As we look to the future, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation remains dedicated to our three focus areas: Education, Health, and the Vitality of Indianapolis. In February 2025, the Fairbanks Foundation’s board of directors approved new goals and strategies to guide our work through 2029.
A good education creates new possibilities. Yet in Indianapolis and across the state, many K-12 students do not pass subjects like math and English. As a result, some Hoosiers graduate from high school unprepared for college or in-demand careers. Meanwhile, employers struggle to find skilled talent to fill available jobs.
Our Goal
Improve student academic outcomes and address the workforce skills gap.
Our Strategies
For both children and adults, good health is essential for success in life. Unfortunately, Indianapolis ranks at or near the bottom of almost every measure of public health and healthy living. Poor health outcomes reduce quality of life, increase healthcare costs, and lower productivity.
Our Goal
Improve the health of people in Indianapolis.
Our Strategy
As one of the largest cities in the country, Indianapolis is home to a vibrant community and a wide array of industries, from manufacturing and logistics to healthcare and hospitality. Attracting and retaining talent, fostering innovation, and offering a high quality of life for the people of our city is essential to ensuring the vitality of Indianapolis.
Our Goal
Create a more vibrant Indianapolis.
Our Strategy
This focus area also includes two categories of grants, which align with Dick Fairbanks’ wishes when he presided over the Foundation: