If you have been part of the nonprofit sector for more than a few years, you have been in conversations about the natural advantage that nonprofits have in attracting purpose-driven staff and volunteers.
In fact, nonprofit board and staff leaders often view this “purpose benefit” as a trade-off to higher compensation.
The blurring of the boundaries between nonprofits and businesses around service delivery has been happening for years with businesses entering niches to deliver government funded services and nonprofits starting businesses or social enterprises to create new funding streams.
A more recent trend is the increased focus that businesses have taken to make the world a better place.
While a cynic can note that some of these declarations and initiatives seem more like engagement and recruiting strategies targeting younger employees, there are also businesses that are taking their roles in contributing to the community seriously, even building their business models around “giving back.”
And what effect might that have on nonprofits? What does it mean if purpose-driven employees can feel they are making a difference by working for a business? Does a business have more to offer in compensation, current technology and career advancement?
As we wrap up the Central Indiana Salary Survey and post to our website on Sept, 5, attracting and retaining quality staff are high on every leaders’ agenda. In a strong economy, where most employees have more options, it is critical that every nonprofit is intentional about connecting employees to its mission, ensuring they feel a sense of accomplishment, and that managers and supervisors are equipped and empowered to create a great workplace.
Bryan Orander is founder and president of Charitable Advisors. After 18 years of for-profit leadership in the Fortune 50 business world and a disability-related nonprofit, Bryan joined a large regional accounting and consulting firm. In 2000, he founded Charitable Advisors with the vision of going beyond traditional consulting to become a connector, advocate and problem solver for the nonprofit sector.
A business changes as it grows. What once was a one- or two-person shop hires more talent as new roles are created to meet daily demands. Capital rises, office space expands, and business goals are set higher and higher. Throughout it all, there is one area that can make all the difference and yet is often relegated to a lower priority. A strong HR department improves your business and has become a focus for successful organizations across America.
Alleviates unproductive multitasking
Consider an organization that doesn’t have a true HR department. There are still HR-related activities that must be completed by somebody. After all, who processes the payroll? When an employee has a problem, whom do they report it to? Who is conducting onboarding, processing hiring paperwork, or running trainings?
Despite being unrelated to an organization’s core business, HR responsibilities add up quickly for even the smallest of companies.
When a specific department doesn’t exist to carry out this function, a member of the management team often shoulders the responsibility. Unfortunately, that typically means spending the time he or she doesn’t have and turns the focus away from business strategy to “deal” with HR duties that he or she may not have much knowledge about.
While some may get by with multitasking in this fashion because, as a smaller organization, doesn’t feel as though there are HR activities daily, it results in a compromise of HR’s ability to add to and improve the nonprofit.
Dedicated, expert HR professionals create a strong HR department because their focus is solely on human resources. While some days like payday may see a flurry of HR activity, other “slower” HR days are the times this department can focus on improving the workforce, environment and culture. Abstaining from implementing a true HR department prohibits a company from reaching its full potential.
Minimizes risk and liability
Each passing day seems to produce a new law or regulation that organizations like yours must comply with. Even the smallest nonprofits have to address complex legislation, making sure they remain in compliance with applicable rules. A strong HR department is an organization’s leader in these efforts. There are payroll, tax law, employment law, benefits administration, disability, hiring, firing and training considerations among a number of others that must be appropriately taken care of. While some of it may feel like bureaucratic paperwork, that doesn’t change the fact that one false move can cause significant issues.
Consider just one piece of this in the topic of harassment and discrimination, a hot-button issue surrounding today’s workplace. When an organization has robust training for all employees in these areas, their liabilities are greatly reduced. The workforce understands exactly what constitutes a violation and how to respond if they witness one. Management knows precisely what to do if they are presented with a claim. Instances of harassment and discrimination can drop sharply. Even if they do occur, when an organization follows all the right steps in addressing and reporting them, they clear themselves of a great deal of liability.
When nearly 20 percent of U.S. adults have been sexually harassed at work, taking the right measures is key. The legal implications are similar for several other areas and, to be addressed appropriately, require a strong HR department.
