Nearly 100 years ago, Jameson Camp opened its doors to give Indianapolis children a breath of fresh air. Founded in 1928 during the tuberculosis crisis, the camp offered kids a clean, safe escape from the city. A century later, that same spirit of care and commitment is being met with a major investment in the future.
Jameson Camp has been awarded a $3,000,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Capital Project Initiative for Residential Youth Camps. It is one of 40 implementation grants awarded in phase 3 of the Lilly Endowment initiative.
The funding will be put to work in meaningful ways. Three newly-designed cabins will be added to the existing camp circle, along with a staff lodge built adjacent to it. The new structures are designed with accessibility and equity at the forefront, expanding lodging options for both campers and staff. Beyond new construction, the grant will support infrastructure, safety, efficiency, and accessibility improvements across the Jameson Camp campus over the next five years.
This latest award builds on a $1,000,000 Lilly Endowment grant Jameson Camp received in December 2025 through an earlier phase of the same initiative, bringing the organization's total support from this program to $4,000,000.
"Obviously, we are thrilled to receive this support from Lilly Endowment," said Executive Director David Ramsey. "This initiative could not have come at a better time for our organization as we prepare to celebrate 100 years in the Indianapolis community and imagine an even more impactful future."
That future includes serving the full spectrum of young people in central Indiana. Jameson Camp has long been known for its robust financial aid program and intentional accommodations for neurodivergent campers – a reflection of its core belief that every child deserves access to the transformational experience of camp, regardless of background or ability.
Lilly Endowment's Capital Project Initiative was designed specifically to help Indiana's residential youth camps upgrade and expand their facilities, improving outcomes for the kids they serve. With this investment, Jameson Camp is positioned not just to honor its first 100 years, but to make the next 100 even stronger.
To learn more about Jameson Camp and its programs, visit jamesoncamp.org.