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Mar 12

Brackets For Good, Research for All

By Sponsor Insight

By Leslie Wells, Assistant Director of Communications, SPEA at IUPUI

Huddled around a kitchen table, Cali Curley, Jamie Levine Daniel and Marlene Walk discuss their latest research project. They’re focused on the innovative concept of competitive philanthropy.

“We typically don’t talk about nonprofits in terms of competition, despite the fact that they are competing for resources,” Levine Daniel says. “While nonprofits often have a negative view of competition, we wanted to explore its true impact.”

A SPEA research team now has its chance, thanks to the charitable organization Brackets For Good. Each March, the nonprofit hosts March Madness bracket-style online fundraising tournaments in cities around the country.

Since its inception, Brackets For Good has helped nonprofits raise more than $6 million. The Indianapolis-based nonprofit got its start in 2011 and has now expanded to 13 cities and states. Participating organizations try to out-fundraise the others. Each nonprofit keeps its donations, while each tournament’s winner receives an additional $10,000.

With so much on the line, organizers at Brackets For Good wanted to ensure their program was setting up participants to succeed. In 2015, Matt Duncan, co-founder and deputy director of Brackets For Good, and his team turned to the School for Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI for help in designing evaluation questions that would create a more balanced bracket.

“We really needed an academic-research approach,” Duncan says.  “We knew SPEA could help us design questions that would help us better evaluate which organizations would be best suited for this tournament. That’s why we turned to SPEA.”

“The academic perspective allows them to say their process has been vetted through research scholars at a university, increasing credibility and notoriety in both the nonprofit and academic sectors,” Curley says. “This collaboration also allows Brackets For Good and SPEA to be on the leading edge of what’s happening in the nonprofit world with competitive philanthropy.”

Curley began reviewing the application survey for the tournament three years ago. She soon brought Levine Daniel and Walk on board, relying on their nonprofit research expertise to advance the project.

“We saw this as an excellent opportunity for research,” Walk recalls. “Current nonprofit literature already tells us how individual characteristics – such as gender, race, or religion – impact philanthropic giving. What we want to know now is whether there are softer forms of identity, such as a sports-identity or being competitive, that could drive or promote giving as well.”

The team began analyzing data and developing new application surveys. They examined features such as a nonprofit’s mission awareness, its number of employees and volunteers, how much the organization had in its unrestricted fundraising budget, as well as the nonprofit’s social media habits.

IUPUI students were also able to take advantage of this unique research and evaluation opportunity. Curley and Walk use the project in their classrooms as a learning tool for students spanning several majors, including Sustainable Management and Policy, Media and Public Affairs, Policy Studies, and Civic Leadership. Levine Daniel discusses the research in her courses, as well.

“This project provides students with an opportunity for experiential learning,” Curley adds. She points to the fact that students not only get hands-on experience in data and evaluation, they also learn about local nonprofits. “We approach it from this dynamic space of teaching students to learn about their community and be more engaged and involved, while also doing an evaluation for Brackets For Good in a meaningful way.”

The research team led by example, showcasing SPEA’s commitment to community partnerships. The team says this project allows them to keep their finger on the pulse of the nonprofit sector in Indianapolis, while getting a better sense of what makes it tick. The selection paper only used data from Indianapolis, allowing the research team to model selection statistically and provided a model that Brackets For Good could ‘scale up’ to other communities. BFG applies the survey and evaluation tool to all participating organizations.

While the research is still in the peer-review process, the initial findings from their research show commonalities among organizations that made the cut into the tournament. They rated higher on being tech savvy and were more active on social media. They had a higher amount of unrestricted funds and larger volunteer bases. In addition, organizations that had more community awareness of their mission were more likely to make it into the tournament.

These findings have allowed Brackets For Good to revamp its application survey, ensuring that divisions, rankings and match-ups are more evenly paired.

“SPEA took the competition to the next level,” Duncan says. “They created a much more fair and robust bracketology than what we had developed on our own.”

But can that bracketology predict which organizations will make it all the way to the end?

“If we can provide Brackets For Good with data and studies on topics such as effective messaging and risk mitigation, that will allow them to improve the guidance they provide to organizations, which hopefully enhances the experience for everyone,” Levine Daniel adds.

“We have not yet found out what actually makes organizations successful in the tournament. That’s the next step,” Walk says.

The team is currently combing through the latest data and piecing together the characteristics of winning organizations that will allow Brackets For Good to develop a toolkit for nonprofits. At the same time, Curley, Levine Daniel and Walk also are using this project to boost opportunities for students and SPEA.

“We’re building expertise and laying the groundwork for future research,” Levine Daniel adds. “Now, when people think about competitive philanthropy, they will think about SPEA.”

[content_box box_type=”normal”]Brackets For Good runs from March 2 through April 6. To learn more about organizations in the competition, build your own bracket or donate, click here.[/content_box]

Leslie Wells joined SPEA as its assistant director of communications in 2018. She previously spent more than a decade in broadcast news and three years as media relations manager at the Indiana Youth Institute.

 

 

Mar 05

Make your move

By Fundraising, Sponsor Insight

By Pamela Clark, director of student services and admissions, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI

Maybe it’s a faint but persistent thought that you’re ready for a new challenge. Maybe it’s the not-so-faint feeling that you want to give more of yourself to help others make meaningful change in their lives, or maybe it’s the conviction that you want to help the nonprofit where you already work have greater impact.

Julia Kathary, executive director of Coburn Place, and Kathi Badertscher, director of master’s degree programs and lecturer in philanthropic studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI, recognize firsthand those symptoms of the desire to change or advance your career path.

Since she was a child, Kathary has been helping people. “I really enjoyed giving back and making the community better.” She worked in an Evansville domestic violence and sexual assault shelter for nearly a decade. When she moved to Indianapolis in 2004, she faced a crossroads: Should she continue working in nonprofits?

“I decided to stay in the sector,” she says. “I had noticed, though, what difficult work it is to make a nonprofit sustainable over time.”

