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Nov 08

Delegation vs. micromanagement: It’s a delicate balance

By Sponsor Insight

by Jan Frazier, Planning Plus, LLC

As much as I hate to admit it, I have often been accused of being a micro-manager, something all consultants preach is a big no-no. But as with anything, there certainly is a time and place for this style.

Delegation is revered as a managerial approach to empowering employees, improving efficiency in day-to-day operations, and is considered a “best practice.” The Rules of Delegation dictate that this approach only works if the “delegatee” has the knowledge, skills and experience to get the job done. And we do want to assume our employees have those requisites or they wouldn’t be there (right?). But an employee’s view of the outcome — what the end result should look like, both in style and substance — may be very different than that of the delegator. It’s not a question of skills; it’s a question of definition. And if a common definition of what a completed project looks like is not created, it will be hard to fix on the back end.

Managing for a successful outcome

What are your expectations for the work — as to both what and how? If you have a checklist in mind of how the work will be completed, it’s imperative you share that checklist. Otherwise, both parties could be in for a huge disappointment. Providing this picture of expectations is often called out as micro-managing but that is not always the case. Company culture can have a key aspect.

It may be OK in your organization that as long as the project gets done, we’re happy. But it may be that your culture dictates that projects are completed ahead of the final due date so that there is ample time to review, make edits, and ensure that all I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed prior to final completion.

In this Covid culture when a significant amount of time is spent off-site and not in the same room, e.g. Zoom, group emails, multiple texts, etc., at the end of the discussion have you specifically agreed who is going to do what and by when? And when will everyone follow up? When these pieces are missed, someone needs to step in and ask those questions. This may be considered micromanaging to some but thank goodness someone is stepping up to fill in these blanks.

A culture of performance-based management can go a long way to avoid these types of delegation vs. micromanagement conflicts.

Ensuring that all employees clearly understand what must be done, the expectations of performance (both what and how), and how their work will be evaluated is the first step in a performance-based management culture.

Too often, we are all moving so fast that we make a number of assumptions about how much employees understand what we want and our level of expectations. But that is a dangerous assumption to make.

In those cases, you may find yourself inevitably becoming the dreaded micromanager.

Oct 25

Spirit & Place Festival welcomes a public conversation about a year that changed everything

By Feature

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

Conversations about challenging topics can be incredibly uncomfortable, whether they’re about race relations, gender identity, pay equity, the removal of 100-year-old Confederate monuments, social justice protests or COVID-19 vaccine shots. 

When faced with the many challenges in 2020, Indianapolis residents had the opportunity to engage in many uncomfortable conversations. Some did. Some didn’t. The 2021 Spirit & Place Festival wants to highlight the need for ongoing conversation by encouraging a public discourse on some of those topics. 

The festival, which is now in its 26th year, has rolled out an agenda that revolves around the theme of CHANGE, encouraging the public to reflect and engage in conversations about how 2020 brought about change and envision the steps needed for further change.

The 11-day festival of events, which runs from Nov. 4-14, includes an exhibition and a panel discussion called Monumental Changes: History and Power in Public Art from 6-9 p.m. on Nov. 5. During that discussion, which will be held at the Garfield Park Arts Center, panelists will provide perspectives on the history, controversy and June 2020 removal of a Confederate monument in Garfield Park on the city’s Southside.

Jordan Ryan, a historian, archivist and scholar, who is among the panelists, noted that the monument was dismantled and removed without community discussion — leaving a gap in residents’ ability to have their voices heard. The Spirit & Place Festival panel discussion will provide one of those opportunities, Ryan said.

“We never had a community conversation when the statue was taken down … a public conversation,” said Ryan, noting that some other cities had public forums before statues were removed. “This represents the first time the public can come together and have that discussion.”

Ryan acknowledged that it can be uncomfortable to engage in this type of discussion. However, it’s needed, she said.

“It will be uncomfortable, but that’s how we grow,” Ryan said.

In addition to Ryan, the Monumental Changes panelists include Dr. Paul Mullins, who has studied the history of the monument placement in Garfield Park, and Danicia Monét, an artist, researcher and urban planner. 

The Indianapolis discussion follows the National Monument Lab’s recent release of the National Monument Audit, a comprehensive look at the characteristics of the nation’s collection of monuments, most of which are overwhelmingly of white males.

A history of inspiring community engagement

As in previous years, community engagement was key to developing the theme of CHANGE for the festival, which is now in its 26th year, according to Erin Kelley, Spirit & Place program director.

“We have had different themes for every year,” she recalled. “We had previously set a theme but halfway through 2020, we knew that wasn’t going to resonate. We went out into the community, getting feedback through social media, emails, and by contacting event partners. We asked, ‘What is resonating with you right now?’ And the concept of ‘change’ rose to the top. That’s the one theme that people gravitated to.”

Kelley said that this year’s event will include a mix of in-person, virtual, and hybrid offerings — a model that will continue for future festivals. As a result of the pandemic, Kelley said, Spirit & Place has recognized the demand for a mix of options for people who work different hours, or have parental responsibilities that interfere with their ability to participate in person. 

As part of the opening night event, local spoken word artist Manon Voice, will serve as emcee and jazz pianist Christopher Pitts will perform a newly commissioned piano piece.

And, as with the Monumental Changes panel discussion, other Spirit & Place events will encourage public conversations on challenging topics, including the following:

  • Tearing Down Boxes and Embracing Change: Nov. 5, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at the Phoenix Theater Cultural Center — Fiber artists will discuss art as a vehicle for healing and growth, and will inspire attendees to break out of their boxes — whether its religious affiliations, circle of friends and social groups — to broaden their perspectives.
  • (Un)Comfortable Conversations: Telling Our Stories, Transforming Our World: Nov. 8, noon-1:30 p.m., virtual event — Spoken word artists, writers, and community leaders will discuss what it means to wrestle with and accept the consequences of change.
  • Be Anxious for Nothing: Loss and Joy in Unexpected Change: Nov. 8, 7-8 p.m., Christ Church Cathedral, hybrid event — A discussion about what the Bible, Torah, Qur’an, and sacred music say about change.

“We want folks to come out and have these conversations,” Kelley said. “It’s uncomfortable, hard and scary work. But we need to enter into brave spaces together and do this.”

For more information about the 2021 Spirit and Place Festival, visit the event lineup.

Oct 25

Is now the time?: Revisiting your vision, mission and values

By Sponsor Insight

by Kate Brierty, consultant, Hedges

Rapid change has been relentless. Over the past 18 months, many organizations have been forced to make tough decisions about how to continue their work with limited resources and difficult contexts. Others have swiftly and significantly expanded programs and staff to meet a growing demand for their services. The ability to make split-second decisions and fast adaptations has been essential for every nonprofit organization to survive.

