BACI Awarded $240,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
INDIANAPOLIS, September 22, 2022 — The Burmese American Community Institute (BACI) has been awarded a $240,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support the capacity building of Mentoring Youth for Post-Secondary Success.
BACI will use the grant to support the continued success of the Institute’s youth-focused programming, which assists area high school students with their college and career readiness while furthering its mission to building a thriving, integrated and self-sustaining community.
“We are grateful for this important furthered support we are receiving from Lilly Endowment, especially the Mentoring Youth for Post-Secondary Success grant, which will not only enable us increase our much-needed capacity but also allow us to strengthen and enhance the quality of educational programs delivered to our youth while at the same time help us to effectively implement the sustainability plans for the long-term,” said Elaisa Vahnie, Executive Director of BACI. “Collaboratively working with our partners and friends, we remain committed to assisting the Burmese-American community and newcomers in Central Indiana as they are becoming economically self-sufficient, integrated, and productive citizens of the society.”
The BACI summer 2022 survey found that the college going rate among Burmese Americans has increased to 93 percent this year from 69 percent in 2015, while the Burmese population continues to grow.
The study also showed that as of June 30, 2022, 182,329 Burmese refugees have been admitted to the United States since 2000. While more than 40,000 Burmese individuals are residing in Indiana, nearly 27,000 of them are calling Indianapolis their new home. The overall Burmese population in the U.S. is estimated to be more than 317,000.
The BACI Upward College Program is a comprehensive year-long program designed to help students with their college academic readiness and success through its unique and innovative curriculum; the Summer Scholars Program helps prepare the youth to excel academically while at the same time helping solve some of the most pressing issues and problems confronting the local community with a global perspective through a policy action research and leadership development activities.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion, and it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. ###
About BACI
The Burmese American Community Institute is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 that provides educational and vocational support to the Burmese community in greater Indianapolis. The BACI supports community members regionally, nationally, and globally through strategic partnerships and advocacy. Since its inception, the BACI has assisted over 17,000+ individuals through its direct service provisions.