While working in a domestic violence shelter in Indianapolis, Kathary learned about the executive option in the master’s degree program at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, which allowed her to work fulltime while attending online and in-person classes part-time.

“It just clicked in my soul; I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she says. “I wanted to have that skillset and that education on how to build sustainability.”

Toward the end of the program, Kathary started her own consulting business, working on capacity building and a range of issues, from deepening the impact of an organization’s mission, to addressing organizational sustainability, to program effectiveness and strategic planning. When the executive director position at Coburn Place came open, it was the merging of her passion, experience and education, and she was prepared to step confidently into leadership.

Kathary was a seasoned nonprofit professional before assuming the top role at Coburn Place.  Badertscher, on the other hand, while philanthropically involved throughout her life, worked as a broker in corporate insurance for 26 years before making the leap into full-time philanthropy as her profession. “It was really good for a long time; I traveled, met people, and learned a lot,” she says.

About 12 years ago, Badertscher began re-thinking what she wanted to do. After serving on several nonprofit boards, volunteering in the community, and reaching a turning point in her insurance career, she realized it was time for a change. She found the Center on Philanthropy (now the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy) in a Google search and thought, “I can take a few classes and become a better board member, a more intentional donor, and overall be more systematic in how I approach volunteering and giving,” she says.

Those few classes rolled into a dual master’s degree and then a doctoral degree. Six months after she finished her Ph.D., the school had an opening for a director of master’s programs, and Badertscher was the perfect fit. She loves her new career, and encourages anyone who is thinking of a career change to follow through with it.

Think you’re ready to embark on a philanthropy career of your own? Here are some thoughts to consider:

  • Wondering if the philanthropic sector or a specific cause or issue area is right for you? Badertscher recommends activating your network from all parts of your life who are engaged with nonprofits. Ask about their experiences and conduct some informational interviews. She notes that you are “interviewing for a new field” as much as you are looking for a job.
  • “Do direct service and learn how the sector impacts the community,” Kathary says. Gain practical experience in philanthropy, whether through volunteering, interning or serving on an advisory or governing board.
  • Make a small donation to a nonprofit you may be interested in working with and see how they respond, Badertscher suggests. The thank-you and follow-up communication tell you a lot about the organization and its culture.
  • “Selling a product for a company is different than selling a mission,” Kathary says. “You’re developing a mission that matters and has impact, telling the story of that mission, and getting people to engage with their time, talent, and treasure.
  • “There are opportunities in the sector to utilize many different skill sets and turn them into something within civil society that gives back,” she adds. “So bring that skill set and then get innovative with it. The value of what you can do in the nonprofit sector is just as important to our economy” as what you may be doing in business or government.
  • Assess what knowledge you will need to acquire and explore educational, professional development and peer-learning groups.

Ready to advance? Consider these opportunities:

  • If you’re trying to advance within a nonprofit, it’s likely that you may be managing people in your next position, Badertscher says. “Look for ways to help other people grow” in their own roles and share your expertise, demonstrating your leadership qualities.
  • The nonprofit environment is highly collaborative. Identify and volunteer to work on projects in which you can collaborate successfully with others across your organization.
  • Many nonprofits don’t have time or capacity to revisit their policies on a regular basis. “Rules, systems and processes exist for a reason and have value, but it’s also good to question whether they are out of date or need to change,” Badertscher says. Raising questions and proposing appropriate solutions can show that you understand the bigger picture and have ideas that can help the organization move forward.
  • Evaluate the information and skills you will need at the next level and determine how you will develop the competencies you don’t yet have. Do you need different — or more — formal education? Can you learn what you need to know through professional development, training or workshops? Is there a professional certification that would strengthen both your knowledge and your credentials?
  • Consider membership in a professional organization or peer-learning group that can help you hone your abilities and bring new ideas to your organization.

Whether you want to embark on a brand new career in philanthropy or want to help yourself and your current organization advance, Badertscher advises, “Life is short, and if you have a chance and the desire to change something in your life, do it and you won’t regret it.” 

Pamela Clark is director of student services and admissions at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI. Clark, in the role since 2013, has worked at IUPUI for 19 years in various roles. While working at University College she developed the first online learning communities designed for freshmen students and specifically for adult learners. She enjoys working with students and supporting them in achieving their academic goals.

Mar 05

Are millennials rewriting philanthropy or is the general public?

By Feature, Fundraising

By Lynn Sygiel, editor, Charitable Advisors

It’s now a ubiquitous headline: Millennials are the largest generation. In 2016, they surpassed boomers at 79.8 million.  By 2020, those born from roughly 1980 to 2000 are projected to make up half of the workforce.

For better or worse, millennials may be the most labeled, the most stereotyped generation ever. Millennials, however, are growing up, making waves, and making traditional institutions take notice.

According to the Washington, D.C.-based Case Foundation, the millennial generation is a “tech savvy, entrepreneurial, educated and independent-minded cohort that is driven to ‘do good.’  They are actively reshaping advocacy, engagement, service and philanthropy on a scale that has never before been experienced. As a result, traditional models of engagement, movement building and measurement are evolving to keep pace with their new ideals.”

Derrick Feldmann, the founder and president of the Indianapolis- and Florida-based research firm Achieve, has seen the movement up close. He has led The Millennial Impact Project for 10 years funded by the Case Foundation. The youngest members of the generation are now 18.

“It’s easy to say, ‘Let’s get millennials involved because they’re going to solve it for us.’ At the end of the day, we have to move the general population from interest to deeper action,” said Feldmann, who is a 2001 graduate of the Lilly Family School on Philanthropy. “So that’s where I think we’ve got this challenge is whether this is a generational thing versus we’re in a new stage of how individuals get involved in social issues in our organizations.”

“Our future as a fundraising field is an organization’s ability to look at any individual who has any asset and say, ‘If you want to address this issue, we can do that with you, no matter what you have.’ So that’s the shift. And millennials are driving that shift, but it’s a shift that has started years before that. Millennials by sheer size and force are starting to implement it and make it happen.”

