Vision

We envision prospering communities with well-informed and engaged citizenry.

Mission

We support people pursing innovation and long-lasting improvements in the environment, health, education, and community access to the arts.

Operating imperatives, values, and beliefs of our members:

Who we are:

• We are a family-governed organization whose programs reflect the collective aspirations, and diverse perspectives and interests of its members.  We provide a forum for learning and a platform for individual and collaborative family engagement in philanthropy and community service.

Where we work:

• We work in East Central Illinois and in family member communities.

We share a commitment to honor our heritage in East Central Illinois, where the Lumpkin family operated business for more than 100 years.  Fifty percent or more of our grant-making dollars are allocated to East Central Illinois and all of our community programs take place in this region with deep community involvement.

A significant part of our grant-making takes place in family member communities across the country, encouraging family member engagement, and connecting our work in East Central Illinois to a rich diversity of ideas, experiences and perspectives.

How we work:

• We understand The Foundation's role as existing along a continuum - from responsive grant-making to the execution of our own programs that aim to spur innovation, foster leadership and encourage new approaches to old problems.
  
  We appreciate the special needs of the mostly small and rural communities where we work, and we do our best to leverage additional resources and enhance local philanthropy.
  
  We strive to be a learning organization. We believe in action, evaluation and continuous improvement. We support collaboration and build networks to support learning, develop understanding of issues, and encourage work across organizations and sectors.