Improves Employee Engagement and Retention
HR is the internal face of your organization. When the department operates at subpar levels, or if someone without HR expertise is trying to run these activities on the side, it deteriorates the employee experience and negatively affects culture. If employees encounter HR disorganization and confusion, or if they have to wait weeks for answers to common HR questions, it will lower their engagement.
At a time when 87 percent of organizations cite culture and engagement as a top challenge, it’s clear that employees depend on a strong HR resource. When they have a question or concern, they need to know who to go to and expect rapid resolution. Above all, they must be able to trust their HR person. If the onboarding experience is streamlined, paperwork is void of mistakes, and company trainings are professional and helpful, that trust is built. When HR thrives, your employees thrive as well, and that can make all the difference in keeping them happy.
Why a strong HR department improves your business
While the need for a strong HR department is clear, there’s no sugarcoating the fact it can be a difficult and costly overhaul process. For small nonprofits in particular, the cost of hiring HR employees may be prohibitive. Those in this position often find that a PEO like Synergy is an effective and affordable answer. In fact, businesses that partner with a PEO grow 7-9 percent faster and are 50 percent less likely to go out of business. At the end of the day, whether through a PEO or on your own, your HR department will determine just how far your business will succeed.
Mike Harrington is the president of The Synergy Companies. Joining the organization in 1995, Harrington has held several leadership roles within the company working to ensure its effective delivery of human resource and PEO services. Prior to joining Synergy, he spent five years with Safeguard Business Systems in direct sales and sales training and support. Harrington holds a BS degree in marketing from Eastern Illinois University.
When you’re looking for HR expertise that can provide a boost to your company, look no further. Synergy is here for you.
By Jen Pittman, Assistant Vice President for Community Affairs, OneAmerica
When OneAmerica® went all-in as a title sponsor of the Broad Ripple Art Fair (BRAF) in 2016, our goal was to paint a brighter picture of support for the arts in Central Indiana.
Each spring since 1971, BRAF brings our community together on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center to highlight the creative current flowing through Indy. It’s an enriching community gathering, Indianapolis Art Center’s largest fundraiser, and a unique, vibrant opportunity to support artisans. BRAF also reminds us that we have much to celebrate, because arts and culture are thriving here.
So what’s the connection between arts and financial services? First, art and the artists who create it matter to us because they make our hometown more vibrant. We simply can’t imagine an Indianapolis devoid of creativity or artistic perspectives. In celebration of those talents, our home office is filled with the works of Hoosier artists that enhance our workspace and elevate our spirits. Participating in BRAF is another opportunity for us to connect with and support our creative community.
BRAF also helps illustrate why our work in financial services is so important. “403b” is an essential phrase at OneAmerica, because it refers to a special type of retirement plan for nonprofit organizations – like the Indianapolis Art Center. The mechanics of preparing for retirement may seem complicated, but our philosophy is simple. Everyone deserves to retire with financial peace of mind, especially those who have dedicated their careers to serving others and making our community a beautiful place to be.
Since 1964, we’ve been helping nonprofits in our hometown and across the country with their tax-exempt retirement plans. And in 2016, OneAmerica launched a Tax Exempt Center of Excellence (COE) website [https://www.oneamerica.com/campaigns/Tax-Exempt-COE/Tax-Exempt-Center-of-Excellence] to serve as a central hub for financial professionals to access everything from market insights to information about tax-exempt products and services. It’s another way we serve those who serve others, by sharing our expertise of the unique challenges and opportunities in the tax exempt marketplace and providing other financial professionals supportive tools and resources.
Our work comes full circle with BRAF. Connecting with art, investing in community vibrancy and providing excellent business services for nonprofits are all things that strengthen us as individuals and as a community. For an organization whose roots in Indy go back more than 140 years and plans to continue to grow here, community strength is paramount. The OneAmerica Broad Ripple Art Fair helps paint a picture of a strong, vibrant hometown for decades to come.