As we begin to consider how to reliably deliver meaningful impact in our new context, many organizations have carved out space to reflect on what’s new, what’s next and how to move forward in a sustainable way. Now more than ever, we are hearing that strategic planning has been challenging as organizations have found increased misalignment between their stated mission, what they do currently, and what future actions the changes in their communities call for. After factoring in the desires of a community, funders and a team, it can feel like an organization is left trying to be everything to everyone.

If this frustration or misalignment feels familiar, your organization might benefit from pressing pause on strategic planning until you can revisit and realign what’s most core to your organization: your vision, mission and values. It can sometimes be difficult to tell when this reflection process is needed, but the five questions below can help you determine if investing the time on vision, mission and value work now might help you avoid frustration, build alignment, and create a stronger plan for your organization’s future.

  1. Does your organization need to define its vision, mission and values?

This might seem obvious, but you’ll first want to consider if your organization has taken the time to clearly write out its vision, mission and values. You might use different terms to describe this work (like calling it an organization’s purpose or commitment); regardless it is important for these core pieces to be internalized and aligned across the organization.

Before this alignment can occur, Board and executive leadership need to start by ensuring the organization’s vision, mission and values exist and are current, by asking: Is there a document where these pieces have been defined? Do internal and external audiences know where and how to find these definitions?

Although the format of the content might look different for each organization, these documents should contain formal, scripted answers to a few simple questions:
Vision- If your organization were successful, what would the new reality look like for your community?

Mission- What role does your organization play in helping create that new reality?

Values- What beliefs and principles are central to how you do your work and operate in the community?

Stakeholders look for and expect vision, mission and values to be spelled out publicly, and you don’t want to leave those stakeholders wondering why the organization is not being transparent about its purpose. Without having all three foundational pieces clearly outlined, internal and external stakeholders can also be forced to create their own definitions that may or may not align with the organization’s actual strategic direction. Formalizing these definitions before beginning any planning ensures that teams can ask clarifying questions and build understanding of these core facts about the organization before jumping into planning from them.

  1. Is there significant misalignment or disagreement within your team?

Having your vision, mission and values defined and known is essential, but it is often not enough to create the clarity your team needs to utilize these tools in planning. With many of our nonprofit partners we have found that when there is significant frustration on a team during a planning process, it is coming from each member of the team fighting for what they personally believe must be prioritized based on their own interpretation of the organization’s foundational pieces.

Sometimes when we feel that tension at the start of a planning process, we’ll hear folks say things like: “Remember that we’re all here for the same mission!” And that might be technically true. However, each team member’s view of that mission is shaped by their own experiences and interpretations. Creating intentional space to help the organization discuss and align on these core components can allow your entire team to create a shared understanding of how you would define these pieces in your organization’s context. We have seen defining values to be a particularly impactful exercise to create alignment with staff and board teams, as the full organization works together to craft a definition for each value that is relevant and meaningful to the team’s current work.

Even with shared understanding, there might still be significant misalignment or disagreement about the organization’s future. However, building the team’s capacity to utilize this common language and shared commitments in the planning process can help you productively move through disagreement towards stronger results for the organization and less frustration for everyone involved in the process.

  1. Does your organization no longer effectively utilize your vision, mission and values?

Vision, mission and values define what is core to your organization. They are the foundation for everything you do. That means they should be a part of every planning or evaluation conversation in the organization.

These foundational pieces of the organization should be a large piece of comprehensive planning processes, and they should serve as guideposts when making decisions around budget, staffing, development, or program evaluation. For example:

When you are considering applying for a new grant opportunity, do you revisit your mission and check that the expanded programming falls within the work you’ve committed to do?

When your Board is creating their personal fundraising messages, do you share tools to help them stay vision-focused?

When you are creating your staff performance evaluation systems, is there a portion focused on how their work aligns with the organization’s values?

If your team doesn’t incorporate your vision, mission and values into planning or your current definitions no longer feel like valid tools that can be used in decision making, then it might be time to re-visit these foundational pieces with your team. Building comfort with applying these core components of the organization to everyday work can help your team see and connect with vision, mission and values in a more substantial way.

  1. Have your organization’s programs or services shifted significantly?

If the pandemic has caused your organization to drastically shift what you do to serve your community, you are far from alone. In BKD’s State of the Nonprofit Sector- 2021 Annual Report, of the over 300 nonprofit organization respondents:

  • 89% said they had altered their delivery of programs and services in 2020.
  • 63.7% said they were likely to maintain their current programs and services and add some new.
  • 29.3% said they were likely to eliminate some current programs and services but not add any new.

While some of these program shifts might be meeting a temporary need, many organizations have also been including conversations about how to incorporate some of these updates into their long-term plans. For example, we are seeing some organizations consider shifting their geographic reach to grow to a statewide impact with more virtual services offered, while others are looking to hone their focus on more deeply impacting a specific community.

Before considering the sustainability of any enhanced, expanded, or shifted services, it can be helpful to step back and evaluate what fits with the organization’s current mission. If there is misalignment between proposed services and the current mission, then the organization can have a frank conversation to decide if that mission or the menu of services needs to be adapted.

  1. Have the needs of your community shifted significantly?

A strong vision is based in the context of the community that a nonprofit engages. That community has likely gone through some meaningful change since your organization’s founders crafted the original vision and mission for your work. Moreover, that community has likely changed drastically in the last 18 months as individuals adjust and adapt to the new context in which we all live.

Drastic changes, like those brought about by the pandemic, can be good reminders that every organization needs to be consistently assessing the needs of their community. We have partnered with organizations that have gathered this feedback effectively through a large formal landscape analysis and through intimate feedback conversations with their closest partners and those utilizing their programs and services. It does not need to be a complicated process, but it does need to work for your team or else collecting this data can easily become a low priority that gets pushed to the back burner. No matter how it’s collected, frequent community feedback can alert you to even gradual changes in the landscape and help you identify when it’s time to revisit your vision, mission and values to check their relevance and remain responsive to your community.

If you answered “yes” to any of the five questions above it does not mean you are experiencing an identity crisis or that you are facing major change as an organization. It does mean that taking time to intentionally revisit your organization’s vision, mission and values could be a meaningful experience for your team in this moment.

Your organization’s level of need should determine the depth of engagement your team needs in this work right now. You could make this a formal process tied to larger landscape analysis or long-term strategic planning, or it could be a limited internal conversation to help everyone get on the same page before jumping into the coming year.