One arena where this plays out is the work environment. Millennials search for companies that are socially responsible and oftentimes check the company’s volunteer policy before applying for a job, according to Chris Herndon, United Way of Central Indiana’s chief marketing and engagement officer.

Part of United Way’s strategy was to find a way to help employers create an environment that offers community engagement, and at the same time introduce the age group to community issues. So three years ago, it started LINC — Lead.Impact.Network.Change — a membership group for young professionals ages 22 to 30. A fall event, called Plant it Forward, had members come together at Flanner Farms and build garden boxes for an urban garden.

LINC is designed to introduce its members to worthy causes and issues that United Way tackles, like poverty, mental health, financial sustainability, homelessness and childhood literacy.

“We hope that this exposes people to community challenges, helps them better understand how United Way is fighting some of these challenges, gives them an opportunity to see how they can connect through us to help address some of these issues. What LINC allows the participants is the try-before-you-buy approach,” said Herndon. “They want to volunteer or experience something first before they give, before they commit financial resources.”

Indianapolis was one of the first to implement this United Way national strategy, now with similar groups in at least 20 other major markets. With much of United Way’s fundraising done in tandem with corporations, the agency is the conduit for that engagement, and at the same time creating a consistent experience across markets.

“If you’re a company that employs in Indianapolis, and Atlanta and Houston, you want to be able to offer something that’s consistent across your company’s footprint,” said Herndon, who is himself a GenXer.

While Feldmann sees merit in courting millennials, he cautions nonprofits not to stray too far from their past initiatives. He urges all organizations to look at their entire supporter base over the past 10 years.

“We know that there are approaches to take with millennials that will work, but the first thing is you cannot go off segmenting unless you understand and have the foundational element figured out first,” he said.

“If anybody raises his or her hand no matter what age, and says, ‘I kind of care about the issue to work on,’ then you can take and move them along a journey of engagement. Get people active in many different ways beyond giving,” he said.

He cites Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Relay for Life as nonprofits that have sound supporter models by engaging all age groups. These nonprofits help individuals see others who believe in the mission just like them. Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society’s collegiate level and lower has allowed individuals to create their own narratives, rather than define everything.

“Look at it and say, ‘I have to create an opportunity for anybody whether you’re 18 or 80 to care about this issue.’” Feldmann said.  “So I think our job should be, “How do we create campaigns — giving or not — that allow everybody to express their interest, their desire to help others, but yet all participate in the same action as well.”

“Once we get past the interest stage, there are approaches that make us get involved more. If you’re a women’s empowerment organization we need to make a message that works across all that focuses on a belief statement like, ‘This is the year to make girls impossible to ignore. Are you in?’

“Does it mean it’s a millennial message? They created a message based on the belief statement that anybody can get attached to it. So that’s where I think we’ve got this challenge between is this a generational thing versus we’re in a new stage of how individuals get involved in social issues in our organizations.”

And that strategy fits in with the largest cultural change in philanthropy – addressing issues together – according to Feldman.

Helping supporters understand an issue is key. Building Tomorrow, a locally founded nonprofit that builds schools in Uganda, helps its constituency understand its educational issues. On the organization’s website is a tool that helps a person calculate the difference in cost between his or her education versus a student in Uganda.

“If you’re invested in helping constituents understand the issue, to get them active on other things, and then have those opportunities to act, you’re in a pretty good boat. That’s the approach that organizations need to look at,” said Feldmann.

Today with technology, involvement in social-good initiatives is easier because it helps remove barriers. Added to that is that millennials were born with these platforms, so it’s a natural progression, and they should be leading the charge.

“Even though the same premise of doing good is present in all generations, it is that you have the tools and the resources to act upon the impulse and the idea and the notion in this minute that you want to do good.  Are millennials rewriting philanthropy? I would say technology has allowed the general public to rewrite philanthropy.”

Technology, especially social media, can help take charitable giving to higher levels.

“If I wanted to ask a friend for money, I used to have to go walk over, share the envelope and say, ‘I’m riding in a bike-a-thon. Would you sponsor me?’” Feldmann said.

“Now, the greatest thing today is that we have a technology that allows me to do that. The same premise is still there. So the way that we interact with technology has really advanced the philanthropic opportunities we have.”

Liberty in North Korea, a nonprofit that resettles refugees, is one nonprofit that uses technology to connect its mission to millennials. With chapters at universities, it has one of the largest millennial bases in the country. It takes $6,000 to resettle one refugee, and this fall’s online campaign raised $580,000 from 3,800 millennials.

“They are always focused on elevating the individual in all of the narratives. The individual changemaker,” Feldmann said.

United Way’s Herndon knows that crowdfunding is a tool to use when there is an incredible need and sense of urgency, and not for ongoing needs. However, while there hasn’t been a disaster in the area in a while, Herndon said they have a draft plan and the tools in place together if needed. His agency is part of a group of about 30 United Ways nationally that have co-invested in digital strategies over the past two years.

In addition, United Way is working on a cloud-based program in partnership with SalesForce.org in San Francisco that will roll out this summer with some of its corporate partners. Basically an online philanthropy platform, it will allow individuals to manage all of their giving, volunteering and community interests. There will also be rich cause-related content.

But what’s not going to change, according to Feldmann, is sitting down with an individual and saying, “I’ve got an opportunity for you.

“That is never going to change. The person might have gotten to the table via technology, but I still have to use the practices I learned at the Fund Raising school to help you understand it and move forward.”

Feb 26

Ways for your Board to use a salary survey

By Uncategorized

By Bryan Orander, president, Charitable Advisors

Since 2010, Charitable Advisors has produced a bi-annual salary report for Central Indiana’s nonprofits to assist in determining competitive compensation and benefits for staff. Our methodology has relied on your support in providing raw data to provide our area’s actual compensation.  For that we are grateful.

This Thursday (March 1), we will begin the information-gathering phase of our 2018 Central Indiana Nonprofit Salary Survey, and it seems the ideal time to explore how the final product can be a tool to benefit area nonprofits.

