The Heart of Illinois Community Foundation today announced the creation of the W. Daniel and Donna J. Hardy Endowment for Lincoln Square Theater, a permanent charitable fund established with a $300,000 gift from Dan and Donna Hardy.
The surprise announcement was made this afternoon at the Lincoln Square Theater, where theater volunteers and supporters gathered to celebrate the new endowment. The fund is expected to provide a 5% annual gift to support the theater's operations, programming, preservation and future growth.
The endowed fund ensures that Lincoln Square Theater will receive ongoing financial support for generations to come, creating a lasting source of revenue while honoring the Hardys' commitment to strengthening the cultural life of the community.
"Lincoln Square Theater is one of Decatur's most treasured community assets," said Natalie Beck, CEO of the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation. "Dan and Donna Hardy understand that preserving important institutions requires long-term thinking. Through this endowment, they are creating a permanent legacy that will benefit the theater and our community forever."
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"This is the largest Illinois Gives gift I have had the privilege of helping facilitate," said Missy Batman, chief operating officer of the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation. "It has been an honor to work with Dan and Donna Hardy throughout this process. Their generosity, vision and commitment to creating lasting impact for our community are truly inspiring. Through this gift, they are not only supporting Lincoln Square Theater today but helping ensure its success for generations to come."
The Hardy endowment also marks another milestone for the Illinois Gives Tax Credit Program in central Illinois. Through the program, donors who make qualifying gifts to permanent endowments receive a 25 percent Illinois state income tax credit while creating long-term charitable resources for their communities. Since January, donors working with the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation have established more than $773,000 in new endowed gifts through Illinois Gives, and over $1.3 million since the program’s inception in 2025, helping strengthen local nonprofits and community institutions while creating permanent sources of future funding.
The Hardy gift was made through the Illinois Gives Tax Credit Program. Earnings from the endowed fund will be distributed annually to Lincoln Square Theater while the principal remains invested, creating a permanent source of support that will continue benefiting the theater year after year.
Dan and Donna Hardy have long been champions of community development, quality-of-life initiatives and projects that make Decatur a stronger place to live, work and visit. Their latest gift reflects a belief in the power of the arts to enrich lives, strengthen communities and bring people together.
"This endowment provides stability and opportunity for the future," Beck said. "It allows Lincoln Square Theater to focus not only on today's needs but also on the generations of audiences, performers and community members who will enjoy this remarkable venue in the years ahead."
Lincoln Square Theater, located in downtown Decatur, serves as a hub for live entertainment, community events, educational programming and cultural experiences. The new endowment will help ensure the continued vitality of the historic theater for decades to come. Use this link to contribute to the theater's fund.
Established in 2000, the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation stewards more than 400 funds and total assets of $67.8 million. To date, the HICF has distributed $69.8 million to charitable organizations and endeavors. For more information about the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation, please visit heartofillinois.org.
