By Dave Voris, Vice President and Regional Manager, Horizon
Bank
Are you running a nonprofit organization? If
so, you know that sustainable donations are a critical part of living up to and
meeting the IRS’s public charity test and fulfilling your mission.
Whether your organization is directly serving
others, working on valuable research, or meeting recreational needs in your
local community, your donors need easy and safe ways to contribute.
Leverage your website
Chances are, you’re already using a website to
communicate with your target audience, which includes donors. But to maximize
the advantages of your site, be sure to allow for donation submissions as well.
According to Mobile Cause, there must be a
compelling reason for site visitors to use a pay portal. If a donor is inspired
by your organization’s message and wants to give, most likely they’ll want to
give NOW. As a nonprofit you should strive to minimize the number of steps required
to send a donation. The more steps required, the easier it is to lose the
donor’s attention. Mobile-friendly donor buttons make it easy and possible for
your supporters to take action quickly and from any geographic location.
Here’s how to make it work best for you:
Look for a payment portal service that can be integrated into your site. Sites like Double the Donation can provide you tips about what to look for. Such services typically take a small fee from each donation, as payment for their services. This makes credit card processing, overall, a little more expensive than handling other payments — but the ability to make this type of donation is in high demand. Locally, Horizon Bank offers payment processing systems that can work for you. Just contact us for details on how we can help your nonprofit organization with this need.
Implement your payment portal to allow for either a one-time donation, or recurring monthly donations. This makes it easy for both you and your donors.
Next, you need to communicate the service to
your audience:
Make it easy to find your payment portal. One simple way to increase
online giving is to make sure your visitors have no trouble finding your DONATE
or GIVE button when donors visit your website.
Then, send out periodic reminders through several channels — an
e-newsletter, social media and other communications — to drive new or repeat
donors straight to your website to make contributions to your cause.
Recurring donations will, of course, be very
beneficial to help you handle general operating costs like rent, salaries,
event costs, and more. Those donations are spread throughout the year and are
contributions you can factor into your annual plan.
For many organizations, online fundraising works to spread your mission
and make sure donors and potential donors understand what your nonprofit
does and why they should donate to your cause.
Dave Voris is a vice
president in the Indianapolis market for Horizon Bank, N.A. As a senior
treasury management officer, he works closely with middle market, nonprofits,
and small business companies in a broad span of industries. His 25 years of
business experience have included treasury management, merchant services, and
international banking including sales management, client service and
implementation management, product management and electronic payment operations.
Need more ideas? Reach out to an advisor at Horizon
Bank. And check out this additional idea for bridging financial gaps. We’re
always happy to help, with some Sensible Advice! contact us today.
The term “pathfinders” is often used to describe a person
or people who leads a pack and shows the way. Seventh-day Adventists call their
youth group by that name, and there is a role-playing game comparable to
Dungeons & Dragons with the same name.
As such, it’s a
fitting name for one of the Infosys Foundation USA’s signature programs, the Pathfinders Institute. The
foundation launched in the U.S. in 2015 as the company’s nonprofit.
For the past two summers, teachers from around the
country, both elementary and high school, have spent a week on Indiana
University-Bloomington’s campus immersed in computer science and maker
education courses. So far, over 1,000 teachers have accepted the foundation’s offer,
and have left the campus armed with practical knowledge and ideas for classroom
lessons. In many school districts, they are truly the pathfinders.
Kate Maloney, the Infosys foundation’s executive director,
joined the foundation’s team in February. This summer, she witnessed these teachers
build their confidence.
“I watched teachers come in slightly trepidatious and excited
on the first day, but more on the terrified end of the spectrum, and then they
left a week later so empowered,” said Maloney. “They knew they needed to bring
this inspiration into their classrooms.”
In informal conversations with teachers, she listened as
they animatedly told her stories about what they were learning. She observed their
growth in classes like those offered by the KISS Institute for Practical
Robotics (https://www.kipr.org).
“These teachers were using robots to do all sorts of
things. It’s the arc of their journey — watching them start with a blank
slate, all the way to developing the impassioned, confident teacher. I think
that is the positive lesson. We hope that Pathfinder teachers go back and
influence (students),” Maloney said.
Steve Goodman, Executive Director, The KISS Institute for Practical Robotics and a group of teachers showing Ravi Kumar S, Infosys Foundation USA Chairman, their work.
A key partner in this work has been Indiana
University where the effort
has been spearheaded by Laurie McRobbie, the wife of IU President Michael
McRobbie. Both McRobbies have computer science backgrounds.
As a woman in the field, Laurie McRobbie, with
25 years experience, has seen the world of technology begin to address the
gender gap.
“We’re seeing a concerted effort to address it, and a real, much deeper commitment on the part of a lot of organizations. I don’t think it’s moved the needle yet in any really significant way, but there are some bright spots to point to in the state of Indiana,” McRobbie said.
According to criteria compiled by the financial technology
company SmartAsset, Indianapolis has been ranked as high as fourth in the
country for women in tech. That 2017 ranking has since fallen to 14th in
2019, but remains in the top 25 percent of the country’s major cities. In Indianapolis, the tech workforce is
approximately 25 percent women, according to SmartAsset.
In 2016, the McRobbies were invited to attend
parallel conferences sponsored by Infosys in San Francisco.
“I was invited to participate in the foundation’s
conference, along with a couple of faculty members from the IU School of
Education in Bloomington and a number of other computer science educators from
around the country, including the founder of Code.org,” said McRobbie. “We
talked about the importance of computer science education. We talked about a
lot of what we need to do to address this problem is to address it as early as
possible in terms of exposure and essentially mainstreaming this study of
computer science in our schools.”
After this
conference, McRobbie and then-Infosys Foundation USA director, Kaustav Mitra,
continued the conversation about the impact the foundation could achieve. Creating a professional
development opportunity for teachers could be the key. The IU connection was
hatched.
“I remember, we just started talking about here we are in
the middle of the country, and this is an area that is growing its tech sector.
We don’t want the tech environment nationwide to be bicoastal with nothing in
the middle,” McRobbie said.
Together, they decided that IU would host the Pathfinders
Summer Institute and McRobbie said the university’s events team jumped in to
provide a remarkable onsite experience.
“We all sort of viewed it as a bit of an experiment. It
wasn’t clear that we would get the numbers that we had hoped,” she said. “There
were all kinds of questions about how that might go, but it was incredibly successful.
People got a lot out of it, and they loved being on the Bloomington campus in
the summer. We’ve just gone on from there, and I’m thrilled that we’re going to
be able to do it again in the summer of 2020.”
She said it’s been a wonderful opportunity for IU’s
faculty, particularly for
faculty who are looking at the evolution and development of curriculum and
pedagogy and tools in the classroom. They are able to see what’s working.
Two members of IU’s faculty were in San Francisco with
McRobbie at the outset, and according to her are national leaders in the area
of maker education. Adam Maltese at the elementary level and Anne Leftwich have
been prominent in education research circles.
“I think for them to have this, ready-made, practicum
with working teachers, has got to be an incomparable opportunity to further
what they’re doing and their understanding of what works,” said McRobbie.
In many school districts, teachers understand that the
world is becoming more digital, and a strong understanding of computation, networking and
systems interactions (hardware and software) is important to students’ future
opportunities. Couple that with
the fact that in Indiana, by 2021, implementing computer science curriculum is mandated
by law (Senate Enrolled Act 172). So, it’s not surprising that this
year, 25% of the teachers at the institute were from Indiana.