PLEASE PARTICIPATE

We want to encourage readers to make sure your nonprofit is participating to help produce a comprehensive sector report. If your organization hasn’t received your link by Friday, March 2, please contact Kathleen@CharitableAdvisors.com.

As a thank you for your participation, the final report is free and will be sent in July.

General access to the report will be available in the fall on Charitable Advisors’ website.

While the HR department most often uses salary surveys or to provide useful benchmarks when hiring new staff, here are three more ways that board members and staff leaders can use this information to help their organizations.

  • IRS form 990: Every year, each nonprofit completes its Form 990 tax return and must explain how they set compensation for the chief executive (and other highly compensated staff, if applicable). Having a local salary survey that is targeted to nonprofits is an ideal tool and offers data support for completing this requirement.
  • Competitive Executive Director/CEO compensation: Executive Director/CEO compensation is the one position that the board has complete responsibility and control over. Too commonly, the ED/CEO receives some type of annual performance conversation followed by a cost-of-living increase without regard to the overall marketplace compensation.

In other cases, the board may identify a “pay gap” but defers addressing it. In our executive search work we often find that organizations are surprised that they will need to pay more for their new, less experienced ED/CEO than they have paid their departing, more experienced executive. Use the report to define your ED/CEO compensation goal and then assemble a strategy to help fund it – it can be a multiple-year process, if needed.

  • Compensation philosophy: While not the board’s role to review and approve individual staff compensation beyond the Executive Director/CEO, the board does have both a responsibility and an opportunity to apply their insight and expertise to help determine what benefits staff should receive and to understand where the organization fits in the overall nonprofit sector compensation scheme. Some questions to consider:
  • What positions are most difficult to fill and retain? How does compensation compare with similar organizations?
  • How does the organization compare in its offerings of health insurance, a retirement plan, and retirement match?
  • Do you want compensation to be at the 50thpercentile, the 75th percentile or the 25th percentile?
  • What resources does the organization have available and what are the trade-offs between paying less and managing more turnover versus paying more, and potentially hiring and retaining stronger staff?

Use these suggestions to spark a conversation at your next Executive Committee meeting about how your organization will apply the 2018 salary survey when it becomes available, perhaps as part of your 2019 budget discussions. The salary survey report can help provide perspective and data to support these types of conversations. And as you move forward, you will want to include your HR staff, PEO, or HR services provider.

Feb 12

“Drug czar” steps up efforts against opioid crisis

By Feature, Programming

By Lynn Sygiel, editor, Charitable Advisors

When Jim McClelland retired after 41 years at the helm of Goodwill of Central Indiana, he didn’t envision an encore career. He was looking forward to traveling with his wife and serving on several boards.

But when Gov. Eric Holcomb signed an executive order and tapped him for a cabinet position, McClelland relinquished his daily flexibility. Last January, he became Indiana’s first Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement and reports directly to Holcomb. He also chairs the Indiana Commission to Combat Drug Abuse and coordinates the activities of nine Indiana agencies.

It’s a position that several other states have created.

For nonprofits that want to support the state’s efforts, here’s McClelland’s advice:

  • Learn all you can about the issue.  The more you learn, the better you will be able to see where and how your organization can help.
  • Become part of a local coalition focused on prevention, treatment and recovery.  In Indiana, every county has a “local coordinating council” that might offer such opportunities or be able to suggest how your organization can contribute to the overall effort.
  • Address some of the underlying root causes of substance misuse and abuse by working with others to improve all of the social determinants of health.

While at Goodwill he supported the concept and developed programs around the idea that so many of our social problems are interrelated and tend to reinforce and compound each other, rather than treat them in isolation.

“What we were trying to do at Goodwill in efforts to reduce intergenerational poverty was to bring pieces together. And conceptually that’s at least in part what needs to be done here,” said McClelland.

Since then, McClelland has seen the opioid crisis up close and although he has a lengthy nonprofit working history, he had not realized the complexity of the epidemic. While it got its legs in Southern Indiana, it’s now everywhere.

“It is in small towns in rural areas, it’s in the cities, it’s in the suburbs, and it now cuts across all socio-economic groups. There are many pieces to this, and there are many steps that need to be taken simultaneously. You cannot do it sequentially and there are no quick or easy solutions,” McClelland said.

In 2016, the opiate scourge killed 785 Hoosiers, according to the Indiana State Department of Health, and the state’s emergency rooms handle more than 400 overdose visits weekly.

“This isn’t a recent problem. It’s been developing gradually over two decades,” McClelland said.  “What is recent is the awareness of the magnitude and the complexity and how many lives and families it’s affecting. It’s almost as if it had to reach a certain, critical mass awareness before people started saying, ‘We have to do something about this.’”

“We use words like ‘epidemic crisis’ to describe it for two reasons. One of those is this one got started from the overuse of legally prescribed pain medications. People thought because the doctors were prescribing these medications that they were safe. It turned out they were much more addictive than a lot of people believed,” he said.

Doing something about it is just how McClelland spends his days.

The state now has three broad priorities to reverse the epidemic.

The first is keeping people alive. To support that effort, one change is that naloxone, the reversal agent, is not only available to first responders, but can be purchased over the counter. Another initiative is a pilot project at Eskenazi Health. When someone overdoses and is rushed to the hospital, peer recovery coaches encourage them to seek treatment. The state plans to use some 21st Century Cures Act grant money to replicate this program.

The second priority is to expand treatment capacity and access. Ultimately, McClelland hopes that no one is farther than a one-hour drive for treatment.

And the third is stopping the flow of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, which is in part the reason for spikes in overdoses and deaths. Heroin’s cousin, fentanyl has many times heroin’s potency, but looks identical.  Most fentanyl sold on the street is made in clandestine labs, is less pure, and its effect on the body can be more unpredictable.

McClelland said a lot of what he did in his first year was to put things in place that will really start paying off this year. He believes in a deliberate, strategic plan to attack the problem, and compiling and sharing data is critical. In the past year, he has worked to get state agencies that report to him to sign agreements to share data with each other, giving a more comprehensive picture.