No matter how you approach it, being open to this important conversation shows internal and external stakeholders your organization is responsive to the changing needs of your community and ready and willing to take on what’s next.

Kate Brierty is passionate about asking the right questions to help individuals and groups have conversations and make decisions that will create real impact for the people they serve. In all her work as a consultant at Hedges, she is focused on pursuing meaningful results while keeping people at the center of her work.

Oct 11

2021 Charitable Advisors salary survey reveals 57 percent of Central Indiana nonprofits expect to offer pay raises; 34 percent do not

By Feature

The 2021 Charitable Advisors Central Indiana Nonprofit Salary Report is now available to the public online

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

Although annual pay raises are often considered essential in keeping valued employees, about a third of Central Indiana nonprofits reported that they would not be offering pay raises in 2021 — in the midst of one of the most competitive job markets in recent history.

Those statistics were among the findings of the Charitable Advisors 2021 Central Indiana Nonprofit Salary Report, issued after a tumultuous period marked by the COVID-19 outbreak, government stay-at-home orders, social protests and an economic crisis.

With 286 Central Indiana organizations represented in the anonymous survey — a record response, HR executives, CEOs and other leaders provided insight into the salary levels of 26 positions of nonprofit institutions varying widely in size and in annual budgets — from less than $250,000 to more than $10 million.

When asked whether they expected to increase wages for employees at their organizations, 285 of the respondents revealed a mix of answers in the 2021 survey. They are as follows:

  • 2 percent expected a decrease in wages
  • 32 percent expected no increase in wages
  • 8 percent expected a wage increase of 1-1.9 percent
  • 18 percent expected a wage increase of 2-2.9 percent
  • 25 percent expected a wage increase of 3-3.9 percent
  • 2 percent expected a wage increase of 4-4.9 percent
  • 4 percent expected a wage increase of 5 percent or more
  • 9 percent had not yet decided or did not know if they would offer a wage increase

Based on the previous Charitable Advisors Central Indiana Nonprofit Salary Report, released in 2019 before the pandemic, the number of nonprofits planning to offer some type of wage increase had declined — from 63 percent t0 57 percent. However, a larger number of nonprofits in the 2019 survey had not yet decided on pay increases — 24 percent compared to 9 percent in the 2021 survey.

Salary ranges across job levels

As part of the 2021 survey, respondents gave detailed wage information for 26 position categories, from executive level positions to administrative and facility/maintenance support positions, for organizations of varying sizes, budget levels and nonprofit categories (arts, culture and humanities; community development; health; foundation, etc.)

For a full list of salary comparisons, read the 2021 report here.

The following is a sampling of some of the salary comparisons for organizations with operating budgets of $250,000 to $999,000 (the largest group represented at 35 percent):

Executive Director/President/CEO
Average – $79,348
Minimum – $30,000
Maximum – $224,430

Vice President of Programs
Average – $60,475
Minimum – $30,000
Maximum – $140,000

Vice President of Programs
Average – $60,475
Minimum – $30,000
Maximum – $140,000

Case Manager
Average – $42,641
Minimum – $31,200
Maximum – $65,000

Volunteer Coordinator
Average – $38,737
Minimum – $32,136
Maximum – $52,744

Office Manager
Average – $43,970
Minimum – $33,000
Maximum – $74,000

Facility/Maintenance Manager
Average – $51,521
Minimum – $32,600
Maximum – $75,0005

HR executive perspectives on moving forward in 2021

According to several HR executives for the organizations that participated in the annual salary survey, 2020 triggered a significant shift in the evolution of hiring, retention and employee engagement practices in the nonprofit industry.

During conversations with prospective employees, Ponda Sullivan, director of human resources for Tangram, dedicates time to understanding the reasons behind why they left their previous jobs. She also thoroughly reviews exit interviews from current employees.

“When I’m interviewing individuals, I try to capture some of the things that led them to look for another job,” said Sullivan, who previously worked at a for-profit healthcare organization for 18 years. “Some of the concerns expressed were related to child care, career development, flexible schedules and not feeling appreciated.”

Sullivan said nonprofit organizations that can’t compete must focus on those types of areas — the intrinsic appeal of working in the nonprofit industry — to be competitive. 

“People are looking for a company that does the right thing,” Sullivan said. “They want to be treated a certain way and they’re OK with a pay reduction as long as the company provides those other work-life balance benefits. You definitely have to be creative and innovative, and ask, ‘What are those intrinsic awards we can offer?’.”

Discovering new opportunities in the midst of challenges

While the pandemic prompted a series of unexpected “pivots” in the way the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has traditionally operated, the outcome was a team that emerged better because of the experience, according to Debbie Aull, director of human resources for the organization.

“It definitely changed the world of human resources — in a good way,” Aull said. “We had to rethink everything. We’re much more focused, more transparent, and more purposeful about inclusion with all of our policies and practices.”

In addition to assessing its diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) practices by hiring a consultant, appointing a DEI task force and undergoing an audit to increase transparency, the Children’s Museum expanded into uncharted territory by bringing many programs online.

“One thing that was a challenge — and an opportunity — was moving the majority of our recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training and educational programs to virtual platforms,” Aull said. “At one time, we would have said, ‘There’s no way we can do that,’ but we did. And it’s great for the museum and the community.”

Aull also said that the museum is mindful of the need to adapt to remain relevant — and HR is core to that strategy.

“HR has proven to be the key to the success of the organization. Our people really are the most precious resource,” she said. “We have to provide them with a safe environment which is going to mean different things to different people. We all need to be open-minded in our thinking.”

For example, while HR professionals at organizations of all sizes will likely consider flexible, hybrid and remote options moving forward, it’s important to be mindful of employees who aren’t able to take advantage of those benefits, Aull said. 

“We have to consider it but we also must be open to ensuring there is equity and collaboration for hybrid and remote options,” she said. “We should be mindful of how it would impact employees who don’t have that option. We definitely don’t want an ‘us vs. them’ situation, especially for the staff members who are going in and working, facing visitors harping about having to wear masks, or complaining when they close the restrooms to clean and sanitize them. They’re on the receiving end of all that while I’m sitting in my second bedroom on a computer.”

To ensure that the front line employees felt supported through a challenging period, employees from other departments helped with some of the in-person responsibilities of operating the museum, such as cleaning laundry used in the facility, Aull said.

Rethinking HR strategies

Shelby Slowik, director of human resources at Conner Prairie, said that the living museum has had the advantage of operating many of its programs outdoors, which resulted in fewer disruptions in the team’s ability to continue welcoming visitors. The museum shut down for only two months in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, Slowik noted.