Zach McKeever,
an engineering and technology teacher at Lafayette’s McCutcheon High School, was
one. He attended both institutes to learn computer science principles and computer
science discoveries. This summer, the institute offered 19 different courses
offered by 15 professional development providers.
“I was looking
for some training with computer science in order to further my curriculum, and
to better prepare my students for a world with computer science being at the
forefront. I came back for a second year for a different class because of the
experience I had the first summer,” said the sixth-year teacher. “I would
definitely say it’s the best professional development that I’ve ever been to. Getting teachers who have
the summer off, who’ve got kids, who’ve got other responsibilities, to take a
week out of their summers to learn some new stuff for their students because
they find value in it, is saying something,” he said.
McKeever said he didn’t learn computer science
skills in college, but knows the importance for his students. He was among 92
returning teachers. The
foundation offers 50 percent of the funding for tuition, airfare and
accommodations, with school districts and DonorsChoose.org providing matching
funds so teachers
can attend at no cost. This summer, 177 of the more than 400 teachers requested
funds through DonorsChoose.org.
A byproduct for
McKeever has been the community of learners he’s a part of. Starting out, he
knew two area teachers who taught computer science. At the summer institute, he
connected with a group of nearly 30 teachers who continue to talk to share
lessons and teaching strategies via texts and emails. He said, they even share
different Kahoots, which are teacher-made lesson quizzes.
McKeever’s classes
are electives, and the foundation for his computer science classes is Code.org’s curriculum, which is free online. A Pathfinder
partner, Code.org is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding
access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by women and
underrepresented minorities.
What is encouraging is that according to
McKeever, both genders were well represented. Many of the instructors were
women. There was diversity, too.
“I think
that has a lot of do with what you’re talking about that they’re trying to
target people from those schools that are a higher need. Because the
curriculum, specifically for code.org, is accessible to everybody. So they want
people to know about that and buy into that. All you need is a computer and Internet
access. Which is still a big ask, but you know, to me, income and where you
come from should not determine what you can learn. All it takes is creativity.
It takes creativity and a willingness to learn, and you can get that from any
student,” said McKeever.
Melissa
Babcock, a Providence, R.I., fifth-grade teacher, would agree. Her elementary
school has 94 percent of its students living in poverty. While her school is
behind in technology, the administration is supportive of her efforts. Last
year, she and another teacher taught an after-school coding and robotics class.
They were in Bloomington this summer to learn more, and both will attend Infosys
Foundation USA’s Winter Institute, which will be held in Providence in
February. At both McKeever’s and Babcock’s schools, every student has a Chrome
book, but may not have Internet at home.
This
summer, 272 teachers were from Title I schools and 134 were from rural schools.
Teachers in attendance represented 45 states and the District of Columbia. IU
worked too, to encourage rural teacher participation. Oftentimes, McRobbie said
those are schools with just one teacher providing this coursework without a lot
of colleagues.
McRobbie said
IU is honored to be partners.
“I think it is
a hopeful sign to see this kind of investment. Teachers have some knowledge
about computer science and some knowledge about how to teach, but oftentimes they’re
as much students as their own students,” she said.
“I think that
is very much aligned with our mission as a research university and our
commitment to educating Hoosiers and people outside the state as well. So we’re
really seeing this as a wonderful alignment of our mission, Infosys’ mission,
addressing a crucial social need and a crucial educational need. We’re honored
to be doing it,” she said.
As the
nonprofit arm of Infosys Limited, a multinational India-based information
technology company, the foundation hopes to affect computer education through
its professional development work with teachers, and ultimately ignite a spark
for students. Here are some examples of its work.
A regional institute
In February, Infosys Foundation USA is offering
its first ever Pathfinders Winter Institute. It will take place in Providence, Rhode
Island from Feb. 16 to Feb. 20. Applications for K-12 public school teachers are open through Dec. 16
on the Infosys Foundation USA website.
Grants to nonprofits
Some examples of grant recipients are Code.org,
the Hispanic Foundation to offer family coding nights in Spanish; Teach for
America to build computational thinking capabilities with cohorts in particular
cities and the Girl Scouts for a badge program called Coding for Good.
This year for Computer Science Education
(CSE) week, Dec. 9 to Dec. 15, Infosys Foundation USA is supporting activities.
Traditionally, it has given out micro-grants during this week, but this year
are working with existing grantees to hold events during that week.
Crossroads conference (May 2020). This signature event brings together thought
leaders to explore ideas on increasing access to high quality education
in computer science, coding and making, with a particular focus on equity and
inclusion.
Infy Maker awards
Through the Infy Maker Awards program, it supports today’s makers at schools and in communities,
encouraging them to become our next generation of inventors. This #InfyMakers awards program, launched in June
2015 to celebrate the White House’s “National Week of Making”, recognizes the
Maker Movement and inventors.
By Sandy McCarthy, Retirement Services
President, OneAmerica
I still remember the first time I read the OneAmerica®
annual report. As a 30-plus year veteran of the retirement industry, I’ve seen
my share of them. But this one was different, and, in the midst of discussions and interviews during the
summer of 2018, its annual report was a major factor in my decision to
join the company as president of the retirement services division.
Detailed in those pages were, of course, the financials. But more
than that, I saw a company that cared – for its associates, its valued
partners, its customers and its community. I believe that it’s this genuine,
selfless dedication to caring for others and contributing to the greater good that
makes OneAmerica special.
Giving back as a company
OneAmerica takes seriously its role as a corporate citizen. From
our involvement with the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, the Broad Ripple Art Fair
and the Indiana Repertory Theatre, to investing in our community through grant
programs and charitable giving, we aim to better the local communities where
our employees and customers live and work. In 2018 alone, we:
Supported more than 80 organizations, by contributing
$2.2 million and 5,000 volunteer hours
Gave more than $800,000 in support for
organizations that provide people in need with emergency help, including hunger
relief, emergency shelter and counseling services
Provided $50,000 in regional grants to
nonprofits across the United States from OneAmerica and our sales and field
teams across the country.
Giving back doesn’t end with monetary involvement or sponsorships. Our
associates also pledge their time and skills as a team. During our annual Week
of Caring, a weeklong “pay it forward” event started in 2014 by our Chairman,
President and CEO Scott Davison, our associates devote time to volunteering for
various causes. This September, approximately 1,100 associates took part,
providing a collective 3,200 hours of compassion and companionship as they
volunteered with nearly 30 nonprofit organizations throughout the country.
Individual associate contributions
No matter the corporate culture, an
organization cannot truly give back without the support of its associates. At
OneAmerica, I believe we have some of the best. Their passion and dedication to
their local communities, through the United Way, the Red Cross, Dress for
Success, Junior Achievement and more, is inspiring and makes me proud to work
with such a selfless group.
I recently heard about one of our marketing
associates, who spends Tuesday mornings helping Gleaners Food Bank deliver
items to a neighborhood food pantry at 42nd Street and Boulevard. In
addition to this physical labor, he is also devoting his time to help the food
pantry start and maintain its first Facebook page.
Just as it is for so many of our associates, community involvement
is personal for me as well. I sit on the board of the local chapter of the
American Red Cross, and before coming to Indianapolis I served on the board of
trustees for the Children’s Center for Communication/Beverly School for the
Deaf (Massachusetts) and as a mentor for the Entrepreneurship for All program.
Serving the tax-exempt market
The OneAmerica commitment to caring also extends into the way we do
business. One of our major focuses is the tax-exempt market. Not only do we
understand the unique challenges for these plans, we are proud to serve these
organizations which are so important for our communities.