OneAmerica is the marketing name for the companies of OneAmerica. Products issued and underwritten by American United Life Insurance Company® (AUL), a OneAmerica company. Administrative and recordkeeping services provided by McCready and Keene, Inc. or OneAmerica Retirement Services LLC, companies of OneAmerica which are not broker/dealers or investment advisors. Neither AUL, OneAmerica Retirement Services, McCready and Keene nor their representatives provide tax, legal fiduciary or investment advice.
Jen Pittman is a leader with passion for building a stronger Indianapolis community. Her professional pursuits and personal endeavors represent a unique blend of corporate, government and nonprofit impact.
In 2016, she joined OneAmerica – an historic Indianapolis company with a legacy of strong community engagement – and now serves as Assistant Vice President, Community Affairs. In this role, she is helping OneAmerica maximize the impact of corporate philanthropy for our community and for the company’s 2,000 associates. Her partnership model brings together the company’s multi-million dollar annual community investment with the time and talents of employees through volunteering and leadership development.
Prior to OneAmerica, Jen held a variety of roles with the City of Indianapolis. Serving her final year there as Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Greg Ballard, she had an impressive service record during her time in local government. She led the City’s message of “Indy Welcomes All” in response to proposed legislation threating the local tourism industry and played a leadership role in the transition team between outgoing and incoming administrations. She previously served the City as its Marketing Director and Deputy Director of Indy Parks, with a focus on elevating the City’s international profile and instituting the “My City, My Park” program, which encourages partnering with private companies to improve services and provide critical programming at the City’s 200+ local parks.
Jen also has served as Vice President of Programs at Simon Youth Foundation. In that role, she supported educational programming in 22 Simon Youth Academies nationwide. The non-traditional high schools support at-risk students, encouraging them to stay in and graduate from high school. During her tenure, she worked with the Indianapolis Public Schools’ administration to return an Indianapolis Simon Youth Academy back to a Circle Centre Mall location in the heart of downtown. More than 15,000 students nation-wide have graduated from Simon Youth Academies at more than a 90% graduation rate, surpassing many traditional public schools.
At the community level, Jen is a respected champion for financial fitness and helped create and launch Indy’s Campaign for Financial Fitness with Indy’s First Lady Winnie Ballard, where she served as an Advisory Board member for 6 years. Currently, she continues to advocate for and support this work through involvement with United Way of Central Indiana. Jen is a mentor for young professionals with Pass the Torch for Women, a member of the board of directors of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and a committee volunteer with United Way of Central Indiana. At the neighborhood-level, she has been engaged in causes including the Washington Township Parent Council (recently working on referendum activities), serving as a volunteer for Wyldlife (Young Life’s group for middle school-aged children), and as a PTO volunteer at Allisonville Elementary and Eastwood Middle School. She is also an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Jen earned her undergraduate degree from Franklin College.
She resides in Indianapolis with her husband, Al Ensley, and their two school-aged children.
By Michael L. Jackson, Director of Marketing and Communications, SPEA at IUPUI
During his time as a senior fellow at the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership in Missouri Fredrik Andersson has counseled hundreds of nonprofit professionals on how to improve performance and organizational effectiveness.
He has also met with countless entrepreneurs who have great ideas for new nonprofit ventures. They all want to know the same thing: “Where can I find money for it?”
That ongoing query sparked Andersson’s most recent research into the funding intentions among nascent nonprofit entrepreneurs. His latest journal article, published this spring in the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, examines anticipated funding sources and amounts that budding entrepreneurs believe they’ll need as they formally launch their new nonprofits.
“I would make the argument that one of the most difficult things there is for anyone who wants to start a new organization is how to hayamix.com obtain and allocate resources,” said Andersson, an assistant professor of nonprofit management at the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI. “There are so many different options for funding – individual donations, earned income, foundations, grants – and careful consideration of those sources is a key thing.”
Andersson collected data over the course of a year from 103 budding nonprofit entrepreneurs who were participants in seven “Planning a New Nonprofit” workshops at the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership. He found that the average number of sources in a funding portfolio was 3.12, with philanthropic grants (67 percent) and donations (57 percent) listed as the top two potential sources.