Also, as a larger organization, Conner Prairie is able to compete with many for-profit organizations on the wages it offers salaried employees, Slowik said. “It’s a rarity that we can’t compete at the professional and leadership levels,” she said. 

However, like many other businesses and nonprofits, hiring part-time and entry-level employees — primarily seasonal workers at Conner Prairie, has been challenging, Slowik said. 

“We rely a lot on seasonal employees and that’s where we see a bit more of the pay competition,” she said. 

After more than a year of adhering to new COVID-19 guidelines, streamlining programs, rolling out new policies, and ensuring that employees feel supported through the challenges, many HR departments have been pushed to evolve — perhaps much quicker than they would have without the pandemic, Slowik said. 

“I don’t think I have ever experienced anything like this in my 30 years in HR,” she said. “When you look at it from an HR perspective … the new policies and procedures we had to implement, the expenditures to support filtration, handwashing stations, hand sanitizers, dealing with fear factor of staff, the mental stress, lockdown, safety issues, immunizations, exposure … all that falls under the HR umbrella.”

In the past, Slowik noted, HR departments were comparable to policy enforcers. “Especially for those who have been in HR for some time, we tend to have a black and white viewpoint on how things should be handled when it comes to following policies and procedures, and guidelines on what you need to do to be successful,” she said.

That mindset has evolved significantly, she said.

“Maybe in the last 5 to 10 years, we’re no longer the person there to derail creative ideas. We have switched to being more like a business partner that’s willing to embrace creative ideas, whether it’s telecommuting and attractive benefits that may not have been previously considered. We’re much more approachable in collaborating.”

Just 10 years ago, Slowik said, she would never have considered telecommuting as an option for employees. The pandemic effectively changed her perception.

In the near future, Slowik predicted, HR managers will continue to struggle to find clarity on how much they should pay entry-level employees. “We’re all experiencing staffing challenges. Many hourly positions, which pay anywhere from $12 to $16 an hour, have remained vacant.

“This has caused us to review our entry rates of pay,” she said. “What do we need to do to be competitive if everyone else is raising their rates?”

Conner Prairie has hired a firm to evaluate their wage structure to ensure they’re competitive. “The pandemic pushed me to look at that a year earlier than I probably would have.”

Sep 27

Does DEI matter?: More than 70% of Central Indiana nonprofit employees say, ‘Yes’

By Feature

NFPN survey reveals support for continuing DEI initiatives

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

(First in a series of articles about Charitable Advisors’ NFPN “How Are You Doing?” survey)

Many nonprofit organizations are still grappling with how to address diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) policies — more than a year after protests erupted nationwide after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer.

And that work still matters, according to nearly 70 percent of about 450 nonprofit employees who responded to a recent Not-for-profit News survey about how they’re coping in the aftermath of one of the most tumultuous periods in the nation’s history.

When asked if their organization’s stance on DEI personally impacts them as an employee, 30 percent responded it impacts them “a great deal,” 42 percent said it impacted them “somewhat,” and 28 percent responded, “not at all.”

However, based on the survey responses, employees also said that their employers likely think that they are doing better than they actually are — or at least in comparison to how the employees perceived they were progressing with DEI issues.

When asked, “What do you think your leadership would say about your organization’s progress on DEI?,” nearly 35 percent of employees responded that their leaders probably would feel that the work isn’t new — “we have always valued inclusion and equity.” About 34 percent said that their employees would believe that they “are having some hard conversations and making important changes,” while nearly 24 percent said their leadership probably would feel that “we are talking about it but not doing anything, not doing much,” and 7.75 percent would say, “we aren’t talking about it.”

In contrast, employees’ perceptions about that question, “What do you think about your organization’s progress on DEI?” was as follows:

  • This work isn’t new to us — we have always valued inclusion and equity — 23.06 percent
  • We are having some hard conversations and making important changes — 29.37 percent
  • We are talking about it but not doing anything, not doing much — 36.17 percent
  • We aren’t talking about it — 11.41 percent

Survey respondents weigh in on DEI successes and challenges 

Some respondents said that their organizations have been committed to undertaking DEI work not just since the social justice protests — but for some time.

One survey respondent said, “The organization has been working for a while now on DEI. I feel like we are on the right track, but we still have more to improve on. We need more diverse leadership and board representation.”

Others shared a wide range of thoughts about DEI, revealing various challenges such as coming to a common understanding of what it means. Some believed that the solution requires an extensive undertaking, while some believed it is much less complicated to undertake. Here are some responses:

  • “We need to stop arguing about the reality of racism and accept that systemic racism is real and that we must address it to succeed in our mission.”
  • “We need to judge people based on their character and not their color, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. It’s really simple.”
  • “We need to be more modern … stop letting the older Baby Boomers make decisions that affect a wide swath of people. This group (in our organization, at least) doesn’t want to make changes or doesn’t understand why they’re important.”
  • “We need to weave it into our daily practice, educating ourselves in it, holding each other accountable.”
  • “Add diversity to the team, address a misogynistic work environment, stop training our organizations on topics we refuse to even talk about. Dismantle the good ‘ol boy stronghold.”
  • “We need more internal communication, so everyone understands it.”

While many respondents said that their organizations are committed to DEI, some pointed out that it can be challenging to seriously invest in it to create substantial change. Others felt that their organizations weren’t fully committed to the work.

“It’s tough when we are remote,” one survey respondent said. “Not to do DEI, but to do SERIOUS anti-racism work. DEI is a facade in most cases. Equity is the only part I think impacts systemic change. D and I are just an illusion. We need transformation.”

Another survey respondent said, “We have really avoided this conversation as a team and board despite my repeated attempts at raising concerns. We should at a minimum be looking at our internal policies and having some hard conversations about how we operate.”

One nonprofit employee said that conversations about DEI are difficult because they have become politicized. “There is a reluctance to take a public stance on DEIA (diversity, equity inclusion and accessibility) issues — especially addressing them head-on,” the employee said. “However, general public statements do not protect those of us who have had to accommodate the feelings of others for decades. Being a leader today on issues around DEIA is just seen as too political. This is so very antiquated in perspective. My human rights to be myself don’t have anything to do with politics. But at the same time, my employer is diversifying hiring. So, I’m no longer the only native Spanish-speaker in the building apart from the cleaning staff. There’s that, at least.”

