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Monthly Archives

February 2023

Feb 27

Expanding the mission without bricks and mortar

By Feature

Raphael Health Center meets community’s growing health needs through strategic partnerships

by Shari Finnell, editor/writer, Not-for-profit News

On a day-to-day basis, the staff at Raphael Health Center gets an intimate look at the challenges facing residents impacted by social determinants of health — the conditions and environments that can contribute to disproportionately higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, infant mortality, and other health risks. The center, located at 401 E. 34th St., is in the heart of a neighborhood with a median income of $56,563 — significantly lower than the national median income of $69, 021.

In recent years, the nonprofit comprehensive care facility which focuses on providing care to underinsured and uninsured households, has seen medical needs significantly increase within the community it serves, according to Sherry Gray, Raphael Health Center’s CEO, and Lauren Scharenbrock, project manager of a new strategic partnership, 34th and Beyond.

Gray, along with other members of the Raphael team, recently announced the launch of the initiative, which will provide medical services to an increasing number of patients without expanding the medical facility.

“We’ve been looking at our building and looking at the needs in our community, and we’re seeing a disconnect,” Scharenbrock said. “There’s a lot going on in a small space. We can only serve so many people in this location. We only have so many rooms, we only have so much space, and we have used every last inch of it.”

Instead of focusing on plans to expand its current building or developing a new medical center, the Raphael team looked at its partners as a way to provide medical, behavioral health, optometry, and dental care to individuals and families more cost effectively.

Through a pilot program with Salvation Army’s mental recovery house, the center will focus on sending medical providers to various partner sites one day or two days a week to meet patients where they’re at, Scharenbrock said.

According to Jesse Links, manager of rehabilitation services for the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center, 711 E. Washington St., the 34th and Beyond initiative has already produced results.

“We saw an increase in our completion percentage, and an increase in retention, and an increase in new people coming into the program,” said Links, noting that the medical center provided on-site services during 75 appointments in January.

Fulfilling an expanding need

As part of the 34th and Beyond initiative, Raphael Health Center also plans to provide a range of comprehensive services to clients served by other partner nonprofit organizations, including Gennesaret Free Clinics and Pathway to Recovery.

Scharenbrock said that the initiative enables patients to receive services more quickly by eliminating the barriers many of them face when seeking medical care.

While receiving comprehensive quality healthcare can be challenging for many American households, it can be particularly difficult for individuals facing homelessness or who are impoverished.

“Healthcare, in general, is too expensive,” she said. “But many of the people we serve don’t have insurance or transportation. Getting them here can be difficult sometimes. We may need to give them bus passes or arrange for them to come by Lyft.

Scharenbrock also noted that many people are not aware of the options available to them.

“We are focused on bridging that gap by going to where they are,” she said. “It reduces the financial barriers, the transportation barriers, and the fear of the unknown because they’re already in a place that is familiar. We’re really hoping to use the trust the partner organizations have with their clients and build upon that to connect them with the services that they need.”

Effective partnerships built upon trust

The comprehensive services provided by Raphael Health Center is an added tool that Salvation Army clients can rely on for help when they’re struggling, Links said.

Links said that communication and trust have been essential in continuing a partnership that could help serve its rehabilitation program clients with co-occurring conditions, such as behavioral health challenges, substance abuse, and psychological disorders.

“We’re not a clinical treatment program,” he noted. “We are a faith-based rehabilitation program. There was a gap in some of the types of services we could offer individuals. We were looking for one place that could meet our men’s needs.”

“Communication is key — being open and meeting our guys where they’re at,” he said. “They never turn them away, whether they’re insured or not insured.”

Feb 27

Committed to the community: An ICONic program

By Sponsor Insight

by Jeffrey Harrison, president & CEO, Citizens Energy Group

Throughout the course of our 135-year history, Citizens Energy Group’s top priority has been to provide safe and reliable utility services to the residents and communities of Central Indiana. Over the years, this commitment has evolved into further supporting the betterment of the communities we serve.

In this spirit, Citizens created the Investment Collaboration On Neighborhoods (ICON) program in 1995 as a nonprofit organization to support redevelopment through public-private partnerships and nonprofit loans.

ICON offers loans with 4 percent simple interest to eligible partners and prioritizes small start-up projects with loan applications of up to $300,000 where expected program outcomes can be met within 24 months. Loans are intended to be paid off within 24 months, with no penalties for early repayment or early payoff due to sale of the property or project.

Since the creation of the program, Citizens has loaned more than $5 million in low-interest loans to local partners to support small neighborhood projects. We’ve seen success particularly when partnering with organizations working on affordable housing or neighborhood revitalization initiatives.

In recent years, ICON has funded revitalization efforts such as the Indy Fringe Theatre, the Murphy Arts Center in Fountain Square, and collaborations with organizations including Great Places 2020; Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Indianapolis; Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation; Martindale Brightwood Community Development Corporation; Near North Development Corporation; and Westside Community Development Corporation.

Nearly 30 years of making short-term, low-interest loans to our neighbors and redevelopment partner organizations has kept us firmly connected to our community. ICON’s redevelopment efforts continue to keep us plugged in to the network of leaders working to enhance quality of life and economic development here in Central Indiana.
To find more information about ICON, including the application, click here

Jeffrey Harrison joined Citizens Energy Group in 2003 and has served as President & CEO since 2015, championing diversity, inclusion, and community engagement during his tenure. Since 2020, he has also chaired Business Equity for Indy, a collaboration of Central Indiana businesses and institutions working for racial justice.

Citizens Energy Group provides natural gas, thermal energy, water, and wastewater services to about 900,000 people and thousands of businesses in Central Indiana.