At OneAmerica, tax-exempt business is in our DNA. Our work in this
sector began in the mid 1960s, and many of our longest tenured clients are nonprofit
organizations. Our seasoned team is experienced in serving tax-code neutral
plans and delivering personalized solutions that allow these mission-oriented,
client-focused organizations to help their participants on their paths to
retirement.
The spirit of caring for others and giving back is essential to the
OneAmerica culture and is brought to life each day through our associates –
both at work and in their personal lives. I’m grateful and proud to work for a
company that reflects my values and strives to improve the lives of our
customers, participants and neighbors – and for the chance to see that caring
spirit, described in the annual report, alive and flourishing at OneAmerica
each day.
OneAmerica is the marketing name for the companies of
OneAmerica. Provided content is for overview and informational purposes only
and is not intended and should not be relied upon as individualized tax, legal,
fiduciary, or investment advice.
As president
of the retirement services division, Sandy McCarthy leads the
OneAmerica® team offering defined contribution and defined benefits
services with a strong focus on customized retirement plans through highly
personalized administration and recordkeeping services. She brings more than 30
years of industry experience, including executive leadership roles at Mercer,
ING (now Voya), CitiStreet and most recently, her own consulting firm SDM
Strategic Solutions.
McCarthy graduated with honors from Tufts University, earning both her undergraduate in sociology/education and Master of Arts degree in education, then completing an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She served on the board of directors of the American Benefits Council, Spark Institute, Boys and Girls Club of Middlesex County Massachusetts and the Children’s Center for Communication Beverly School for the Deaf. She was also a founding member of the Superannuation Industry Leadership Group in Australia. She currently serves on the board of the Greater Indianapolis chapter of the American Red Cross and the Employee Benefits Research Institute, based in Washington, D.C., and is a mentor for the Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) program.
The Women’s Philanthropy Institute is diving into the topic of technology at its sixth national symposium from March 31-April 1, 2020 in Chicago. Learn more.
By Abby Rolland, communications project manager, Lilly Family
School of Philanthropy
Technology plays an
important role in the nonprofit sector. Archives in libraries are being
digitized and readily accessible for online use. Social media allows
individuals to witness the human face of disasters unfolding in real time.
Online giving, text-to-give, and crowdfunding options help donors in any
situation feel that they are giving immediately.
Technology can also
help nonprofits raise both awareness and funds.
Indiana University
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI alumna Smita Vadakekalam has worked
for technology strategy consulting firm Heller Consulting for over a decade since
she graduated in 2001. She has a wealth of knowledge about technology, change
management, and how the nonprofit sector has adapted to increasingly rapid growth
in technology use.
For Vadakekalam
knowing and understanding how to use technology is critical.
“We’re in a digital
age where every role, whatever industry you work in, touches technology. By
planning for it and using it strategically, technology has great potential. It
can be fully utilized and enhanced to further an organization’s goals to make a
powerful, important impact. In most cases, technology is the underlying infrastructure
which nonprofits rely on to run their organizations,” Vadakekalam explains.
Rapid technology
changes have also impacted nonprofits’ decision-making processes. Vadakekalam says
that decisions made about technology changes used to occur in siloes, with
individual departments using their own budgets and thinking of technology in a
very narrow sense. Now, many individuals call her and her firm for C-suite
level projects.
“Individuals want to
make strategic decisions about their nonprofit, and they want to achieve growth
at the organization,” Vadakekalam says. “They recognize that technology plays a
large role in meeting their strategic plan.”
In other words, she
says, they’re looking at it from a holistic perspective, and understand the important
investment they’re implementing.
However, Vadakekalam
cautions that nonprofits need to carefully prepare a strategic plan for
whatever technology system they decide to use before they invest in it.
“There are so many
choices one has when it comes to technological tools. You have to be strategic
about the tool you’re choosing and why. You can waste time and money looking at
these “shiny new objects” that don’t do what you think they do, so it’s vital to
conduct a thorough planning process: be knowledgeable about your strategy and
what product best fits that.
“That’s often where our
company assists. We help curate the choices, and assist organizations in
articulating their short-term and long-term goals. Then, we help find the best
system that fits.”
To learn more though
about technology and how it fits into an organization’s mission and goals, Vadakekalam
encourages nonprofit practitioners to participate in opportunities, such as
internships or classes, that focus on learning more about technology.
“Be curious, be open
to learning, and be a problem solver. You can learn a lot about the sector and
technology systems through free resources, trainings, and tutorials at your
job.
“Also, elevate your
soft skills. Be a good communicator, understand how people consume and process
information, and figure out how you’re going to help teach them how to use
these pieces of technology.
“You may need to
make the case to some people in your organization as to why these tools are
important to have. Be able to match that reasoning with the larger vision of
the organization, and communicate that effectively.”
Vadakekalam
emphasizes that technology has become a part of our everyday lives, and
nonprofits must adapt and include it in their future plans.
“Nonprofits
that strategically plan and implement technology in a holistic way can utilize
it to further their mission and support the greater good. Understanding how to
effectively utilize technology as a tool is a huge benefit for any nonprofit,” she
explains.
How can you build a
career in tech in the nonprofit sector? Vadakekalam shares some of her
tips.
Having hands-on experience is vital.
Knowing how to run your
organization’s Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) system is important. If you
work for a smaller organization, you can gain experience by being the
administrator of the system. Then, continue to think creatively about ways that
you can enhance the tool to further the goals of your department or
organization.
Play a role on the decision-making committee for a technology transformation project.
Technology is
rapidly changing, so there’s typically some kind of transformation project at
your organization related to it. Being a part of this committee and helping
select and implement the system will help you become more familiar with
technology and the good it can do for your nonprofit.
It’s incredibly
important to have a high-level of understanding about the processes within your
organization and know the strategic tools you have at your disposal.
Look into free training and resources available either inside or outside the organization.
Technology systems
have user groups that share how the system is used at different organizations.
Websites like Coursera, EDX, and Udemy offer free resources, and other organizations
also offer complimentary materials, while NTEN and Tech Soup offer networking groups that work with
technology in the nonprofit sector.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for within those free resources, consider checking out other resources.
The Fund Raising
School offers the course “Digital Fundraising” to help you learn how to connect to your
donors online. Consulting firms also provide free resources, including blogs,
guides, and webinars on its website that include knowledge and experience built
from over 20 years of working in the nonprofit and technology space.
Abby
Rolland serves as the
communications project manager at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and
is also working towards a master’s degree in philanthropic studies. She holds a
bachelor’s degree in history from Gettysburg College.