Personal perspectives also came up as challenges that may be difficult to overcome, according to numerous nonprofit employees:

  • “I struggle deeply with issues of DEI. I believe it’s incredibly important, and support DEI efforts wherever I encounter them, but as a white male do not know how to contribute effectively and with respect to colleagues of color, nor do I understand my own position or allowable expression as it relates to accepting or advancing my own career. As a first-generation, college-goer from a blue collar background, I can see how DEI efforts can gain wide acceptance among the white-collar workforce while causing confusion and backlash among so many who take great pride in what they’ve accomplished (and are understandably confused about issues of privilege). The lack of personal connection due to COVID has exasperated this confusion on my part, as my interactions with colleagues feel less genuine and more awkward, while DEI issues have become increasingly important and widely discussed.”
  • “I am the only person of color in my organization. It puts a great deal of pressure on me to perform at a near inhuman level.”
  • “I wish we were doing more. I’m in the majority and I don’t think people in the majority can do much to make positive change.”

Implementing DEI in the workplace — perspectives from two nonprofit organizations

For nonprofits undertaking DEI initiatives in recent years, the process is continually evolving as teams better understand what it takes to achieve successful outcomes, according to two survey respondents who agreed to be interviewed.

Sally Bindley, MSW, founder and CEO of School on Wheels, said the 20-year-old organization in Indianapolis started focusing on DEI initiatives in 2016. At that time, the team developed a diversity task force to broaden and diversify School on Wheels’ volunteer tutor base. “We wanted it to be more representative of the students we served,” Bindley recalled. School on Wheels received a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., to support the work.

It didn’t take long for the School on Wheels team to realize that diversity, equity and inclusion needed to be integrated into all aspects of the organization’s operations — not just as a side project, Bindley said.

“Diversity is not a task. If you approach DEI as a standalone initiative, you check the box. This way it’s more of a thought process,” she said. “We made it a standing committee of the board of directors — a diversity committee led by a member of the board. Just as we have regular reports from other committees, finance, executive, development, we have regular reports on diversity.”

As a result, employees and board members have become increasingly more aware and intentional on how to include diversity in all areas — from identifying where diverse volunteers are living and working to ensuring diversity in marketing, messaging and operations, Bindley said.

When asked about advice she would give to other nonprofits on embarking on DEI work, Bindley said that it is important to acknowledge that it is an ongoing process.

“Being intentional for us is being aware. Review your language,” she said. “Whether it’s job posts, or messages circulating on your website, make sure you’re mindful of what you’re putting out there. Do you have a commitment to DEI? A statement against racism and hate? We also realized our volunteer recruitment flyers needed to be in English and Spanish. If you don’t have a DEI program, that’s OK. Start with training: What is diversity? What is inclusion? What are microaggressions? Then analyze how you’re doing with all of that. Once we had the in-depth fast training, it brought so much awareness to our language and conversation.

“We’ve made strides, but there’s always more work to do,” she added. “It’s constantly evolving.”

Bindley also said she is a strong believer in hiring a consultant to help assess where the organization stands with incorporating DEI, as well as ensuring that she, as a leader, is fully engaged in the process. Although School on Wheels designated a person to undergo DEI training, Bindley said that she makes sure to personally engage in DEI initiatives.

“I want to have the most opportunities to grow and to impact change as a leader,” she said. “I have zero time, but I can’t say, ‘You’re in charge of this and let me know how it’s going,’” she said. “If you’re a leader of a nonprofit, this messaging starts at the top. If you don’t make it a priority, it’s obvious. I can’t say I’ve always done it right, but you have to be vulnerable as a leader and say this is what I know, what I don’t know, and this is what I need to learn.”

Guenevere Kalal, MSM, director of foster care services for Damar, said that DEI has been at the top of the nonprofit organization’s list of priorities for some time. The team members want to ensure that they are culturally aware of the clients they serve. 

“Our foster families are very diverse,” Kalal said. “Over the past couple years, we have seen more children from Hispanic, Burmese and other cultures coming into light for support in the child welfare system.” As a result, they have initiated discussions on how to gain a better understanding of the various cultures and ensuring that they are always culturally and racially sensitive, she said.

Open, candid conversations and acknowledging personal biases must be a priority, Kalal said.

“My approach to many things, not only with my staff, is to be as professionally transparent as possible. It can’t be the elephant in the room. We need to learn how to be comfortable with uncomfortable conversations,” she said.

That process also includes checking in with families for feedback on their interactions with staff, including asking if they have felt any disparities from staff members.

The team also committed to undergoing training, including a two-day workshop, Interrupting Racism for Children, offered by Child Advocates. “The Department of Child Services also did an excellent job of doing their research on what potential trainings are out there to help our providers navigate conversations about racism, including series on Netflix and PBS,” Kalal said.

“We need to understand where we came from as a country. I don’t want to dwell on the past, but it has a huge influence on where we are,” she added. “I need to understand that so I know how I can focus on becoming part of a positive change.”

Sep 27

Digital conveniences in a remote work environment

By Sponsor Insight

by Dave Voris, vice president, regional treasury management officer, Horizon Bank

The pandemic continues to provide organizations and their employees the opportunity to rethink whether they should return to a five-day work week in the office versus spending more time in a virtual environment.

In LinkedIn’s year-end roundup of workplace trends to watch in 2021, Harvard Business School’s Ashley Whillans predicted that companies will need to accommodate employees who have adjusted to a new routine: ” Employees will demand greater flexibility and organizations will require it. Companies may let employees work from home two or more days per week, with some opting for three days in office, two days remote, and then two days off — a 3-2-2 workweek.”

To support this new hybrid work schedule, the latest in basic banking systems will allow employees to manage finances without being tied to the office. First, digital conveniences such as online banking have provided remote capabilities for years. Treasurers can safely log into their accounts via smartphone or laptops to review balances, to view history of posted transactions, to transfer funds between accounts, to submit any stop payments, or to approve any fraud suspects that surfaced as a result of Positive Pay service.

Also, since many not-for-profits continue receive checks from donors, employees can easily deposit them into a bank account using mobile check deposit through an app. This process is very efficient for organizations that receive a relatively low volume of checks.

For not-for-profit organizations that use “Donate Here” buttons on their websites, donors can safely make one-time or repeat donations via credit card without the not-for-profit organization needing to be in direct contact with the donor. In addition, other not-for-profit organizations accept credit cards at events, despite the continued presence of the pandemic. Such mobile credit card acceptance can be easily facilitated with an app downloaded on the smart phone and supported by a handheld “card swipe” device that is about the size of your palm. All of these techniques are readily available, and very affordable, using standard banking technology.