As for estimated start-up capital needs, 9 percent of respondents indicated they would need less than $5,000, 46 percent expected needs to fall between $5,000 and $10,000, 31 percent in the $10,000 to $20,000 range, and 14 percent estimated start-up capital needs exceeding $20,000.
While philanthropic grants and individual donations are clearly considered an important source of start-up funding among emerging entrepreneurs, they emerged as critically important for those entrepreneurs who expected start-up costs to fall within the range of $5,000 to $20,000. Nearly two-thirds of respondents in this group expected the two sources to cover a majority of their capital needs.
“There is a perception – and the idea must have been shaped somewhere – that a lot of start-up money is coming from (foundations),” Andersson said. “The reality is that a lot of these nascent entrepreneurs intend to compete for philanthropic grant dollars they are unlikely to get.”
Andersson and American University professor Lewis Faulk investigated foundation grants made to new nonprofits in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, between 2003 and 2012 and discovered that new nonprofit startups receive grants at significantly lower rates than already established nonprofits.
“Research shows that the greatest predictor of getting a grant from a foundation is getting a grant previously,” Andersson said. “Foundations generally want to know that something is making a difference before they invest. They want to see evidence that this is a risk worth taking.”
With his latest research, Andersson also discovered that previous start-up experience appears to play an important role when determining funding options for a new organization. He says those individuals who have prior experience starting a nonprofit are more likely to draw from personal savings, income, loans and credit.
These entrepreneurs’ intentions to utilize personal means and other funding sources like angel investors or crowd funding is a tactic that minimizes the need for external funding to allow the emerging organization to get going, according to Andersson.
“One interpretation of this finding is that that experienced nascent nonprofit entrepreneurs are more aware, through learning, of just how difficult it can be to obtain funding from external financiers,” Andersson said.
Regardless of the funding source or amount, Andersson says it’s important for nascent entrepreneurs to think beyond money. He cautions them to be prepared for what happens if they don’t get the start-up capital they expected and to make contingency plans.
“If you’re going to charter your success on whether or not you can obtain financing, then I think you disregard the fact that you can muster resources in other ways,” he said. “That is sometimes what is referred to as boot-strapping.
“Instead of buying a new building you work out of your home,” he continued. “Instead of buying equipment you borrow it from another organization. You partner and collaborate. Obtaining resources that are beyond finances is a critical element to startup success and should not be overlooked in the process.”
Michael L. Jackson joined SPEA as its Director of Marketing and Communications in 2015 following two years at the Kelley School of Business, where he helped launch the school’s physician-only MBA program in 2013. Previously he worked for The Indianapolis Star.
Editor’s Note: Gene Tempel, Ed.D., Founding Dean Emeritus of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI and president emeritus of the Indiana University Foundation, contributed content for this article.
By Abby Rolland, Content Coordinator, the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI
“Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.” — Henry A. “Hank” Rosso, founder of The Fund Raising School
For Angela Gill, sharing the joy of giving is one of the best parts of her job as Executive Director of the Major Hospital Foundation in Shelbyville.
That’s a good thing, because the health-care system her foundation serves is expanding. In the past few years, it has opened a new hospital and health campus and partnered with Veteran Health Indiana to open a newgarida.net veterans’ clinic. And this year, it will begin building a new nephrology center to focus on kidney health, thanks to a donor’s generosity.
Gill is aided in helping donors find the joy in giving by her extensive professional experience — including holding key roles at the Blue River Community Foundation and Shelby County United Fund before joining the Major Hospital Foundation in 2006 — and her graduate education. She earned her master’s degree in philanthropic studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI in 2011.
Since graduating, Gill has applied that knowledge, including an understanding of the art of fundraising, to her work. Recently, the foundation was awarded a major gift from a generous donor to build a freestanding nephrology center. Gill spoke about the process of securing this gift – a years-long process that began with a small gift from an interested individual.
“I had hoped this gentleman might be interested in the work of the hospital and the foundation,” she said. “He’s pretty savvy – he started by making a small gift to see what we would do about it, how we would respond. I stayed in touch with him and let him know everything we were doing.”