SOURCE OF
FUNDS: Individual donors; major event (annual luncheon featuring silent auction
with 100 donated works of art); luncheon underwriters
WHEN
ESTABLISHED: 2001
GRANTS: First
given in 2006, total to date, $258,000
HOW MANY
MEMBERS: 200 attend annual luncheon
GOVERANCE:
No formal structure; luncheon committee determines luncheon theme and grant recipients
RESEARCH: Informal
PROUDEST OF:
“When we started, we had no idea it would grow to be
what it is. We just thought that there was a need. We had seen women’s foundations in different
places, and we wanted this. We’re a small community of 35,000, our county’s
about 50,000. We wanted it to make a difference in our community. I’m proudest
of women who have been changed.” — Mary Jo Clark, co-founder Women’s Fund
FUND
NAME: Women Helping Other Women
TYPE: Giving
circle
SOURCE OF
FUNDS: Annual membership dues of $500; individual donors; endowment
WHEN
ESTABLISHED: 2008, added endowment in 2011; has just over $15,000 in assets
GRANTS: To
date, nearly $72,000
HOW MANY
MEMBERS: 22
GOVERNANCE:
Group consensus; Wayne County Foundation staff person executes
RESEARCH: Informal,
shared by foundation staff
FUND
NAME: Girls That Just Want to Give
TYPE: Giving
circle
SOURCE OF
FUNDS: Annual membership dues of $300
WHEN
ESTABLISHED: 2014
GRANTS: To
date, $21,450
HOW MANY
MEMBERS: 15
RESEARCH: Informal,
shared by foundation staff
FUND
NAME: Women with a Purpose
TYPE: Special
interest
SOURCE OF
FUNDS: Endowment; annual women’s conference; option
to donate individually
WHEN
ESTABLISHED: 2007
GRANTS: First
$400 given last year; endowment of $12,800 started in
year five of conference
HOW MANY
MEMBERS: 103 conference attendees in 2019
RESEARCH: Informal,
shared by foundation staff
GOVERNANCE:
Workshop at the conference with attendees becoming the grants committee; aim is
help attendees understand the grant selection process and the difficulty of
saying “no.”
RESEARCH: Informal,
shared by foundation staff
PROUDEST
OF: Growth from the women’s conference. “When I came here, I realized that we
still have the good old boys’ network too much.
We were talking to the men when we were talking about charitable giving
but weren’t including women in those conversations. I started trying to make a
difference in how we approached that, and trying to get the women involved
more. I set up the women’s conference, a one-day conference. It’s a day of
networking, and learning and honing skills and being together with other women
from the community.” —Rachel Hughes, Wayne County Foundation development
officer
COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL INDIANA, Indianapolis
SOURCE OF
FUNDS: Donations to endowment and operating fund
WHEN
ESTABLISHED: 1996, now has a $16 million endowment
GRANTS: To
date, $7 million
GOVERNANCE:
Advisory board with officers; grants committee of about 20
RESEARCH:
No original research, but uses research that’s compiled by others; will
occasionally fund research, particularly through the Indiana Institute for
Working Families to help inform the work the fund does with economic mobility
PROUDEST
OF: “We’re really proud of the work we have done with Grameen to establish a
branch of Grameen Indianapolis to help women who are living in poverty become
small-business owners and to become economically independent and really change
the trajectory of their lives. We’ve made a very bold investment with Grameen.
We gave them a half million dollars along with the Indianapolis Foundation and
some other funds, and we gave them their first money in 2011. Over 5,000 women
have been served, $37 million dollars of loans have been deferred and 5,359
jobs have been created with a 99 percent repayment rate. That’s 5,300 people
whose lives have been changed immeasurably because they had a small loan. The
average loan size is $3,200.”.” — Jennifer Pope Baker, Women’s Fund
executive director
COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN INDIANA, New
Albany
RESEARCH:
Commissioned a research project by Indiana University Southeast on the actual
needs of women in the community. Reinforced that there was a need for
affordable housing, day care, health care and good transportation.
PROUDEST OF:
“Being a person who’s been involved in philanthropy and many different
fundraising efforts, working with a group of women that are singularly focused
on helping other women in the community has just been really an amazing
experience. I just think when women get together with a real purpose, amazing
things happen.” — Lori Lewis, Women’s Foundation
of Southern Indiana president
SOURCE OF
FUNDS: Century Club; annual luncheon event; endowment of over $100,000
WHEN
ESTABLISHED: 2005
GRANTS: Still
actively growing endowment
HOW MANY
MEMBERS: 200
GOVERNANCE:
Committee that meets monthly to plan luncheon
RESEARCH: Informal
PROUDEST OF: “That it started from scratch, it started from nothing and
look where we are. In the last couple of years, we had a drive to increase our
endowment to $100,000 and we reached that in no time flat, so we just said,
‘Hey, you did so well on that, let’s go for another $100,000 in the endowment,
and we’ll be able to start giving away some significant money.’” Sally
DeVoe, Madison County Community Foundation executive director and founder of
Women in Philanthropy
The need was out there. It was just flying a bit under the
radar until a women’s group took it upon itself to recognize it and do
something to fill it.
Like many parts of Indiana, Wayne County, in the eastern
part of the state along the Ohio border, had a growing Hispanic population.
That also meant a growing set of language challenges for Hispanic women
and their families when it came to medical care, specifically in the maternity
ward.
At a time when communication is vital, especially during
impending deliveries, doctors had trouble getting their messages across and
their instructions understood. A stopgap solution was to have Earlham College
students serve as translators. But babies don’t always arrive on a timetable,
and students weren’t always available.
Enter the Wayne County Foundation’s Women’s Fund.
The women’s solution was to provide a grant to train medical translators
for the maternity ward.
“We sent two
women (to be trained as medical) translators, and today one of them is working fulltime
at the Wayne County Health Center after receiving more training. At that
point, the doctors were all men and (change) was slow with the hospital. They were surprised that we identified
that need,” said Mary Jo Clark, one of the co-founders of the Women’s Fund. “We
have been able over the years to identify a lot of needs in the community.”
The fund’s first
grants were given in 2006, and since then, the group has given out over
$258,000. The Women’s Fund is one of four funds targeted to women and girls at
the Wayne County Foundation.
And this isn’t the only Indiana community where women
provide funds to make their communities better places for women and girls.
There are seven community foundations that host women’s funds, according to
Elizabeth Gillespie, a doctoral candidate in the School of Public
Administration at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, who has just completed a
study in partnership with the Women’s Philanthropy Institute based at the Lilly
Family School of Philanthropy.
While women’s funds started in the 1970s, it
wasn’t until 1991 that the National Network of Women as Philanthropists was
established. It would later become the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI),
and a free-standing nonprofit. WPI moved to the Lilly School of Philanthropy in
2004 and expanded its mission to include research and education. Its signature
series, Women Give, is an annual publication.
The report, Women’s Foundations and Funds: A
Landscape Study, was released
in May. A companion publication, based on the second
phase of in-depth interviews with fund leaders will be released in December.
Gillespie found patterns studying more than 200 women’s
foundations and funds to demonstrate the positive change for the broader
community from an investment in women and girls. Five funds from Indiana were included in Gillespie’s
report. Of these, four – the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana (Indianapolis);
Southern Indiana Women’s Fund (New Albany); Women’s Fund of Wayne County
(Richmond); and Women in Philanthropy of Madison County (Anderson) – were
interviewed for this story.
They vary in
size and activities, but all support nonprofits in their local communities,
reflecting the idea, according to the report, that women’s foundations and
funds “connect the well-being and success of women to the well-being and
success of their communities.” All talked about the collective impact
beyond grantmaking their efforts are having, and most rely entirely on
volunteers for events and committee work.
The first in
Indiana, the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, was launched in 1996. At the
time, a feasibility study led a group to action, and Julie Cagle, the
consultant who led the study, became part of the inaugural staff. Jennifer Pope
Baker, its executive director since 1998, said the impetus came from the
grassroots level, not from the foundation where it is housed.
According to
Pope Baker, a group primarily of women wondered why the needs of women and
girls were not receiving the same attention as boys and families. They wanted
to learn why that was the case and what could be done about it.
“The why
really was that women typically have silent problems that are easy to ignore
— teen pregnancy, domestic violence, hidden addictions and those sorts of
things. They weren’t violent problems that were tearing at the fabric of our
society,” said Pope Baker.