Disbursements must be mentioned within this context of remotely working. In other words, can you pay bills without being in the office to write checks? Many organizations are adopting business bill payment systems that can be accessed via the bank’s smart phone or via the client’s laptop. These systems allow the treasurer to define payees, schedule payments, select between sending a paper check or an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transaction, and approve such payments even with dual control between two separate people.

In addition, these processes — which typically are 50 cents to 75 cents per payment — are typically less expensive than what several industry articles have suggested over the years as a total cost for sending a paper check — approximately $1.50. That paper check cost includes an assumption about the costs of envelope, paper check, postage, bank charges, and reconciliation time.

These are numerous examples that demonstrate various digital techniques about how receipts, disbursements, and information reporting can be managed within a virtual environment without the need for the treasurer to be in attendance at the office.

So, the answer is yes, not-for-profit organizations are efficiently able to conduct banking as more organizations in a remote work environment with these digital banking conveniences.

Sep 27

Innovative ways to tackle today’s top work challenges

By Sponsor Insight

by Ian McManis, marketing manager, Barnes Dennig

With today’s not-for-profit professionals juggling more priorities than ever, time is at a premium. That’s why Barnes Dennig has hosted a series of concise workshops designed to answer key questions to challenges not-for-profits are facing across a broad range of topics. The following include recaps of the sessions as well as links to access the full recordings:

Cybersecurity: How NFPs protect themselves and their donors

Everyone is at risk to falling prey to ransomware, whether it’s their home office computer or a major oil pipeline company. But the more prepared you are for an attack, the more likely you are to avoid it. In this session, Robert Ramsay, Barnes Dennig director and cybersecurity specialist, shares how to best protect yourself and your organization. Highlights include:

  • Ways to protect against ransomware attacks
  • PCI DSS standards: How to make sure your organization is compliant when soliciting donations online
  • How to keep donor secure and private
  • What you need to know about the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and how to be compliant

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

The new lease standard: Why NFPs need to start planning now

Maybe you’re ready to implement the new lease accounting standard today. Maybe it’s still at the bottom of your never-ending to-do list. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, Brad Sack, Barnes Dennig senior manager and NFP assurance specialist, covers the basics, using real-life examples and experiences from his clients to provide insights. Here is an overview of the session:

  • What do the updates to the lease accounting standard mean for my organization? When do they go into effect?
  • What changes should I need to make today to make sure I’m in compliance?
  • How can I build and manage a process to keep my team and me on track?

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

NFP Tax & Accounting Lightning Rounds – 990s, ERC, QBO for NFPs

Join NFP Tax team leader Paula Hume, CPA; COVID-19 team leader Cheryl Ganim, CPA; and QuickBooks specialist Kathleen Haney, MBA as they break down some of the most common accounting and tax issues NFPs face. The 15-minute segments include:

  • It’s just a 990: How hard could it be? Turns out there’s a bit of strategy involved.
  • Wait, did you say we could be eligible for the Employee Retention Credit in 2021 even if we weren’t for 2020? Take the ERC Quick Test and come prepared to discuss how to determine eligibility and calculate the amount.
  • A lot of NFPs use QuickBooks Online (QBO): How can I use it to help my organization grow smart?

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

Virtual Auditing 101: How NFPs avoid common issues

Every organization needs audits run for them, but not all have had a virtual audit. Our world is moving more towards virtual every day. While virtual work has a wide list of benefits, there are some downsides as well. Join Senior Manager Kara Wysinski, CPA, and Senior Associate Tricia Hart, CPA in going over the pros and cons of virtual auditing. Here are a few of the highlights:

  • Changes to audit approach
  • New audit risks
  • Changes in internal controls
  • Best practices for a remote audit

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

Additional resources and upcoming events

Our nonprofit team works hard to bring the best and most relevant resources to our communities. Barnes Dennig is hosting Measurement Resources Company and SureImpact, Inc. founder and CEO Sheri Chaney Jones as she leads two full workshops in one virtual event:

  • Data-driven strategic planning for fundraising success
  • How to turn data into dollars: Demonstrate your social impact

Learn more and register here.

Every other year, we collect responses from regional non-profits on compensation, benefits, retirement plans, governance and other metrics and release the findings in a free virtual event.

Each attendee will receive a copy of the 2021 Not-for-Profit Compensation & Benefits Benchmarking Study, which will help them compare their organization to others in the region. A well-thought-out compensation and benefits package helps not-for-profits better fulfill their mission.

Learn more and register here.

Sep 20

From manager to mentor: Taking leadership to the next level

By Sponsor Insight

by Allie Petty-Stone, firm administrator, Alerding

If you think about how many job titles there are in the world, your head could spin. Yet, out of all of them, many employees aspire to achieve the title of “manager.” That simple designation comes with a sense of accomplishment and purpose, and checks off a big milestone in your career. It indicates that your bosses recognize your qualifications and skills to lead people and/or processes for company endeavors.

So, you finally get that promotion to manager. How exciting! You’ve finally achieved that rung on the ladder — all of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance has finally paid off. However, it means so much more. Being a member of management not only means that you have a higher responsibility for the delivery of services and guidance of people within your organization, it also means you have the opportunity to make an impact beyond the work — mentoring other people.

Managing on its own is challenging as your new title means you’re taking on new tasks with your peers and subordinates looking on. The pressure can be great. How do you manage employees who were previously your peers? You are now a part of a group of decision-makers that can impact the organization and could ultimately be deemed responsible for the success or failure of your team. Responsibilities are greater as you are now guiding the ship, and your mates need to know how you will lead them. Will this new title change how you work and will this impact them? Will you evoke change? Will you be available?

It breaks down to a manager’s capacity to be more than just another authority figure. The position presents an opportunity to go beyond an authoritative presence by serving as a mentor. Great mentors are confident in their own abilities. They are not intimidated by the skills of others, are resourceful in meeting needs, offering employees opportunities to grow, and allowing room for error. It may be difficult and time-consuming at first, but the end goal should be a team that has evolved stronger as a result of your efforts. Being accountable and resolving issues together helps build critical thinkers which, down the road, also can result in more innovative and effective solutions. Overall, everyone learns in some capacity and a happy mentor finds fulfillment by witnessing those successes.

Making a long-lasting impact

I often reflect on those supervisors I had in my early career and how it impacted my work ethic and interactions with others. Although I had some dreadful managers, I was fortunate to have some impactful ones who also became my mentors. I called them my “mother hens” and still speak of them to this day. They were patient and taught me all they knew, passing on invaluable skillsets . Those interactions shaped me into a better employee and gave me a sense of passion for my work. I would not have the patience I have today if it weren’t for their kindness. I’m so grateful for them and, due to their generous nature, I have committed myself to seeking ways to pay it forward.