“Now, they can start looking at this data in different ways and enable us to see things that we wouldn’t otherwise see. Hopefully, we will have data that is going to be converted into more useful, actionable and timely information,” he said.

Another is sharing this information with Pew Charitable Trust that is analyzing Indiana’s data and policies at no cost to the state. Pew will continue its work this year.

“They have just a wealth of talent and resources and a national perspective and a lot of national data. So they can look at policies across the country and they can say, ‘These really seem to be effective. Indiana, you ought to take a look at this.’ I will tell, what we’ve seen is we’re really on the right track in a lot of this,” McClelland said.

McClelland shared stories about two young men who were prescribed medications after surgery, one for a football injury and the other after an appendectomy. Both found themselves addicted and searching the Internet for more. Both had stable homes.

“A lot of people developed opioid disorder, which is the technical term. And regardless of how someone develops a substance-use disorder of that type, once you got it, you’ve got a chronic disease. It changes the structure of the brain. It’s treatable, but few people can recover without treatment,” he said.

Dr. Jennifer Walthall, secretary of Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration, groups the people being treated into thirds. A third with treatment are on a maintenance dose of one of the FDA-approved drugs and taper off, another group needs to be on maintenance for life. For a third treatment doesn’t work. Compared to other addictive substances, treatment for an opioid-use disorder takes longer and the risk of relapse is higher, something that can take years even if in treatment.

In order to provide better access to treatment, the lawmakers approved five additional FSSA-approved, licensed and monitored opioid treatment programs that will open this year. The additional five are in Greenwood, Terre Haute, Fort Wayne, Lafayette and Bloomington and, through the federal 21st Century Cures grant, FSSA is working with addiction services providers across the state to create other new residential treatment programs or expand their existing programs.

Currently lawmakers are considering whether to add nine new treatment centers around the state in H.B. 1007. If the bill passes, the new treatment centers would be operated by hospitals.

In October, the state launched its Next Level Recovery website, www.in.gov/recovery. The site includes a geo-location feature designed to help Hoosiers find Division of Mental Health and Addiction-certified addiction treatment providers throughout the state.

Additionally, two improvements to treatment access are on the horizon. Next month, the state will launch an open-beds platform linked to the 2-1-1 system. It will enable someone looking for a residential treatment to find an empty bed. Until now, calling sites individually was the primary method.

“This is really innovative, and it’s going to enable us to make more efficient use of existing capacity. We know how many beds are out there but at any given point in time, we haven’t known where an empty one was without calling. So this is going to change that,” McClelland said.

Another change is approval of a federal waiver from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to use Medicaid dollars for residential treatment and recovery support services.  Approximately $80 million in annual funding was recently approved.

But one of McClelland’s continuing concerns is that those who get arrested have to be treated, and unfortunately with a lack of treatment access, the jails are the de facto detox centers.

“In most counties in the state, jails don’t want to be in that position, but they are. We need some better solutions to dealing with that situation. DOC is the largest treatment provider in the state of Indiana,” McClelland said. They are working together to offer more comprehensive services.

This month, the state will launch Project Echo, a training developed in New Mexico. It is a medication-assisted treatment training that is available to providers. Primary doctors can apply for and receive a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) waiver to allow them to dispense methadone and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.

In January, the state announced with the state Department of Health and the Indiana State Medical Association for the management of acute pain to include post-surgical pain. Over the next couple of months, six webinars dealing with various aspects of the opioid situation and pain management will be available.

McClelland said that another significant change is a way to integrate the prescription drug-monitoring program with electronic-medical records and pharmacy management system statewide.

“This will give prescribers and dispensers of prescriptions a tool that’s fast and very user-friendly and enable them to see a controlled substance history of a patient. They will also know if someone is doctor shopping. They will know if somebody is taking something in combination with an opioid that would be really dangerous. Up until now, the system has been clunky but the state’s paying to fix that,” he said.

There is a bill in this year’s General Assembly requiring prescribers to check INSPECT before issuing a first prescription for an opioid.  It passed 47-1 in the Senate, and in February moved to a House committee. If it passes, practitioners will be phased in, but by 2021 will be mandatory.

Other innovations include locations on where to dispose of unused opioids, which are listed on the state’s Next Level Recovery website. Walmart has taken a step to help with disposal. When a prescription for a controlled substance is filled, the customer also receives a DisposeRx packet. When disposing of unused pills, the customer adds warm water and the powder, and it is converted into a non-divertible and biodegradable gel.

There is some positive news. In January, Clark County had overdose deaths drop by a third, from 90 to 60.

“Any good news is welcome, believe me,” McClelland said. “There hasn’t been very much to this point. Here’s the problem, if you could magically prevent anyone else from becoming addicted, we still have tens of thousands of people, maybe even hundreds of thousands who need treatment. And we have to deal with that. They will not recover without treatment, and abstinence-only treatment only has about a 10 percent success rate. We are focused on expanding the availability of medication-assisted treatment and the recovery support systems or services that people are going to need, and we’re going to be doing it for a long time.”

McClelland also talked about the Fairbanks Foundation’s prevention initiative — $12 million over three years.

“Fairbanks has been interested in this for a long time. We have had a lot of conversations with them over the last year, but this is their initiative and they really stepped up to the plate here. They are focused on evidenced-based prevention programs and there are some programs that have been around a while that have shown through randomized control trials, real solid evidence, significant long-term impact, introduced in substance use and misuse among young people.

“And that’s what we want to see more of. I’m always been interested in innovation and trying new things, but here with the problem that we’ve got now and the limited resources to deal with it, we need to focus our resources on what we know work,” he said.

“When it comes to preventing substance abuse and helping those who have a substance use disorder achieve and maintain recovery, there’s a quote from ‘Dreamland,’ by Sam Quinones that I particularly like:  ‘Nobody can do it on their own.  But no drug dealer nor cartel can stand against families, schools, churches, and communities united together.’”