“The idea was let’s change the thinking around the needs and
issues of women and girls and the thinking around philanthropy to benefit women
and girls. Let’s be bolder in all those things and not place blame. Let’s just
accept responsibility for creating change,” Pope Baker said.
And accept the challenge, they did.
The next step was to seek a home. Serendipitously, Ken
Gladish, the then-Indianapolis Foundation president, thought that joining
forces could be mutually beneficial. He recognized that the foundation lacked
diversity, and believed a partnership could give the Women’s Fund instant credibility
and provide the foundation gender diversity. He sweetened the pot with a $1
million match to launch fundraising and the group accepted his offer and the women’s group became a special
fund of the Indianapolis Foundation.
Shortly after, the foundation merged with the Hamilton
County Community Foundation to create the Central Indiana Community Foundation
(CICF).
Other funds in Indiana started in similar ways with a woman
or group of women identifying the need to focus on women and girls and a desire
to make a difference with their donations.
For example, Richmond,
which has had a women’s fund since 2001, last year awarded a grant to two high
school seniors. For four years, the girls had enrolled in what traditionally was
considered the boys’ domain – an auto mechanics class. Both had landed jobs in the
profession after graduation. Recognizing that a lack of strength put them at a
disadvantage, the girls requested money to purchase a car lift. At the fund’s
annual luncheon, the girls were awarded the funds, and in addition, received a classroom
plaque to acknowledge for future generations their barrier-breaking efforts. In
response, the awardees arranged a meeting with underclassmates sanctioned by
the school’s administrators to interest more females in the coursework.
Each of Indiana’s women’s funds has developed its own
grant-giving approach to fit the needs of its community. Several have taken a giving-circle
approach, raising money through dues memberships and then distributing the
funds in the calendar year.
New Albany began its efforts in 2005 with an endowment, but
after careful study in 2017, made the shift to a giving circle. Two of the four
funds at the Wayne County Foundation are giving circles. The others –
Indianapolis, Anderson and two in Wayne County – are set up as special interest
funds of the community foundation.
New Albany’s initial effort was a biannual dinner. President
Lori Lewis said it was a successful dinner, but the growth was slow.
“We know that the founding women wanted to involve women in
philanthropy, and they wanted to make a difference in the community. And around
2005, the only way they saw to do that was to get an endowment going. We saw
the giving circle as a way to
involve more women and to be able to make a bigger impact in the community
quickly. There’s ownership in being a member. I think it just makes them more
aware of what’s going on in the community, more aware of us trying to change
the community,” she said. Cincinnati, which has a giving circle, mentored the
group.
Earlier this
month, at its annual dinner, the women awarded its third grant — $106,000. Each
year the number of women has grown, enlarging the distribution. Lewis said the change
has also caused grantees to dream big. Its first awardee, St. Elizabeth
Catholic Charities, put in a commercial teaching kitchen for women to teach culinary
arts skills, and as a result, find good paying jobs. Last year it funded
self-esteem camps for girls in Floyd, Clark and Harrison counties. The group
has also committed to fund the original endowment to respect the fund’s originators.
Initially, the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana had a cadre of women investigate
different models of women’s funds to determine its best course of action. Their
recommendation was to create an endowment of at least $4 million before making
any grants to ensure it would be a growing fund. Today, the endowment is about
$16 million.
Over time, it
has awarded not only program funds, but also general operating, believing that
a nonprofit cannot provide quality programming without operating dollars. Recently,
it changed the language for its grant initiatives to caregiving, violence
against women and economic mobility. It has also provided significant support
for several initiatives, including a commitment of $10 million to Bellfound
Farm.
“Our First
Next Initiative helping to incubate and launch Bellfound Farm, a residential urban farm designed to help young women
coming out of the criminal justice system with re-entry and a lifetime of
economic security coupled with extraordinary mental health support, will be
extraordinarily significant,” said Pope Baker.
“The work
that we’re doing with our next initiative to help women and girls who are 18 to
24 years old who are underappreciated and fall through the cracks to really
engage in a thoughtful path to economic security is incredible.”
For all,
community foundations have been the incubators. In fact, Sally DeVoe,
the executive director of the
Madison County Community Foundation in Anderson, started the effort in 2005
with the first task of raising visibility.
“We started the endowment, but we never made an issue out of
the endowment until much later. We looked at it and said, ‘The money doesn’t
need to be paramount. What needs to be paramount is that women understand they
need to give the money and why they need to give the money,’” said DeVoe. The group is actively growing
its endowment through its Century Club and its annual luncheon.
“We’re raising $10,000 a year, and certainly more than that.
But we’ve just set that as a doable goal in a community like Anderson in
Madison County where we haven’t been on the best side of the economic fence for
a while. We’re coming back and stronger than ever, so we’re beginning to
address some things and able to address them financially and, you know,
emphatically,” she said. The group’s annual luncheon draws close to 200 women.
All the funds
see the need to democratize philanthropy and create buy-in from the women in
their communities. They have all found innovative ways to cultivate
philanthropy. From silent art auctions to annual luncheons to a conference, all
with the goal of raising the profile of women.
In the
beginning, Pope Baker said women were not as good at asking for the funding
they deserve, but she has seen a big difference and credits the women’s
fund for being part of that difference.
DeVoe agrees.
“Women are
not good at giving money to themselves, treating themselves well or donating to
other women. What they want to zero in on is children, families and caregiving
without looking at the fact that there are an awful lot of women in need,” she
said. “I think a different look at women’s roles has been the thing that I’ve
seen change the most.”
Wayne County Foundation’s development officer Rachel Hughes
recognizes that more women are giving after the establishment of the different
funds.
“I feel good about the fact that we have empowered them to
give philanthropically, and that doesn’t have to be to the foundation. We are helping
them to gain their voices to be heard philanthropically in our community, whether
that’s supporting strictly women’s organizations and programs or anything that
they care passionately about.”
From day one, the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana has
planned for the future with philanthropy education.
“I believe that you do not turn 50 or 60 years old and start
writing big checks to organizations to whom you don’t have a connection. So we
have been cultivating and developing relationships since the day we opened up
our doors to engage people so they will want to support our work in a way
that’s meaningful for them and the right time. We are always excited when more
people want to join us in making positive change, join us in helping women and
girls have all the tools they need to be economically successful. When a
woman’s successful, a family is successful, and when a family is successful our
community is as well,” said Pope Baker.
By Annmarie Novotney, senior audit
manager, Blue & Co.
A strong board of
directors will oversee implementation of strategic objectives for the
organization, but also has ultimate responsibility and liability. Building a
strong board is challenging, yet crucial to setting the right tone for success
of your organization.
Have you assessed
your organization’s overall governance model recently? Generally, it’s best
practice to review governance policies regularly but at least every three to
five years. For newer organizations, this time period may be shorter as
circumstances and strategic positioning may change more frequently.
As you review your
organization’s governance model, consider the following:
Board size: The IRS generally requires a minimum of three board members but
does not have requirements on term limits. Many organizations have at least
five members, with an average throughout our client base of 15. As you consider
what board size is right for you, also consider if term limits are appropriate.
If your review determines changes to board structure need to be made, be sure
to amend your organization’s bylaws (for maximum board members and term
limits).
Type of board: You may also consider whether your board is a working board or a
governing board. Working boards have members that are heavily involved in the
implementation of the mission, and often perform duties that paid staff would
perform. Governing boards have a big-picture focus and work to delegate tasks
to staff in an effort to govern the strategic mission, not implement it
directly.
