landscape requires it. 

Healthy Democracy

Jewish Cultural Life

Ensuring the Jewish community and cultural life are thriving for the next generation.

As descendants of some of the earliest Jewish families in Indiana, Gene and Marilyn Glick established the Glick Fund at the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, a donor-advised fund, in 1998. This fund supports local organizations, agencies, and programs that serve Indianapolis’ Jewish community and strengthen the city’s Jewish cultural life.

Jewish Cultural Life

How do we build community and create opportunity?

What We Do
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