Funding high-impact change for over 25 years

Rooted in family. Committed to Kentucky.

What began in 1999 as a family trust has grown into a catalyst for change across Kentucky—supporting innovative programs, strategic partnerships, and nonprofit leaders who are making a measurable difference in their communities.

Meet our team Meet our strategic partners

Founded by David and Wendy Novak, the foundation reflects their belief that leadership and generosity go hand in hand.

Today, the foundation is led by Executive Director Ashley Novak Butler, continuing the Novak family’s commitment to service, partnership, and impact.

"Our family has a strong belief that to whom much is given, much is expected and the responsibility of using our resources well is not something I take lightly. Generosity is a core value."

Ashley Novak Butler

Executive Director

To amplify our impact, we focus our funding on five areas - each one rooted in a personal passion and a shared promise to help Kentuckians thrive.

Early Childhood Education

Food Insecurity

Diabetes Care

Military & First Responder Support

Leadership Development

Explore our areas of impact

Our Process

At Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation, we know that impact doesn’t happen by accident. That’s why we look for more than just good intentions—we seek out visionary leaders with a clear strategy, deep community connection, and the ability to execute with excellence.

We fund big-hearted leaders with bold ideas—and the discipline to bring them to life.

We build lasting partnerships with nonprofits that ...

Serve communities in Kentucky
Lead innovative, high-impact programs
Demonstrate clear metrics for success
Show strong leadership and operational follow-through
Share our values of compassion, service, and integrity

Our process is rooted in trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to helping those in need achieve their full potential.

Learn more Get in touch

55+ nonprofit partners supported

25+ years supporting Kentucky nonprofits

Countless lives impacted

Our journey so far

1999

The Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation is established by David and Wendy Novak as a charitable trust.

2012

Launch of David Novak Leadership initiatives, including youth leadership programs.

2017

Community Impact Grant program formally launched, expanding funding to local nonprofits aligned with our five key areas.

2022

The Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute is established, offering pediatric diabetes care to families across Kentucky.

Today

Over $100 million invested to support leadership, education, health, and community-based programs in Kentucky and beyond

We don’t just write checks—we build relationships

At the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation, we believe the best outcomes come from strong partnerships. That’s why we invest in nonprofits that share our mission, reflect our values, and lead with integrity.

In addition to our ongoing strategic partnerships, we offer Community Impact Grants to Kentucky-based organizations working in one or more of our core focus areas.

Because for us, it’s not just about funding good work—it’s about fueling great leadership, bold ideas, and long-term growth.

"This partnership has strengthened our capacity, deepened our impact, and reminded us we are not alone in creating thriving futures."

Marleeta H.

Strategic Partner

"Our partnership with the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation has been invaluable."

Pam E.

Strategic Partner

"We are truly grateful for our continued partnership. Your support is instrumental in helping us work towards ending hunger. Strong partnerships like this are essential for creating lasting change."

Jill L.

Strategic Partner

Meet our team

Ashley Novak Butler

Executive Director

Ashley Novak Butler serves as the Executive Director of the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation. She launched the Foundation in 2010 and has since created a robust funding strategy in the key areas of food insecurity, leadership development, diabetes care and support, early childhood education and military and first responder family support.

Ashley has served on the board of various nonprofits including Thrive by 5 Louisville, Community Coordinated Child Care, Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Ready for K Alliance leadership team at Metro United Way. Prior to joining Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation, she worked for Southwest Airlines as a Marketing and Corporate Relations Manager. Ashley earned a B.A. in Political Science and Human Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University.

When Ashley isn’t running the foundation she can be found smashing some balls on the tennis court or exploring the city looking for the tastiest food with her family. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Jonathan, and they have three amazing children.

Kiana Brown

Grants Manager

Kiana Brown serves as the Grants Manager for Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation. Her work involves building relationships with nonprofit partners and managing the grants process. She joined the Foundation in 2024.