Jan 29

EARN Indiana program pays off for nonprofits, college interns

By Feature, Programming

By Lynn Sygiel, editor, Charitable Advisors

As Teachers’ Treasures executive director for the past four years, Margaret Sheehan works with volunteers daily. The Eastside nonprofit volunteer-run store, which opened in 2000, provides teachers access to donated educational supplies and other materials.

And while volunteers have been critical to the store’s efforts, late last summer Sheehan added an employee to her staff — a paid intern. It was the nonprofit’s first paid intern.

But the benefit was not just to the organization, but also to the student who is gaining professional experience in the workplace. The college student has taken on additional projects that a nonprofit would not have tackled as readily.

Recognizing that experiences like these develop workplace skills, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education took over the former summer work-study program, and it was renamed the Employer Aid Readiness Network (EARN) Indiana program in 2013 under Indiana Code 21-16-2. Last year the legislature approved $606,099 for each of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 fiscal years.

The program pays 50 percent of the intern’s pay and is administered in partnership with INTERNnet, a free internship-matching program managed by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. The goal is to help create or expand high-quality experiential opportunities. HB 1312 in 2013 expanded the program to allow for-profit employers to also access the matching funds. Previously, only government agencies, colleges and universities, and nonprofits were included.

For more information about EARN Indiana, check out INTERNnet’s website.

And for an employer guide on internships in general, visit INTERNnet’s website.

In order to qualify for this practical experience as a paid intern, a student must be a full- or part-time college student with financial need.

Teachers’ Treasures is not the only nonprofit providing students with these workplace experiences. Last year, 113 nonprofit positions were filled, including an environment residential center, library and a municipality and rehabilitation center. In 2016, there were 102 interns hired by nonprofits.

Erin Crofton, the education director at Dunes Learning Center in Chesterton, said it didn’t take long for her board to endorse applying to the program, and it has had a positive impact on the bottom line.

“We’re always looking at budgets, and I thought ‘Wow, it says that they will reimburse 50 percent of the salary for your interns for the time that they’re here.’ That sounds too good to be true,” she said.

EARN Indiana interns can be hired during the summer or school year for at least eight weeks. Crofton hires naturalists during the school year, all of whom have graduated from college, so those program interns are not eligible for EARN Indiana dollars.

But in the summer, Crofton hires 10 residential environmental program interns who are still in college. While not all her summer counselors qualify, for the past two years she’s had at least two. According to the guidelines, no more than 50 percent of a nonprofit’s workforce can be interns.

But Crofton has found that not only does EARN Indiana help fund the intern program, it helps her draw applicants from a wider geographic region with the positions advertised on INTERNnet, which has a statewide reach.

For students, the database is searchable and includes a hotline for questions.

Both Sheehan and Crofton said the online application is straightforward.  Once a nonprofit applies and submits a position description, it receives a response within five business days. After approval, the employer receives an email from the commission verifying the position title, work hours, pay rates and the employment timetable. A second email contains an employer agreement and the position is posted.

At Teachers’ Treasures, Sheehan completed the application this first time, and the director of operations is taking care of the communication and reports. Crofton does both. Both said the customer service is great support. As long as the employer is in good standing, there is no limit to the number of times an employer can apply for EARN Indiana internship dollars.

At Teachers’ Treasures, Maryann O’Connor, an IUPUI sophomore who has been employed since August, managed two projects – a STEM and an upcoming gala auction, as part of her experiential internship. For the auction, she met with board members one-on-one to ascertain where they might have connections, and then followed up with them.

After Eli Lilly learned that 60 percent of fourth graders in Indiana had never had a STEM activity, the pharmaceutical company approached Teachers’ Treasures to connect to area teachers. The EARN Indiana intern had experience in this area and worked with Teachers’ Treasures staff and teachers to determine what type of kits would provide teachers. As a result the nonprofit built 2,000 kits to make slime, complete with Borax, glue, beakers and a teacher demonstration kit. O’Connor identified what was needed, and coordinated Lilly employees through an Indy Do-Day at Gleaners to assemble the materials.

“I am grateful for the real responsibility I’ve been trusted with,” O’Connor said. “The STEM project allowed me to actually interact with teachers and see the results of this effort. I was able to take on a leadership role, which included writing the teacher instructions, managing the assembly and taking overall responsibility for the project.”

Sheehan said that while this was a little outside the scope of what the nonprofit typically gives away, without an intern she would not have attempted it. She said there is always going to be an interesting project that you wouldn’t take on without an intern.

“We had the right intern in place,” she said. “She took responsibility. They were her projects — both very different.”

And while Teachers’ Treasures has gained, so has O’Connor.

“This internship has helped me better understand my career path. It applied my course work to a nonprofit and has been a valuable hands-on experience. I am interested in continuing to work with nonprofits,” said O’Connor who is double majoring in international studies and Spanish and is working to complete the nonprofit management certificate. She said this internship was an opportunity to see a nonprofit up close.

“It’s been great working with a small staff, which allows you to see the key components of the operation at work. The organization has an executive director, volunteer coordinator, events coordinator and operations manager and you can see how they function together.”

O’Connor said that it is important that those not in the nonprofit sector apply for nonprofit internships. She has friends who are business majors, and are having difficulty finding one. Her advice is that business managers can see all sides of an operation on a smaller scale.

Reporting the EARN Indiana’s intern’s hours can be on an ongoing basis or be a one-time payment.

“You just have to have all of the reporting done by a certain date, and you can just get a check then or you can do it ongoing. I like to do it ongoing just so I make sure, I don’t have to dig for stuff. The program provides that flexibility,” said Crofton.

If a nonprofit is considering applying, Crofton offers simple advice.

“Absolutely do it. There’s nothing you could lose from it.”

Key is to keep in mind why you’re doing it.

“My major recommendation for any internship is always keep in mind, why are you doing the internship and what are you providing the student. I believe that internships are not for the organization itself necessarily. It’s really you’re helping move this individual along in their career.