Feb 20

Practice leadership more intentionally

By Sponsor Insight

by Jeffery Kaufman Ph.D., associate professor of leadership and research, The Klipsch Educators College at Marian University

Leadership is hard work. Every day, all day, how we show up as professional leaders is either building engagement and energy or draining it. The good news is that there are specific patterns of thought and action that can help leaders show up more wholly, and in turn, liberate organizations to unleash their full potential.

Marian University’s Leadership Academy helps individuals in authority roles practice leadership more intentionally. Our practitioner-focused programs emphasize the Adaptive Leadership framework, developed at Harvard University. This foundation provides a leadership focus that recognizes organizations as social systems, differentiates between technical problems and adaptive challenges, and expressly accounts for the nuance and power of authority and group dynamics.

To meet your individual leadership goals and growth, Marian University provides individual leadership courses, executive certificates, a Master of Arts in leadership practice, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Learn more about these various options at the university’s website.

Why?

There is more to organizational leadership than simply meeting technical goals and objectives. Organizations rarely struggle with technical problems given the availability of experts to solve problems that have known solutions.

Where organizations have the most difficulty is in addressing adaptive challenges where people have conflicting values, beliefs, and loyalties. As the stakes rise and the challenges become increasingly complex, perspectives diverge, and stress begins to bubble — first beneath and then above the surface.

Stakeholders may not be sure how to express their passion/fear/outrage in a constructive manner. This program works to develop your capacity and skill set to be more effective in understanding and navigating those most difficult challenges — exercising leadership from any position, mobilizing others to make progress on your organization’s most difficult issues.

What?

We will explore life-giving leadership tools and practices that help create a purpose-driven culture including motivation and engagement, understanding self and others, gaining awareness of authority and group dynamics, and using emotion for wisdom and energy. In short, building capacity to be present to your community as an intentional and centered leader when it matters most.

Feb 13

Grant writing: Tips to enhance your chances of approval

By Feature

Martin University’s vice president of institutional advancement gives insights on strategic fundraising

by Shari Finnell, editor/writer, Not-for-Profit News

While nonprofits have numerous options for raising funds, mastering the art of grant writing can be critical in gaining ongoing support for your organization. But the odds of approval can be against you. According to numerous estimates, only one out of 10 grant applications are approved.

However, with a strategic grant writing process that includes research, creative writing, and the ability to recognize when a grant is not a good fit, you can increase those odds, according to Kristie Johnson, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Martin University and a Certified Fundraising Executive.

Johnson, who earned a Ph.D. in leadership in higher Education from Bellarmine University and is currently working on an executive MBA from Howard University, recently led a grant writing workshop for the Black Heritage Preservation Program Research training workshop hosted by Indiana Landmarks in partnership with Indiana Humanities and Freetown Village.

The following are highlights of the tips she offered for more successful fundraising through a comprehensive grant writing plan.

Invest time in research before starting the application process. In addition to identifying foundations listed in directories, including the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) website, nonprofits could maximize the use of their time by gaining a deeper understanding of the organization. Some grant writers may not take the research far enough.

“Research is really important because you need to take the time to identify where your resources are,” Johnson said.

Review a foundation’s 990 tax documents. Gaining an understanding of a foundation’s giving history also can be an important step in being more successful in the grant writing process, Johnson said. In Indiana, that process can include researching foundations on the IPA website, which provides various pertinent information, including a foundation’s 990 tax documents.

“They’re required by law to complete Form 990,” Johnson said. The document provides financial insights about a nonprofit or foundation. The documents can provide information about a foundation that may not necessarily be evident on its website, she noted.

“The website may indicate that they’ll fund up to a million dollars. But if you look at what they’ve awarded in the past, you may find out that they have never given any organization more than $500,000,” Johnson added. “So, knowing that’s their sweet spot will give you a strong indication of their funding range.”

Be willing to engage in conversations. Documentation about an organization also typically provides a list of its officers. Browsing the list can help the grant writer determine if they have a connection to any board members or officers.

Even if that is not the case, grant writers should be willing to connect with those involved in the organization, Johnson said. “For example, when a grant opportunity becomes available, try to speak with the program officer, if possible,” she said. “Many foundations also offer webinars, workshops, and other resources to ensure that potential grant recipients understand the grant process and requirements.”

Connect with other grantees. Previous grant recipients also can provide insights about a grant opportunity, Johnson said. “If you know that an organization has received the grant funds before, connect with them to see how the process was for reporting,” she recommended. “Ask questions like, ‘How strenuous is the process?’”

Read the RFP thoroughly. Nonprofits also may make the mistake of failing to thoroughly read a request for proposal (RFP) before applying for a grant, Johnson said. It is important to make sure your organization and projects are aligned with the foundation’s objectives and requirements.

Combine creative writing with data gathering. Johnson said grant writing also should provide a good balance between creative writing and data gathering. “It’s important to look at the data to demonstrate how you will determine success,” she said. “But you also have to create a compelling narrative about how your program is innovative, sustainable, and provides a great opportunity for a foundation to invest and partner with you as an organization.”

Know when to pass on a grant opportunity. “It’s important to determine, as an organization, if you have the capacity to manage a grant well,” Johnson said. “Every grant is not necessarily a good fit. Sometimes, you may have to leave the money on the table perhaps because the reporting requirements are every quarter or every six months.

“Some grant requirements may be too labor intensive for your team if you don’t have the staff to manage it,” she said. “It’s a really good idea to just consult with staff members who actually be taking on this initiative to determine if they have the capacity to manage it.”

Join professional associations. Grant writing can be a lonely endeavor, Johnson said. Consider joining a membership-based organization like the Grant Professionals Association. “Not only will they provide you with resources and professional development, but you will also have the opportunity to meet funders from various organizations who are invited to speak to the group,” she said. “Connect with other like-minded professionals in the field so you can support one another.”