MDLF 2025 Annual Report

Written By Lauren James

Dear Friends of MDLF,

2025 was a year of execution and momentum for the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation. Building on prior progress, MDLF focused on disciplined growth expanding our statewide reach, delivering measurable leadership outcomes across Indiana and strengthening financial performance.

At its core, our work is about people who take responsibility seriously and are willing to lead with both values and follow-through. In a year marked by growth and a willingness to experiment with intention and build new programs and platforms, our team, Fellows, board and stakeholders showed up with clarity, commitment and care for this mission. In 2025, MDLF also co-located at Liberty Fund, strengthening daily collaboration and aligning our work more closely with partners committed to ideas, leadership and the health of our civic institutions.

Below are key results from 2025:

ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT

  • Expanded the investor base to 199 supporters, representing 76% year-over-year growth

  • Secured 12 grants, a 300% increase year over year, including four new grant partners 

  • Grew corporate sponsors to 48, representing 586% growth

  • Conducted 293 external stakeholder meetings across the state 

  • Completed a clean annual financial review, reflecting continued investment in governance and accountability 

  • Launched three new fundraising programs: Day on the Green with My Man Mitch, the Alumni Giving Society and the Mitch Daniels Legacy Society

FELLOWSHIP IMPACT

  • Recruited 127 Fellowship applications representing 26 counties for Class VIII

  • Welcomed Class VIII and engaged 165 active Fellows across 30 Hoosier counties

  • Successfully launched 15 Capstone projects from Class VII

  • Tracked and documented 96 Fellowship leadership advancements 

  • 100% of Fellows reported they are likely or highly likely to recommend the MDLF Fellowship

  • 100% of Fellows reported feeling inspired or motivated to initiate change in Indiana

SMART NETWORK & ENGAGEMENT

  • Expanded the Smart Network to 314 members statewide

  • Facilitated 147 Smart Network connections supporting Fellows and Capstones

  • Hosted two Aiming Higher events reaching more than 100 attendees

  • Convened more than 300 attendees and 43 sponsors at the Annual Event

  • Grew monthly newsletter subscribers to more than 3,500 and LinkedIn followers to over 5,400

LOOKING AHEAD

None of this work happens without a strong, dedicated team. I am deeply grateful to Kelsey Cook and Erin Lucas for their professionalism, care and follow-through, and for the steady way they support our Fellows, members and partners. Their leadership and commitment made this year’s progress possible.

MDLF enters its next chapter with a strong operating foundation and clear priorities: strengthening the Fellowship pipeline across sectors, activating the Smart Network as a statewide leadership asset and launching a Fellow-led civic initiative responsive to Indiana’s current civic moment. In support of our nation’s 250th anniversary, this work will be grounded in MDLF’s founding principles: liberty, by expanding opportunities for civic choice; responsibility, by encouraging citizens to engage; and enterprise, by applying disciplined approaches that strengthen civic practice across Indiana. We hope you will join us in this effort!

With gratitude,

Lauren James

Executive Director

Lauren James
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