“Provide a good experience. I think EARN does that because it has to be experiential, and an intern cannot just get coffee and make copies all day,” said Crofton.

Jan 15

Attracting and retaining good fundraising talent

By Sponsor Insight

By Lee A. Ernst, Associate, Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates

The foundation of a strong fundraising program is built on relationships. When your organization has a talented and dedicated staff, you have the key elements to form relationships with your donors.

What can you do to ensure you’re attracting and retaining your most valuable asset – people – while growing a strong culture of philanthropy?

What does the data show us about the current landscape of hiring development staff?

Recent research shows that the fundraising profession has a high turnover in staff positions and a dearth of qualified candidates to fill the void. Working with our clients, we hear stories of vacancies, long searches and short stays.

Here are some basic facts:

  • The average tenure for major gift officer positions is 18 to 24 months, according to a study by the Education Advisory Board.
  • According to the Underdeveloped Study, development director positions are also in a high state of turnover, with 50 percent of development directors indicating they anticipate leaving their position in the next two years and anywhere from 11 to 27 percent — depending on organization size —  saying they anticipate leaving the field of development all together.
  • The same study found that more than half (53 percent) of executive directors reported that their most recent development director hiring process attracted an insufficient number of candidates with the right mix of skills and experience.

What can be done to help attract and retain fundraising talent?

  • Think outside the box. More nonprofits are seeking and recruiting talent with “non-traditional” fundraising backgrounds. Many other professions such as sales and marketing have transferable skills that apply well to relationship building in fundraising.
  • Consider compensation incentives.Incentive-based bonuses can be a good way to help promote a team culture and encourage an entire team to hit a fundraising goal as long as it’s done without compromising the AFP code of ethics.
  • Be flexible.Flexibility in the workplace allows staff to maintain a balance of work and home life. Rethinking policies to allow for earlier and later start times and accommodating working from home and part-time work can benefit the organization and accommodate staff.
  • Orient and train new staff.Take the time to connect new fundraisers to your mission. Make the job about advancing the mission, not just raising funds. The core of good fundraising is building relationships, and if a gift officer isn’t excited or connected to the mission, donors will pick up on this.
  • Consider promoting from within. Look for opportunities to home-grow your staff. Forward looking organizations can focus more on promoting from within to build future leadership. This will require a stronger emphasis on training and mentorship from those currently in leadership roles, but will pay dividends in the future.
  • Build a culture of philanthropy.A shared sense of purpose and vision fosters board, CEO, and organization-wide teamwork. When everyone understands what development is working to achieve, all can see how their individual roles can further support and promote the mission.
  • Communicate goals regularly.Conduct performance evaluations with feedback regularly and reinforce both short-term and long-term goals, in alignment with the strategic plan.

As the economy improves, jobless rates fall, and we see the long-anticipated surge of baby boomer retirements come to fruition, we can expect the scarcity of qualified development candidates to continue to present a challenge to hiring and retention. However, with ingenuity in attracting and adapting nontraditional candidates and a focus on training and connection to mission, organizations can position themselves to fill the void and find future staff members to help carry their mission forward.

Experience as a successful major gift officer at a large university has given Lee Ernst a unique understanding of major gift work and donor dynamics. As an associate at JGA, Ernst uses this experience to assist nonprofits in the creation and implementation of development and major gift plans that can help organizations achieve their philanthropic goals. She has demonstrated success in a wide range of development situations, and has a proven track record of personal cultivation and solicitation.

Dec 18

Board certified: Learning how to govern from the experts

By Sponsor Insight

By Sara M. Johnson, FACHE, Director, Executive Education, IUPUI-School of Public and Environmental Affairs

Public service is important and over the last 30 years has evolved beyond just describing government careers. Many people are motivated to volunteer on the “front lines” and even donate money to worthy and favorite causes, especially at year end.

And, as critical to the sector as these activities are, serving as a nonprofit board member can be even more important.  A board member’s role includes fiduciary responsibility, potential for conflicts of interest, oversight of an executive director and a responsibility to those the organization serves.

In her book, “Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations,” author Judy Sharken Simon defines governance as, “… the legal authority responsible for guarding the organization’s adherence to its mission and ensuring its long-term stability and operations in order to do so.” As organizations move through the five stages, Sharken Simon also describes the phase of governance that characteristically accompanies these five developmental stages.  She accurately applies an existing concept of organizational development — the organizational lifecycle to nonprofits.

Interestingly, though, Sharken Simon doesn’t suggest board development until the board is governing in the Third Stage.  Prior stages describe the accompanying governance stages as “locating people to serve on the board” and “Homogenous, passionate.”

Is it really a good idea to begin with “locating people to serve on the board” and, then, wait until the organization is more mature to conduct board development?  What if you began with locating “qualified” people to serve on the board?  Maybe this is inferred in Sharken Simon’s writing, but without this consideration, many boards do just that: “locate people to serve.”  Often, accepting the role as a favor, these individuals are not prepared for the responsibilities of nonprofit governance.  This approach is not consistent with effective management or governance practices.

Several years ago, Indiana University Executive Education faculty, experts in nonprofit management and governance, developed the Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership (CNEL) program. This program has successfully prepared nonprofit leaders for nearly 10 years.

Information can be found here: https://spea.iupui.edu/executive-education/leadership-programs/nonprofit-executive-leadership-certificate.html

This same team of expert faculty has now turned their attention to address the need for qualified board members.

The Certificate in Effective Nonprofit Governance (CENG) is designed to prepare individuals to effectively serve on a nonprofit board…BEFORE (or soon after) they are on the board.  This IU certificate program not only provides busy professionals both online and face-to-face education and training, it also creates a much-needed pipeline of qualified board members for Indiana nonprofits.

“Taking this course was the right thing to do.  I feel better prepared to serve on the board. The course is well organized and I highly recommend the course to anyone who is considering serving on the governing body of a nonprofit.” Donna Haggard, Hendricks Regional Health

SPEA will offer its third noncredit Certificate in Effective Nonprofit Governance beginning in February. The program prepares board members to be proactive in their critical governance efforts. Please check out the Certificate in Effective Nonprofit Governance here.