Skillsets needed: A diverse and skilled board of directors can serve its
organization more effectively. In all areas, ensure that you are focused on nonprofit
(NFP) expertise. Attorneys and accounting professionals are especially
important in this regard as nonprofits are unique in many ways. Some examples
of areas include:
Financial – This expert
would be able to provide guidance on the creation of a budget, financial
statements, and accounting policies and procedures, and insurance
considerations.
Legal – As there are
many requirements for a nonprofit organization, a legal expert can ensure
the board stays up to date on all compliance requirements and provides
guidance on any legal matters that may arise.
Marketing – Ensuring your
organization is well-known throughout the community can provide
significant growth opportunities for recognition and future funding. An
expert in marketing can help accomplish this.
Technology – A technology
expert can ensure the organization is doing its best to protect its assets
and information from cybersecurity threats. Cybersecurity threats continue
to plague NFP organizations of all sizes, so having an expert here could
keep the organization up-to-date on security options and policy ideas.
Fundraising – An expert in
fundraising is a must for any NFP board. This person should not only have
connections in the community, but also know how and be willing to ask for
donations in an effective manner.
Program/Industry– Having a
board member familiar with your programs, or with industry knowledge that
could assist in growing or expanding current programs, can be an asset to
review plans for future programming within your organization. He or she
can review and identify red flags in planning, as well as provide
realistic expectations on how quickly a program can be started or
expanded.
Board committees: Board committees are also an important part of a Board of
Directors. The size and responsibilities of committees vary greatly between
organizations based on their needs. For some committees, it may be best to have
a committee chair, responsible for communicating decisions to the board and
ensuring the committee remains focused on its goal. The following are suggested
committees, but should be tailored to your current needs and long-term goals:
Executive – This group acts
on behalf of the entire board as the steering committee and prioritizes agendas.
They also manage urgent matters between meetings.
Finance – These individuals take on an expanded role of the financial
expert mentioned above. Preparing or assisting with the budgeting process,
reviewing internal financial statements, and presenting these items to the
Board would be included in the responsibilities of the finance committee. This
committee can also provide insight on whether goals are achievable based on the
financial performance of the organization.
Audit – If an audit becomes necessary for the organization, having
an audit committee can ensure it is clear who is responsible for staying
current on financial requirements, chooses the audit firm, ensures there is no conflict of interest and has a
clear understanding of the audit results.
Fundraising/program – This committee is
focused on driving and monitoring the organization’s fundraising performance
and can also track the effectiveness of specific programs to determine if any
changes need to be made.
Governance/nominating – This group
determines the requirements and qualifications of board members, nominates
them, and ensures they receive proper training. This committee also drives
board expectations and performs regular self-assessments of the board.
Annmarie Novotney is an audit senior manager in Blue
& Co.’s Carmel, Indiana office. She’s been with the firm for over nine
years and works exclusively with nonprofits, specializing in assurance and
consulting services.
If you are
considering a review of your governance policies, or if you have questions or
need guidance on how to incorporate these suggestions, please contact Annmarie
Novotney (anovotney@blueandco.com) or your local Blue & Co. advisor.
By Ryan Olson, senior accountant and CPA, VonLehman
Passage of the federal income tax law in late December 2017 brought
into reality a variety of concerns
that nonprofits raised as the bill worked its way through Congress. In
addition to the increased standard deduction that’s expected to depress
charitable giving, the final Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) includes several
other provisions that prompted objections from charities.
Calculating UBTI
The corporate tax rate under the TCJA is a flat 21%. This change
will benefit some nonprofits paying unrelated business income tax, because the
tax is imposed at the corporate rate.
Those nonprofits with unrelated business-taxable income of $50,000 or
less have an increased tax rate. It has increased from 15% to 21%. Those nonprofits with unrelated business-taxable
income of $50,000 or more have a decreased tax rate from anywhere from 25-35%
to 21%.
Under the TCJA, nonprofits must calculate their unrelated business
taxable income (UBTI) separately for each unrelated business. As a result, they
can’t use a loss from one unrelated business to offset income from another
unrelated business for the same tax year. But they can use one year’s losses on
an unrelated business to reduce their taxes for that business in a different
year (subject to certain restrictions).
In addition, the law includes certain fringe benefits in UBTI.
Nonprofits now must include certain expenses in UBTI incurred to provide
employees with qualified transportation fringe benefits (for example, transit
passes), a parking facility used in connection with qualified parking fringe
benefits and any on-site athletic facility.
And under the TCJA, reimbursements to employees for moving expenses
or any activity considered to be entertainment can’t be excluded from that
employee’s taxable compensation.
Excise tax on excess compensation
The TCJA creates a 21% excise tax on nonprofit executives’
compensation (including most benefits and any payments from related
organizations) in excess of $1 million considered paid to a covered employee
plus certain large payments made to that employee when he or she leaves the
organization (known as “excess parachute payments”). “Covered employees” refers
to current or former employees who are among the five highest paid employees
for the taxable year or who were covered employees in 2017 or later. Once
considered a covered employee, an individual is always a covered employee.
A payment generally is considered an excess parachute payment if:
It’s
contingent on the employee’s departure, and
The
total present value of all such payments to the employee equals or exceeds
three times his or her average annual compensation for the preceding five
years.
The
excise tax applies to the amount of the parachute payment, less the average
annual compensation.
Reduced charitable-giving incentives
The near doubling of the standard deduction was expected to reduce
the number of taxpayers who itemize their deductions and, therefore, the number
who can deduct their charitable contributions. In fact, Charitable giving by U.S. individuals
fell 1.1% to $292 billion in 2018, according to Giving USA.
The TCJA includes further disincentives to giving. The law could
hurt major contributions because it increases the estate tax exemption to $10
million, annually indexed for inflation, through 2025. Some wealthy individuals
make major gifts to reduce their taxable estates, and the larger exemption
means they won’t need to shrink their estates as much to avoid the tax. The
TCJA also repeals the deduction for donations made in exchange for the right to
buy tickets to college athletic events.
While the TCJA raises the limit on cash donation deductions from
50% of adjusted gross income (AGI) to 60%, that change isn’t predicted to have
much of an impact. Cash donations of even 50% of AGI are already uncommon.
Certain tax-exempt bond interest repealed
Tax-exempt bonds usually pay lower interest rates than other bonds.
The tax-exempt nature of the interest makes such bonds attractive to investors
despite the lower rates.
A bond that is issued to pay principal, interest or the redemption
price on an earlier bond issue is called an “advance repayment bond.” The TCJA
repeals the tax-exempt treatment for interest paid on advance repayment bonds
that are issued to repay bonds with more than 90 days remaining before the
redemption date.
For example, if you issue tax-exempt bonds at 5% interest but
subsequently learn you can refinance the bonds at 4% interest, the interest
payments on the 4% advance repayment bonds won’t be tax-exempt for investors.
You’ll probably need to pay more interest to cover the investors’ increased tax
liability.
Next steps
Although the final guidance and procedures have yet to be issued by
the IRS, the TCJA may have some negative repercussions for your organization
going forward. Consult with your CPA now to determine the best steps to
minimize any potential damage to your bottom line — and your ability to
accomplish your mission.
What didn’t make it into the Act
Some of the provisions that caused concern among nonprofits didn’t
make it into the final tax act. They include:
Johnson
Amendment repeal. The House of Representatives’ version of the TCJA would have
repealed a prohibition against nonprofits engaging in political campaign
activity. Many nonprofit leaders had mobilized in opposition to this repeal.
