The Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment has announced grants totaling nearly $2 million to nonprofits in Marion County.

More than $1.4 million was awarded through the Summer Youth Program Fund, an initiative of eleven area funders to provide classes for 40,000 Marion County youth in subjects such as calculus, art, critical thinking, creative writing, photography, reading, and public speaking. Grantees include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis ($43,500), First-Meridian Heights Presbyterian Church ($31,250), and the Indianapolis Parks Foundation ($27,500). Other supporters of the fund include the City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, the Lumina Foundation for Education, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, and the Eli Lilly and Company, JP Morgan Chase, and Indianapolis foundations.

"The staff and volunteers of the organizations that provide summer youth programming in our community impress us each year with their enthusiasm and creativity," said Lilly Endowment director of youth programming Willis K. Bright. "Their commitment to serving as effectively as possible the youth who participate in these programs is truly exemplary. We are pleased to support their efforts to provide a myriad of safe, constructive, and fun summer activities for our community's youth."

In addition, the endowment awarded nearly $591,000 in capital grants for projects ranging from youth staff training to the purchase of computer equipment, vans, and mini-buses to transport program participants. Recipients of capital grants include the East Tenth United Methodist Children and Youth Center ($25,000), the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation ($25,000), Save the Youth ($15,715), and Happy Hollow Children's Camp ($10,000).

For a complete list of grantees, visit the Lilly Endowment Web site.