The Landmark Columbus Foundation Endowment is a permanent fund that protects and sustains the Foundation’s mission to care for, celebrate, and advance the cultural heritage of Bartholomew County and like-minded communities. Grown through community leadership and generosity, the endowment ensures that LCF's work can endure, evolve, and serve more people for generations to come.
Contribute
Should you be interested in supporting the endowment, please consider contributing today.
Lucabe at Eastbrook Plaza. A preservation effort turned this historic building into the local coffee company’s second location.
Endowment Campaign History and Community Support
Launched with a $524,824 seed gift from Lilly Endowment Inc. at the end of 2019 through a leadership grant in the seventh phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VII) initiative that was received in collaboration with Heritage Fund, LCF’s endowment campaign steadily gained momentum over the next several years. By late 2024, the fund had grown to over $1.8 million, propelled by leadership gifts from local and regional philanthropists who demonstrated a broad commitment to preserving Columbus’ design heritage. This accomplishment was soon eclipsed when John and Sarah Lechleiter made a $500,000 pledge, catapulting the effort to a new level.
Then, in early 2025, a transformational $100,000 pledge by Tracy Haddad ignited the final phase of fundraising, inspiring many others to contribute. LCF engaged thousands of community members through outreach in this home stretch. By the 2025 Exhibit Columbus Opening Weekend, the campaign’s contributions and pledges had reached the $3 million goal. What began as a visionary initiative evolved into a genuine community-wide effort, with supporters from all quarters (including longtime Columbus families, new individual donors, charitable foundations, and corporate sponsors) uniting to invest in LCF’s mission.
Donation Levels were established, and the giving at each level indicates a broad level of support:
Leadership Level $10,001 and up
Legacy Level $1,000–10,000
Benefactor Level Any gift up to $1,000
In total
168 at the Benefactor Level
34 at the Legacy Level
33 at the Leadership Level,
listed here:
Anonymous
Anthony Moravec
Efroymson Family Fund
Eric and Nikki Robbins
Gregg and Judith Summerville
Brian and Patty Hannasch
Hayden Haddad Bishop
Heritage Fund
Hutch and Kevina Schumaker
James and Toots Henderson
Jeffrey and Lynn Brown
John and Amber Elwood
John and Sarah Lechleiter
Betsy and Tom Laskey
Mark and Marabeth Levett
Mark and Wendy Elwood
Bob and Mary Orben
Mike and Christine Elwood
Peer Foods Group, Inc.
Richard and Alice Gold
Rich and Tammy Freeland
Rick and Alice Johnson
Rick and Janeen Sprague
Robert and Barbara Stevens
Ryan and Annette Moravec
Sarla Kalsi and Surekha DiOrio
Sharon Risk Stark and David Tiede
Srikanth Padmanabhan and Usha Raghavan
Tammy Burton
Terry and Connie Marbach
Thomas and Stephanie Thornburg
Tracy Haddad
Will Miller and Lynne Maguire
The Gateway to Columbus. An aerial view of Bartholomew County Courthouse and the Robert N. Stewart Bridge.
Mark Elwood Former LCF Board Chair
We are deeply grateful to everyone, from individual supporters and families to foundations and corporate partners, who believe in our mission and contribute to our endowment. This fund ensures we can continue to thrive and support Columbus’ world-renowned design legacy for future generations.
Tracy L. Haddad Current LCF Board Chair
Growing our endowment underscores the remarkable commitment of our community to preserving and advancing Columbus’ heritage. We’re investing in a sustainable future for Landmark Columbus Foundation.
Heritage Fund’s mission is to inspire generosity, gather and grow community leaders, and to act to ensure that Bartholomew County is an exceptional place for all to live, learn, work, and play.
Heritage Fund
The endowment fund is managed by Heritage Fund–The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, which will continue to invest and grow these assets for the long term. Starting in 2026, a small portion of the endowment was drawn to help offset Landmark Columbus Foundation’s core operating expenses, such as maintaining its staff and supporting key programs. This reliable income stream will ensure the longevity and stability of LCF’s initiatives, allowing the organization to remain a strong and steady force behind its signature programs. In short, the endowment will permanently strengthen LCF’s capacity to care for Columbus’ celebrated architectural heritage and to inspire new generations through design.
Learn more
Press Release
11 November 2025
Landmark Columbus Foundation Reaches $3m Endowment Goal
Press Release
11 April 2025
Tracy L. Haddad Foundation Makes $100,000 Leadership Gift to Landmark Columbus Foundation Endowment
Press Release
12 September 2024
Landmark Columbus Foundation receives three major gifts, boosting endowment to over $1.8 million
Contribute
Should you be interested in supporting the endowment, please consider contributing today.
Washington Street Bridge, spanning the White River in Indianapolis. Learn more about Monumental Gestures, an Indianapolis-based initiative of Columbus Design Institute, who’s mission is to transforms public spaces through ambitious art experiences that invite conversation, amplify voices, and celebrate histories.