December 18, 2025
Military Child Education Coalition® Receives Lilly Endowment Grant to Strengthen Support for Military-Connected Children and Families
$1M investment will strengthen organizational capacity to support military-connected children and families.
HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas — [December 18, 2025] — The Military Child Education Coalition® (MCEC®) announced today that it has received a $1 million capacity-building grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to strengthen organizational systems, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability in support of military-connected children and families.
MCEC is one of 18 organizations selected nationwide to receive funding to strengthen the capacity of organizations serving U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families.
Funding to MCEC will help the organization build internal capacity in areas that directly support its mission, including modernizing technology infrastructure, strengthening program evaluation and outcomes measurement, advancing fundraising capacity, and supporting long-term strategic planning.
Mary Bier, President and CEO of the Military Child Education Coalition, said the grant represents an important investment in the organization’s ability to serve military-connected children well into the future.
“Military-connected children experience change as a constant, and for nearly three decades MCEC has been there to support them,” Bier said. “This investment from Lilly Endowment helps ensure that MCEC is positioned to lead and serve military-connected children for the next generation.”
The grant will support MCEC’s long-term organizational effectiveness by enhancing internal systems, data-informed decision-making, and strategic planning processes that enable the organization to scale responsibly, adapt to emerging needs, and steward resources with care.
About the Military Child Education Coalition®
Founded in 1998, the Military Child Education Coalition® (MCEC®) is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every military-connected child is college-, work-, and life-ready. Serving more than 1.5 million children of active duty, National Guard, Reserve, and veteran families, MCEC provides programs, resources, and training for students, parents, and education professionals. More than 80 percent of MCEC staff have military connections, reinforcing the organization’s deep understanding of the challenges associated with frequent transitions and the military lifestyle. Learn more at MilitaryChild.org.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown of Indianapolis and home state of Indiana.
For media inquiries:
Kyle Wood
Chief Operating Officer
Kyle.Wood@militarychild.org