Prior to joining the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation, she worked with area nonprofits for the last 15 years. She earned a BA in Spanish & History from Wayland Baptist University. She now calls Louisville home and is married to Bradley Brown and they have 2 wonderful children, Pax & Quille.

Board of Directors

David Novak

Board Member

David Novak is the Founder and CEO of David Novak Leadership, a digital leadership development platform he created to help people become better leaders through content, curriculum and his podcast How Leaders Lead.

He is Co-Founder, retired Chairman, and CEO of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), one of the world’s largest restaurant companies with over 45,000 restaurants in more than 135 countries and territories. He retired in 2016.

A renowned expert on leadership and recognition culture, Novak is also a bestselling leadership book author. His highly respected and critically acclaimed books include The New York Times bestseller "Taking People With You: The Only Way to Make Big Things Happen", "The Education of an Accidental CEO: Lessons Learned from the Trailer Park to the Corner Office" and his latest parable, "O GREAT ONE! A Little Story About the Awesome Power of Recognition".

Yum! Brands include KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, and Mexican-style food categories. Yum! Brands employ 1.5 million company employees and franchise associates across its worldwide system. Outside the United States, the Yum! Brands system opened over six new restaurants per day on average, making it a leader in global retail development.

During his tenure as CEO, Yum! Brands doubled in size to 41,000 restaurants and established itself as a global powerhouse going from approximately 20 percent of its profits coming from outside the United States in 1997 to nearly 70 percent in 2016 while remaining an industry leader in return on invested capital. In so doing, Yum! Brands’ compound annual shareholder return has been 16 percent and its market capitalization has grown to nearly $32 billion from just over $4 billion. Novak was also the architect of spinning off Yum! China is an independent public company as its largest licensee. In so doing, Yum Brands is now almost wholly owned and operated by franchisees.

Prior to leading Yum! Brands, Novak was President at both KFC and Pizza Hut, and held senior management positions at Pepsi-Cola Company, including Chief Operating Officer, and Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales.

Novak has been recognized as “2012 CEO of the Year” by Chief Executive magazine, one of the world’s “30 Best CEOs” by Barron’s, one of the “Top People in Business” by FORTUNE, and one of the “100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World” by Harvard Business Review. He received the prestigious 2015 Horatio Alger Award for his commitment to philanthropy and higher education and became a lifetime member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. He is the recipient of the 2012 UN World Food Program Leadership Award for Yum! Brands World Hunger Relief effort that raised awareness, volunteerism, and funds to address the global problem. He also received the national 2008 Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship. Novak serves on the board of directors of Comcast and is a special contributor to leadership for CNBC.

Novak and his late wife, Wendy, established the Lift a Life Foundation in 1999 to help individuals in need reach their full potential through innovative grants in the areas of youth leadership development, hunger relief, early childhood education, juvenile diabetes, and military family support.

David credits their success to their strong family ties and the people who believed and inspired him to reach his potential. David is excited about the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation and its mission. Through the Foundation, he hope to make a greater impact on the lives of individuals and families in need and to develop leaders who can make a difference locally, nationally and globally.

Jonathan Butler

Board Member

Jonathan Butler is owner of his counseling practice, JB Counseling, LLC. He received his Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Campbellsville University. Prior to becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist, Jonathan spent ten years working in ticket sales and services for several collegiate athletic departments around the country. He and his wife Ashley have three children, Audrey, Claire, and Luke.

Honoring Wendy Novak’s legacy

Though Wendy Novak passed away in 2024, her legacy continues to shape the heart of our foundation. Her courage, empathy, and drive to make life better for others remain foundational to our mission.

Through every grant, every partnership, and every person we serve, we carry forward the spirit of giving that began with Wendy and David—and now continues through their children and grandchildren.

Together, we can lift lives

We’re here to support Kentucky nonprofits who are leading with heart, purpose, and bold ideas—and who are committed to outstanding execution every step of the way.

If your organization is creating meaningful change in one of our core focus areas, we want to hear from you.

Apply for a grant Get in touch