Fundraising, Gill said, depends on developing trust and mutual understanding over time.
That echoes advice that Dr. Gene Tempel, founding dean emeritus of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and president emeritus of the Indiana University Foundation, shared in a recent podcast for The Fund Raising School.
“The art of fundraising,” Tempel said, is “the creativity and engagement that are part of the way that fundraising has to be done.” It’s the art that must accompany the science and the technique of fundraising.
For one thing, Tempel said, fundraising is “about listening more than speaking, so that one begins to understand the donor. Listening is about 75 percent of the interaction. One needs to have empathy for the donor, to be able to see the world in which the donor lives from the donor’s point-of-view, to identify with and engage with the donor.”
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“The First Day from The Fund Raising School” is a weekly, 10-minute podcast that provides fundraisers and philanthropy professionals with current news, ideas and research. Hosted by Bill Stanczykiewicz, director of The Fund Raising School at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, it is available through The Fund Raising School App as well as iTunes and Google Play. A video version is also available on The Fund Raising School’s LinkedIn page.
Thinking about making a master’s degree a reality? The Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies degree can be earned online, in person, or by combining those options.
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“Hank Rosso, the founder of The Fund Raising School, frequently said, ‘Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving,’” Tempel said. “The joy of giving part is really important – one can sense when the donor might find joy in the gift that is being sought. And when the donor finds joy in the expression of a gift, that’s when we have the possibility of a major gift.”
For Gill, collaborating with the major donor to find that joy involved relationship building and exploring how the donor’s interests and the mission and needs of her organization might line up. As the relationship progressed, the donor shared that he would be interested in making a major gift.
“We showed him the drawings and gave him an explanation of what a nephrology center would do,” Gill said, noting that the new center will serve thousands of people every year and will provide a continuum of care to people living in Shelby County. “He was interested and agreed to support it and put his late wife’s name on the center, which we’ll be building later this year.”
Tempel’s insights underscore the value of such collaboration for the donor as well as the organization.
“So often we think of transformational gifts as gifts that transform the organization somehow and have a major impact on the organization. And certainly that’s a valid way of thinking about a big idea, a big gift might help fund a big idea that changes the organization,” he said.
“But it’s most important to think about how the gift might transform the donor, how the gift might make an impact on the donor’s life and see the possibility of something happening that the donor could not or did not have the thought of doing before. When one can help a donor make a transformational gift, a gift that transforms the donor’s life, that’s when we have complete satisfaction and perhaps joy in making the gift from the donor’s perspective.”
Gill shares some additional thoughts for fundraisers to keep in mind when collaborating with major donors:
Make sure you have a good relationship with people within your organization. “For me, keeping the door open with the administration and the board of the hospital is extremely important so that both parties know what is going on and are on the same page about both the project and the prospective gift.”
Know your donor. “If you go in to a meeting about a gift without knowing what the donor supports, it can be difficult.” Listen carefully and do your research so you know from the outset that what you’re proposing is likely to be a good match.
Do the right thing. “If you treat people the right way and listen to them, good things can come your way. They learn to trust you, like what you’re doing, and want to become a part of that work.”
Abby Rolland is the content coordinator at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and a current student in the philanthropic studies graduate certificate program. She has plans to enroll in the full master’s degree. Prior to her current role, she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Second Helpings, Inc. She is passionate about nonprofits and the impact they have in local and global communities.
By Chad Stuckey, founder and Chief Creative Officer and Blair Wieland, Chief Strategic Officer and Partner, BIG
Brand Innovation Group — BIG, to our friends — specializes in branding for nonprofits. We know you have more than just goals. You have a mission, driven by a passion to help others.
We speak your language, understand your challenges and already have a roadmap to find the right solutions. You want to work with people you trust, and we love being those people — an extension of your own team.
With offices in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, BIG has over 20 years of extensive experience partnering with Indiana-based nonprofits including United Way of Allen County, Matthew 25 Health & Dental Clinic and The Fort Wayne Rescue Mission. Our marketing and branding expertise also extends to international organizations, including work with David C Cook, The Navigators and Compassion International.