Keep in mind that people are always watching and listening. Your ethics and integrity are revealed in your interactions and how you manage can be memorable.

Here is an example of how leadership impacted my daughter, who was employed as a barista for a global coffee chain. She worked with a supervisor named Katie. She loved Katie for her spirit, tenacity and unwavering desire to do a great job. Katie led her shift teams with enthusiasm and was a high performer while expecting the same from her team. Here is the real clincher: When Katie was promoted to manager, she asked that she be placed in the worst performing store. You see, it is one thing to move to a successful store, thereby initially inheriting someone’s else’s accomplishments and endeavoring to continue it. However, taking on a known failure with a desire to transform it is quite another. That’s what sets managers and leaders apart. And people notice and carry that forward.

My daughter noticed and admired Katie for this pursuit. Katie left her mark. She made an impression. It transformed what my daughter thought about leadership, too. Now, I do not know if Katie had success in that new role, but I do know that she achieved a level of respect and admiration from my daughter and others upon hearing this story.

She impacted people she wasn’t even aware of. And THAT is the impact of great leadership qualities … you wind up impacting more than just those you know directly.

Sep 20

Participant Wellness in the Era of COVID-19 and the Effect on Nonprofits

By Sponsor Insight

by Kevin Kidwell, vice president, tax-exempt sales, OneAmerica

One unavoidable fact is how the pandemic divided people into two groups. The first group are financially stable and held onto their jobs during the pandemic. They have avoided spending money and were able to increase their savings effort. In fact, the U.S. personal savings rate hit a record high of 33% in April 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.1

The second group didn’t fare as well. According to an Employee Benefit Research Institute survey, roughly one in 10 participants have taken a loan, hardship distribution or early withdrawal from their workplace retirement plan during 2020.2 Unfortunately, many more individuals didn’t have the benefit of this safety net, with a quarter of adults without a retirement plan according to a Federal Reserve report.3

This has had a great impact on our communities and the nonprofits that have served them. Need has increased, while the ability to provide services has changed or dramatically reduced.

While this sounds like bad news, we are optimistic because historical perspective of the 2008 recession shows the cyclical nature of our economy and how nonprofits recover.4

Short-Term Consequences

The economic effects of the pandemic forced nonprofits to cut more than 50,000 jobs in December 2020, according to a report from Johns Hopkins University, and it could take 18 months for nonprofits’ employment numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels, per ABC News.5

However, several of our clients have made great strides to ensure their nonprofit employees will continue to keep their jobs at least until the end of the year.

This economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak will make it harder for some employees to achieve their short-term financial goals putting their long-term financial goals at risk.

Among those employees who say their financial situation has gotten worse during the pandemic, 44% believe it will take them three years or more to get back to where they were a year ago — including about one in 10 who don’t think their finances will ever recover.6

This year, 32% of nonprofit employees expect their employers to reduce program offerings and have hiring freezes, 23% expect pay cuts, 20%, layoffs and 17%, furloughs according to Eagle Hill Consulting, who polled over 500 nonprofit employees across the United States.7

Holistic Financial Wellness

Although we’re confident in the economic healing of nonprofits, many organizations will continue to experience impacts of the pandemic for some time.

There are steps nonprofits can take to support their own employees through continuing change, both now and as they stabilize in the future. Financial wellness will be increasingly important, and as the need for financial recovery will be great for some time, employers need to recognize their role in helping their employees achieve this.

For any organization, this starts by offering and reinforcing employees the basics:

  • Retirement plans
  • Competitive health insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Flexible spending or health savings accounts
  • Financial wellness education

These programs are important for overall employee productivity, health care costs and talent retention. In the 2021 Employee Financial Wellness Survey, PwC reported that of those whose financial stress increased as a result of the pandemic, 45% felt their financial situation had been a distraction at work. Taking this one step further, nearly three-quarters of employees experiencing financial stress also experience physical symptoms, which affects a businesses’ bottom line. People with financial stress tend to avoid getting health care, which could lead to worse health outcomes and higher health care costs later.8

Invest in Financial Education

In addition, by providing access to financial wellness education employers can also help their employees focus on specific goals, such as setting up an emergency fund, paying back retirement loans, reducing debt, and creating a realistic budget. This goes a long way in helping employees start to become more stable and regain confidence in their ability to get back on and stay on track.

By boosting employee financial confidence and offering support, you can have a positive impact on health care costs, retention, and productivity — ultimately making your organization stronger and healthier, too.

In Kevin Kidwell’s role as vice president of national tax-exempt sales, he works to provide ideas, knowledge, information – both technical and practical – in an effort to facilitate improved plan and participant outcomes. Kidwell has held various positions within the Retirement Services division since 1988. Beginning in 2000, his exclusive focus has been on health care and tax-exempt organizations.

  1. Pew Research Survey: Economic Fallout from Covid-19 Continues to hit Lower Income Americans the Hardest
  2. Federal Reserve System Report: Report on the Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2019, Featuring Supplemental Data from April 2020
  3. Pew Research Survey: A Year Into the Pandemic, Long-Term Financial Impact Weighs Heavily on Many Americans
  4. Nonprofit Quarterly: Deconstructing the (Not-So-Great) Nonprofit Recession
  5. ABC News: Study: Nonprofits lost 50,000 jobs last month from virus
  6. Pew Research Survey: A Year Into the Pandemic, Long-Term Financial Impact Weighs Heavily on Many Americans
  7. The Business Journals: Despite increases in charitable donations, half of nonprofit employees expect cuts in 2021
  8. PwC’s 10th annual Employee Financial Wellness Survey, PwC US, 2021

About OneAmerica®
A national provider of insurance and financial services for more than 140 years, the companies of OneAmerica help customers build and protect their financial futures. OneAmerica offers a variety of products and services to serve the financial needs of their policyholders and customers. These products include retirement plan products and recordkeeping services, individual life insurance, annuities, asset-based long-term care solutions and employee benefit plan products.

Products are issued and underwritten by the companies of OneAmerica and distributed through a nationwide network of employees, agents, brokers and other sources that are committed to providing value to our customers. To learn more about our products, services and the companies of OneAmerica, visit
OneAmerica.com/companies.

Sep 13

Nonprofit builds relationships — one by one — to achieve vision of transforming Eastside neighborhood

By Feature

A day experiencing Shepherd Community Center’s Shalom Project

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

On a Thursday morning, in mid-August, Shane Hardwick, a paramedic, slides into the passenger seat of a police car parked outside of the Shepherd Community Center, a nonprofit organization in the heart of Indianapolis’ Near Eastside — one of the city’s most troubled and blighted neighborhoods.