Consider sponsoring someone to earn this certificate and better support your organization or, if you are an individual wanting to enhance your own board effectiveness, contact our Executive Education team for additional information at spea.iupui.edu/executive-education.

Be proactive – develop your new board members now – it’s a critical role that warrants preparation.

Sara Johnson is clinical assistant professor for the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs and director of IU Executive Education. Johnson teaches graduate and executive education courses. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). As director of Indiana University Executive Education, Johnson leads a team of over 40 faculty and staff.

Dec 18

Ask more of your supporters in the Season of Giving

By Sponsor Insight

By Mark Shreve, director of client experience, SmallBox

Among the doorbuster offers, year-end appeals, and shipping confirmations, this survived your daily email sweep. This holiday season – as corporate and nonprofit brands compete for your attention and money – it’s time you ask more of your supporters.

Previously we shared (Charitable Advisors, March 2017) that nonprofits should ask, listen to and involve their audiences as part of their brand strategy. This approach aims to strengthen engagement among supporters and amplify the connection with a broader network.

When we interview supporters of organizations, we hear repeatedly that they desire a greater connection, they want to belong and attach to experiences, and they want to know how they can best serve as your advocates in the larger community and within their circles of influence during the giving season (and every day).

If you have a long wish list this holiday season include your supporters in your ask. It is a great time to finish the year with momentum, and jumpstart initiatives for 2018.

Here are some examples of what our clients and friends have done to activate a larger audience on their behalf:

Empower your ambassadors

#Giving Tuesday has become a ubiquitous holiday tradition among nonprofits, following corporate Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns, to jumpstart end-of-the-year giving appeals. One local social-service agency (rather than organization to use another word) joined the #Giving Tuesday festivities this year with a different approach — not asking previous donors for money. An email sent to donors asked for them to serve as ambassadors, provided a toolkit with sample language and photos, and requested them to encourage their contacts to support the organization.

By asking and providing a framework of how to help, this organization was able to expand their reach during this one-day campaign.

Mobilize to energize

A grant-making organization devoted to improving our local communities is setting a new strategic vision to guide their work. Rather than create a plan based solely on internal feedback, this organization decided to directly involve members of the community. Over the course of one month, they were able to convene a group of 40 community leaders, provide training to properly solicit feedback from neighbors, and synthesize the data into actionable insights.

One ambassador said the involvement “left me with so much hope for the future.” Because of the hundreds of facilitated conversations with community members, this organization will enter 2018 with the insights and energy needed to address complex community issues.

Create their! own experience

There’s still time to end the year with energy that can continue into the new year. A county library system is asking patrons to participate in the design of a library experience that aligns with their usage preferences (both online and in branches). Based on interviews and indirect research performed in local branches and on digital surveys, library leaders will start 2018 with patron feedback that will jumpstart efforts to create and deliver more personalized experiences.

These few examples exhibit how your organization can invest in dynamic, end-of-the-year experiences with your stakeholders.

Since your supporters are accustomed to hearing from you, and may be searching for ways to help at this time of year, seek to increase their loyalty by involving them in the mission of your organization. For many organizations, asking for feedback reinforces a connection to supporters and may also lead to financial donations.

Mark Shreve has supported nonprofit organizations for over a decade and is currently the director of client experience at SmallBox, a creative agency that builds meaningful brand experiences with organizations and their audiences. To learn what this may generate for your organization, ask Shreve for coffee at mark@smallbox.com.

SmallBox is a brand experience design agency that collaborates with organizations dedicated to creating impact and serving others. Initiate a conversation with SmallBox at info@smallbox.com.

Dec 18

Tax bill could impact Indiana’s charitable giving

By Feature, Legislation

By Charitable Advisors staff

At this time of year, we are reminded that Americans are generous people. Last month, for example, an estimated $274 million was raised online during the sixth annual Giving Tuesday event. And much of that total will be written off on people’s taxes.

By the end of this week, Congress is expected to approve changes to the U.S. tax code, and it’s important for nonprofits to understand their potential effects. Dissecting what we know about the pending bill can help put it in perspective.

The details of the fast-moving tax code rewrite released on Friday indicate that the standard deduction will temporarily be increased from $6,350 to $12,000 for single taxpayers and from $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. In 2025, those deductions will revert to the current law.

One consequence of roughly doubling the standard deduction would be to significantly lower the number of filers who itemize. Currently, only taxpayers who itemize can deduct charitable contributions.

This change has the potential to affect middle-income families, according to Una Osili, professor of economics and associate dean for research and international programs at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. She estimates roughly 30 million households making between $50,000 and $100,000 will be less likely to itemize their deductions on their taxes.

According to IRS data, over 500,000 donors in Indiana claimed the charitable deduction, accounting for $3.2 billion in donations. But without seeing a direct link between their contributions and their bottom-line tax obligations, fewer potential donors are expected to open their wallets.

Research by the Lilly School shows that itemizers are much more likely to donate to charitable causes. A recent report showed that 83 percent of itemizers reported donating any amount of charitable giving at all, compared to 44 percent of non-itemizers. And non- itemizers contribute less than 20 percent of total giving. Lilly’s Osili predicts at least a $13 billion annual drop in charitable giving if the new standard deduction becomes law.

One remedy this fall was a universal charitable deduction introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) that would have incentivized charitable giving for low and middle income earning individuals and families. The Universal Charitable Giving Act (H.R.3988) would have established a universal charitable deduction for individuals and married couples who did not itemize, and be in addition to the standard deduction.

According to Marissa Manlove, president and CEO of the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, it is disappointing that it was not considered.

“This solution would have allowed taxpayers at all income levels to take advantage of the 100-year-old charitable deduction. Without such an incentive, I fear charitable giving could decrease dramatically, placing underserved Hoosiers at greater risk. I encourage our nonprofit sector to monitor the effect tax reform has on their organization and to share stories of people affected with their policymakers,” she said.