We know running a nonprofit presents a unique set of challenges, and we understand that every dollar spent should produce hayamix results. You can’t afford to put out a message that falls flat. With every branding initiative, our dedicated strategy team speaks to employees, donors and volunteers to capture deep insights into what makes your organization so special. We develop target audience personas and customer-experience maps based on primary research to guide and strengthen our understanding of your unique brand. Armed with these insights and strategic positioning, our creative team develops messaging and supporting visuals that deliver compelling brand stories. And because a great story deserves to be told well, we build traditional and digital tactics that make a real impact.
The BIG difference is the creation of a living brand — a flexible expression of your organization that adapts to changes in the marketplace, communication channels and donor engagement.
Our world is changing, and it’s changing fast. Your mission is too important to be lost in the crowd.
Let us handle your brand, so you can focus on lending a hand.
Chad Stuckey, founder and chief creative officer,, is a creative thinker and graphic designer with more than two decades of experience crafting memorable brands and head-turning ad campaigns. He founded BIG in 1995 after earning dual degrees in organizational leadership and technical graphics from Purdue University. But he owes much of his career success to his allergy to horses. If not for that, he might’ve fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a cowboy.
Blair Wieland, BIG’s chief strategic officer and partner, is a serial entrepreneur who is always looking for ‘what’s right, not what’s next.’ First he creates something the market wants, and then makes it something they can’t do without. After graduating from the University of Michigan and Notre Dame, Blair’s ‘strategy first’ approach to innovation made him a nationally recognized, award-winning product designer.
By Kevin Kidwell, vice president, national tax-exempt sales, OneAmerica
If your organization has a 403(b) retirement plan, then you may have already received — or should be receiving — a notice from your plan provider regarding a new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) document requirement.
For the first time, the IRS has pre-approved prototype plan documents for 403(b) retirement plans, typically sponsored by 501(c)(3) organizations.
The plan restatement requirement is happening now, not because of the recent tax reform legislation, but rather is a long-overdue response to many years of lobbying by retirement plan sponsors and service providers.
We think this is a good thing.
The IRS’ goal is simple — to get a certified, model blueprint similar to what protects 401(k) plans and has been available to 401(k) plans for decades.
It doesn’t mean if you have a 403(b) plan that your plan is changing or was poorly planned; it just means there will be guardrails.
There are a variety of ways that providers (or a third party) will engage with sponsors and service providers to make them aware of the IRS request.
While completing the request, this is also a great time for the organization to review and re-evaluate whether your plan is accomplishing what it was designed to do; and whether the objectives of your plan matches your mission and aligns with your values. Is there a better way to structure employer contributions to increase participation? Are you operating the plan as it is written within the plan document? Is the plan optimized to meet the desired outcomes while managing budgetary realities? And, if your plan doesn’t look right, maybe it is because your mission has changed, so does the plan reflect those changes?
At Indianapolis-based OneAmerica®, an organization that can trace its roots back to 1877, we’ve been helping organizations with their tax-exempt retirement plans since 1964. We believe a retirement plan should do more than help someone retire – it can help organizations recruit, retain and reward employees.
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. Since joining OneAmerica in 1988, Kevin has held various positions within the Retirement Services division. Beginning in 2000, his exclusive focus has been on healthcare and tax-exempt organizations.
OneAmerica® is the marketing name for the companies of OneAmerica.
Products issued and underwritten by American United Life Insurance Company® (AUL), a OneAmerica company. Administrative and recordkeeping services provided by McCready and Keene, Inc. or OneAmerica Retirement Services LLC, companies of OneAmerica which are not broker/dealers or investment advisors.
ByLeslie 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.
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.
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.
Blair Wieland, BIG’s chief strategic officer and partner, is a serial entrepreneur who is always looking for ‘what’s right, not what’s next.’ First he creates something the market wants, and then makes it something they can’t do without. After graduating from the University of Michigan and Notre Dame, Blair’s ‘strategy first’ approach to innovation made him a nationally recognized, award-winning product designer.