Private
activity bond tax-exempt treatment termination. The House bill would have
eliminated the tax-exempt treatment of interest on the private activity bonds
some organizations use to finance capital projects.
Expanded
donor-advised fund reporting. Under the House bill, sponsors of donor-advised
funds (DAFs) would have been required to report additional information on their
Forms 990, including the average amount of grants made from DAFs during the
taxable year.
Excise tax rate on private foundation net investment income. The
TCJA left out a House provision establishing a streamlined rate of 1.4%,
sticking instead with the two current rates of 1% and 2%.
Ryan Olson is a senior accountant
working out of VonLehman CPA & Advisory Firm’s Indianapolis office. Olson
specializes in tax and works with a wealth of nonprofits.
The fallout
was immediate and severe. Since New Yorker reporter Ronan Farrow broke a
story in early September about the donor relationship of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology Media Lab and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, the
prestigious school has been on the defensive. Ultimately, the Media Lab’s
attempts to conceal the extent of its contact with Epstein, both publicly and
within the university, were exposed, resulting in its longtime director
resigning and a deeper investigation by the university.
But after the headlines,
what lessons are there for nonprofits? Just as the MIT scandal raised questions
about that institution’s ethics, it can be a teachable moment for nonprofits,
encouraging them to scrutinize fundraising efforts and practices and to
evaluate their own organizational ethics.
Jim Langley has worked in higher education
since the 1980s, and until 2010, was Georgetown University’s vice president of
advancement. Since leaving the world of higher education, he founded Langley
Innovations, a consulting company that advises clients on an optimal philanthropic
path. Recently, he spoke with Charitable Advisors to share
thoughts on ethics and to suggest ways for nonprofits, large and small, to
shore up their fundraising practices. In short, Langley believes that integrity is everything, and when it is maintained,
it is the most powerful personal and professional brand.
“Ethics are something that will protect you
over time or add value to your career, will add value to your employability and
be prized by an institution,” Langley said.
For him, if
all things are equal, it’s also one way for a nonprofit to differentiate and
find a trusted partner, and thinks that each organization needs to reinforce
its ethics and raise awareness of ethical lapses or situations that start to
create potential ethical compromises.
“The consumer
then has the assurance that they’re dealing with somebody who will safeguard
their time, their talent, their treasures, their sensitivities and their trust.
I believe that, and this was triggered by the Epstein case, how profoundly
stupid it is to behave in a short-term expedient way with the hopes that you
never get caught. You put yourself on thin ice and the consequences are
potentially enormous,” Langley said.
And while organizations like the Association of
Fundraising Professionals published principles and adopted enforcement
procedures in 2015, there haven’t been consequences for those in violation. Langley
thinks there is need for an accrediting body that will censor flagrant
violations and raise accrediting questions about those “that are wobbly and
affirm those doing an exceptional job.”
“There are several organizations that have
codes of ethics for fundraising, but then remain silent when those ethics are
violated or trounced on. So, you kind of wonder, what’s the point of a code
without teeth?” asked Langley.
“I think the standards are pretty clear. ‘Thou
shalt not take from pedophiles’ doesn’t need a lot of nuance, but who speaks
up? There’s a lot of tsk-tsking behind the scenes, but who speaks up and says,
‘The MIT Media lab should be censored in a public way so that everybody knows
if you think of doing something like that again, there may be consequences
greater than the dollars you’ll secure.’”
Langley said a
public calling out will put organizations on notice and they might lose money
as a result of their behavior if they are seen as being on a slippery ethical
slope if not in a complete violation of something that so unimpeachably clear
and important.
One contributing factor is the fundraising landscape
and a contraction in philanthropic participation. Giving by
individuals decreased as a percentage of total giving in 2018 to 68% (down from
70% in 2017), despite achieving its third-highest total dollar amount on
record, adjusted for inflation. While there are
fewer people giving, it’s masked by people giving larger gifts.
“If the volume of giving contracts, then the
importance of big giving in terms of safeguarding the institution or advancing
the institution’s mission becomes ever more important,” Langley said.
Couple that with what Langley sees as utterly
false expectations surrounding fundraising.
“The top seems to inspire delusional thinking,
and then that gets passed on in the form of goals imposed on development staff.
‘Thou shalt go out and get all of this money’ that we think is out there
without any concrete evidence that it is. You put pressure on the fundraisers,
the board puts pressure on the CEO, and it becomes what I learned as a boy in
Catholic education is the occasion for sin.
“The
circumstances create more wobble, more unethical behavior. You put pressure on
people and they want to elevate the pressure, so I’d say all of those factors
are now coming to play in a greater form than ever before. And so as
philanthropy becomes less democratic, then the aristocratic few, at least some
of them will then say, ‘Oh, then what leverage do I have?’”
One way to
combat that is to learn the difference between high and unrealistic standards
and that there are analytics that help determine what is reasonable within
certain timeframes.
“In other
words, a $1 million gift is generally 21 to 24 months in the making, not three
months,” Langley said.
“I’d add one
more point, and that is that when you don’t have a strong case for support,
when you cannot point to where money will make a difference, when you think the
only way to raise money is through ingratiating yourself with the rich, then
you’re inclined to make these mistakes. If you’re more of a performance-driven
organization, you’ll have far more confidence in the fact that as long as you are
able to define differences to be made and as long as you prove that investment
in (your organization) yields a significant sustainable societal return, you’re
not going to be so quick to compromise yourself,” said Langley.
Langley offers these
take-away lessons for nonprofits:
1.Include ethics as part of the staff onboarding process.
“An organization has to have an orientation process that emphasizes the importance of character in both personal career development and in protecting the credibility of the institution.”
2. Develop an accountability policy.
“Spell out the larger the gift, the more comes with it. A
large gift sort of out of the clear blue, we might want to go ‘Does this person
have an ulterior motive? Is he or she trying to redeem or cover their own wont
of character by aligning with us and appearing to be charitable? You have to
have something like that in place. It’s all too easy to get around via big gifts
and want them so badly that you suspend credulity and then you pay for it
later.”
3. Determine who will administer the accountability policy.
“Have a devil’s advocate. Someone outside the advancement
operation, maybe in the legal staff, maybe somewhere else, but outside. It
needs to be someone who could say ‘While I have no personal interest in receipt
of this gift, I want to protect institutional credibility.’
“In my ideal world, I want nonprofits to have an office
of accountability — someone reporting directly to the president — and I want
them to start projecting the philosophy that ‘We are accountable to a code of
ethics, we are accountable to keep our promises to donors. It’s not just
thanking donors. It is too many unkept promises, too much glib transactional
fundraising and not enough conscience commitment in delivering on commitments,
not enough taking the convictions of donors as seriously as we should have.’”
4. Hire the right development people.
“There are two
schools of thought, which I’ve characterized as the hunters and the growers. If
you’re hunting, you don’t really worry, because you just drag home the carcass,
but if you’re growing, you say, ‘Well wait a second, I need to think about the
implications of this over time.’ Too many organizations hired fundraisers for
the wrong reasons. They thought it was all about asking and not about a process
of relationship building. So, they hired people who they thought were
presentable, persuasive and had the courage to ask. But over time, sheer
experience started to prove that donors actually liked the curious frontline
gift officer much better than the aggressively persuasive one.”
5. Develop board fundraising training modules.
“We need board onboarding. A board must orient itself.