His work partner, Adam Perkins, a police officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, sits in the driver’s seat as they tune into a weekly 9 a.m. virtual meeting on the vehicle’s computer monitor.

During the next 45 minutes, they join other team members of Shepherd Community Center as they discuss the challenges facing about 20 to 25 individuals and their families in the area surrounding them — primarily within the 46201 zip code.

They talk of the individuals with familiarity, giving updates on how they’re currently coping and what they need to gain more stability in their day-to-day lives. An elderly couple, fearful of venturing out during the COVID-19 pandemic, hadn’t left their home in a six-month period. A survivor of a domestic violence stabbing is having trouble managing a confusing mix of medication. Another woman wants to improve her job prospects but needs internet access for a medical coding class. A man estranged from his family hasn’t taken his high blood pressure medicine for months, putting him at risk for serious health complications.

Each person mentioned — Jesse, Amy, Bob, Ericka, Maria, Angela, Derek and others — are considered part of the key to transforming the 46201 neighborhood under Shepherd’s Shalom project. By focusing on individuals, couples and their families, the initiative, which was started nearly eight years ago in partnership with the city of Indianapolis, the team is able to take steps toward rebuilding a community that faces one of the city’s highest rates of poverty, crime, unemployment and food insecurity,

The center, which has been serving the community for nearly six decades, launched the Shalom Project as an outreach initiative in 2015, sending a community police officer, Perkins, out on neighborhood patrol to get to know residents on a personal basis. When they realized that many residents were facing health-related challenges, paramedic Hardwick joined the team to meet those needs.

Five days a week, the pair go out into the neighborhoods to give residents the gift of time — time to build trust and make a connection, time to understand the underlying challenges that eventually lead to a crisis … in some cases calling 911 “as primary care,” as Hardwick puts it, and, consequently, time to rebuild a community one neighbor at a time.

Building on a vision to become experts at relationships

According to Andrew Green, assistant executive director of the Shepherd Community Center, the shift to outreach has been significant in truly meeting the needs of residents in the community — especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Shalom model, which focuses on going out to meet the needs of local residents, instead of expecting them to come to 4107 E Washington St, where the center is located, has taught the Shepherd team the importance of building relationships and connections as they move toward the goal of making the 46210 area a stronger, healthier and safer community. 

“It fits a theme for us for the last few years — we’re focusing on the humanity piece,” Green said. “Relationships are what make the difference. And we want to be considered experts on building relationships.”

Shepherd continues to build on its legacy of providing quality services and programs, including after-school programs, a clinic, a food pantry, job training, counseling and legal aid. Yet, as IMPD leaders shared in a conversation with Shepherd, “Great things are happening on site, but your neighborhood is crumbling,” Green said.

At one point, it offered a clinic on Saturdays to address acute medical issues but quickly realized that residents were arriving for primary care. “It was staffed with volunteer doctors, pharmacists and nurses,” Green recalled. “However, it was becoming primary care because of underlying chronic conditions.”

Under the Shalom model, the Shepherd team now connects with individuals one on one and ensures that they see the right medical professionals. Another key is maintaining those relationships long-term — following up to make sure that people are continuing in a positive direction, Green said. 

“The whole theme of building relationships is driven home day after day. The pandemic moved us toward that model even quicker,” he added. “We are now making calls to people twice a week.”

Making critical connections

After their morning meeting, Perkins and Hardwick start the work of making face-to-face connections in the 46201 community, where they are welcomed into the living rooms, porches and yards of the nearby residents. They also respond to 911 calls, joining other EMS respondents and police officers in addressing emergency situations that range from several suspected overdoses, a dog bite, an arrest on a suspicion of a stolen car, and also, on this particular day, a search for a cow on the loose.

On their first stop, Perkins and Hardwick drive a couple of miles to a rooming house where Derek, a middle-aged man, is waiting outside in anticipation of their arrival. He smiles as Perkins and Hardwick exchange warm greetings with him, commenting on the weather and how each other are doing. Derek, still smiling, replies that he’s doing great. Hardwick pulls out a blood pressure cuff to determine how Derek really is doing.

“That’s not looking good,” Hardwick announces as he shares the reading with Derek. Just as the Shepherd team had suspected, Derek’s blood pressure was dangerously high after going without his prescribed medication for about five months.

These are the types of situations that lead to unnecessary 911 calls, Hardwick later explains. Without intervention, Derek’s medical condition could reach a crisis stage — leading him to make a 911 call.

The reading reveals what the Shepherd team had suspected: After going without his medication for about five months, Derek’s blood pressure is high. Without intervention, Derek could reach a crisis stage — requiring a 911 call

“In many cases, people end up using 911 as primary care,” Hardwick says.

Hardwick orders an Uber driver to give Derek a ride to the Shepherd Community Center, where social workers and staff members work on his behalf to ensure he receives his medication. After a series of calls, including long waits on hold, they are finally able to address the source of Derek’s challenges and barriers. As it turns out, under the restrictions of his medical plan, Derek could only see one physician for medical care, who apparently had moved to California months ago, and could only get his medication filled at one pharmacy — located miles from his current address.

After spending hours resolving his challenges, Shepherd was able to ensure that Derek was assigned a new doctor and was able to get his medication filled at a more convenient location.

During that same day, Adams and Hardwick visit the family of an elderly man who was paralyzed from the neck down as a result of a fall on ice. The man wants the dignity of dying at the home of his sister, in the company of his children and other relatives.

The daughter is distraught, telling Adams and Hardwick that she feels he has given up on his battle to live. She doesn’t understand why he refuses to go to the hospital to get further medical care.

The Shepherd team gathers with about eight relatives on the expansive porch for a while, discussing various options. As he leaves, Hardwick gives the daughter his business card, encouraging her to call him if they need any assistance.

Hours later, the daughter does call. The father has agreed to be taken to the hospital to rule out any medical complications that could be resolved. Adams and Hardwick return to the home to assist emergency responders who take him to the hospital for a medical check.

The next day, the family calls the team once again to let them know that their loved one had returned home and had passed amongst his family as he had wished. They invite Adams and Hardwick back to the home as they gather.

The connection represents yet another long-term relationship built through the Shepherd Shalom project.

By focusing on individuals, couples and their families throughout the neighborhood, the Shalom initiative not accomplishes critical needs — it meets the needs of many individuals and families who need someone to care, lightens the load of the emergency responders and rebuilds the 46201 community — one neighbor at a time.