It’s something that everybody thinks they know, and they don’t know at all. So
there has to be some schooling, and then second, there has to be the raising of
questions and the monitoring of areas that might be predictives of ethical
problems. Boards are often the guiltiest in terms
of putting pressure on the CEO to produce magical fundraising results. I spend
a lot of my time trying to orient boards to reality and say, ‘Yes, clamor for
high achievement, but don’t throw out arbitrary metrics or suggest something is
possible without having it grounded in sound analytics and a solid
understanding of philanthropic behavior.’”
6. Help boards ask the right questions.
“What should really
be happening between a CEO and a board is each asking the other intelligent
probing strategic questions. So, for instance, ‘What are we doing to retain the
loyal support that we have?’ That will open up a lens to how accountable an
institution is. ‘How affective are we at retaining our gift officers?’ If
they’re turning over a lot is that an indication of discomfort or unrealism.”
7. Listen to the testimony of frontline gift officers.
“Listen to complaints coming in from
external constituents and log those complaints because those can be early
warning signs. Don’t get into a cocoon or to an echo chamber. Be very open to
evidence that disrupts your thinking or shakes up your complacency and treat it
very seriously. Understand that by definition the conscientious person is in
the minority, so don’t dismiss internal discontent as the few soreheads. The
minority are always the ones who make the majority of difference, who always
preserve the integrity of the institution.”
8. Have a written gift policy with steps spelled out before formal acceptance.
“This should include reviewing the conditions of the gift and
scrubbing the ethical character of the donor. The organization should say, ‘Make sure we don’t compromise ourselves unwittingly
or wittingly in such a way where we’ll lose credibility and that will diminish
our ability to do other great things going forward.’”
9. Pay attention to anonymity.
“It’s a flag that we should pay more attention to. If
there’s not a longstanding relationship with an institution and someone starts
to give, ask, ‘What is that about?’ Is it in fact some sort of laundering
situation in which (the donor) is laundering that money to redeem (his/her) reputation
or to create some standing that (he/she) wouldn’t have otherwise. But you have
to juxtapose that with remarkably modest loyalties. People give to institutions
for years out of spiritual motivation and nothing for themselves, and any kind
of review of that ground would quickly reveal which was which.”
Researchers have found that storytelling practices are
linked to positive outcomes for children’s development, and that fathers who
tell family stories enrich their children’s development.
Consider, too, that the African
culture is rooted in oral cultures and traditions, and that since ancient
times, storytelling in the African culture has been a way to pass on
traditions, codes of behavior and maintain social order.
So, when Fathers and Families Center married the two, it
resulted in Story Telling,
its program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Forward Promise
initiative.
The project is
designed to guide young males of color through a process of self-discovery and
reflection that can help them address trauma. These fathers have choices, and
can tell their story through poetry, journals, letters, music, videography and
other creative approaches.
When the
program began two years ago, many fathers did not see the connection. It took staff
members to create the bridge. Anthony Patterson, a program coordinator, had his
own story. By telling his, he shared the power and helped dads make a connection.
According to
grants manager Anna Melodia, his efforts springboarded the program. Many
decided to open up and tell their stories. Facing their trauma, they discovered
more options in life, and inspired others through their art.
Since early
2018, these creative workshop sessions have been taught by Stephinie Johnson, a poet and
counselor who is a contract consultant. Later, she wrangled her husband, Milton
Johnson, a music composer and producer, to join the effort.
Participants
start with Terrence Harper, the center’s health and
wellness manager.
Before the Robert Wood Johnson grant, Harper was practicing cognitive behavioral therapy or
psychotherapy, but through this initiative has developed a hybrid of narrative and narrative exposure therapy.
With a focus on historic and systemic trauma on boys and
young men of color, ages 16 to 24, the center’s program was designed to buffer
the effects.
“What we found is these men weren’t necessarily in the
heat of that trauma, so I had to do some adjustments where I did a hybrid
between narrative therapy and narrative exposure therapy.”
Harper uses several survey instruments, like Life Events
Checklist, to identify and hone in on specific trauma. Through the survey, he’s
found that the majority have experienced things like family dysfunction,
abandonment of fathers, lack of education and judicial trauma.
“I do a lot of person-centered therapy with them and
individual therapy by way of the arts to further express that narrative in art
form — painting, the music studio or poetry. What’s interesting is a common
theme that continues to emerge is resiliency and perseverance,” said Harper.
“Some of them have actually disconnected from it. It was
traumatic at the time, but as far as the ongoing and lingering effects, I think
that a lot of time they don’t realize how it is still hindering them and
holding them back because they’ve moved on. But they’ve moved on in a mode of
survival. ‘Yeah, it happened but I just need to keep it moving.’”
Initially the men and boys talk about their childhood to
illustrate some of the challenges they have faced, and Harper tapes the
sessions to pinpoint specific traumas that are still barriers. By the time they
return for the second session, he reviews the stories with the individuals.
“And so by telling their story and helping them to slow
down, there is a form of healing
that begins to take place. Unfortunately, though, because of the transient nature
of our population, generally I’ll keep them about three to four sessions. We’re
just hitting the tip of the iceberg. But hopefully as a result of that, they’ll
want to continue on even after their narrative is completed,” said Harper.
“They may list
that they witnessed a violent event. What I want to do is make sure within the
context of their story that I address it on some level. ‘Hey, you said on that
checklist that you had witnessed a violent event, can you share a little bit
more with me about that?’” said Harper, who has worked at the center for 12
years.
“This is not necessarily about adverse childhood
experiences, this is about adverse experiences that have historically
manifested as trauma. Everyone who comes in doesn’t necessarily tell a story
because they may not be ready. So, I have to use discretion on whether or not
they’re ready versus moving them on. Maybe they don’t tell their story in this
way, but maybe they are ready to share and express it through art or through
music.”
Along with
counseling work, the creative sessions with the Johnsons help put experiences
in context and into words. The fathers acquire new skills and develop confidence
to craft and share their stories.
“I think that it works very well because a
lot of the youth when they work with me, they’re able to break down barriers
that they didn’t even realize they had. They’re able to open up, they’re able
to express themselves and have something tangible. I think it has a tremendous
effect on the youth that we work with,” said Stephinie Johnson who has a
counseling background.
Milton Johnson grew up in Virginia and
understands these young fathers. He
and Stephinie were in the Army stationed at Camp Atterbury, and after leaving
the service, decided to put down roots in Indiana.
“I
grew up kind of how they grew up. My goal has always been to go back to the
same type of neighborhoods and communities that I grew up in and show that you
don’t have to be a product of the environment, you can be different,” said the
music composer and producer.
Music, he believes, is therapeutic.
“What happens with a musical connection is
that we build a relationship that allows them to build trust and they share
things that they wouldn’t normally share with an instructor. We’re able to dig
deep, and as they talk and relive some of the things they’ve gone through, they
kind of see where they might have messed up and it gives them more of a
motivation to fix the things that were broken in the past,” he said.
Harper believes that once fathers come into the program,
and see the authenticity of the staff, it helps them lower their inhibitions
and guard.
As they relate the things they’ve done and what’s
happened to them, they begin to see what they’ve survived. Then they go from
being a victim to a hero of their story. It’s not “here’s what’s happened to
me, poor me, but here’s what I’ve overcome. Strong me.”
In the end, it is the hope that each client produces a
retelling of his story.
“And the hope is at some point, they’ll be able to pass it on to their children and let their children know, here’s where dad started, he’s what he went through and the challenges, and this is him as he’s emerging and received his own healing.”
