Staff profile: Rafia Khader

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Abby Rolland

Meet Rafia Khader, one of the newest staff members of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Roles: Program Manager at Lake Institute on Faith & Giving and Research Assistant & Managing Editor at the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative (MPI)

Responsibilities: “As a program manager at Lake Institute, I will assist in planning the logistics for the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF) seminars and trainings. As the managing editor for the MPI, I will work with Dr. Shariq Siddiqui, the Director of the MPI, in compiling articles about Muslim philanthropy in the United States and worldwide, as well as philanthropic interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims.”

Goals: “I hope that we can build long-term resources, institutions, and knowledge for the future.”

Work experience: College Preparatory School of America, Administrator at the Mohammed Webb Foundation in Chicago, Illinois (The Mohammed Webb Foundation is named after one of the first Anglo-American converts to Islam)

Educational background: B.A. Economics from Benedictine University, M.A. Religious Studies from the University of Chicago Divinity School

Most excited for: Learning more about philanthropy at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

“I want to deepen my knowledge about philanthropy. I’ve become really interested in this field and how it is so multidisciplinary. I studied economics, then I studied religion. It wasn’t until I came here that I realized how those two seemingly divergent fields might go hand-in-hand through the study of faith and giving.

“I’m also excited and humbled to be here and I’m looking forward to the work that my supervisors have been working on for the past couple of years. I think the work we are going to do will resonate with a lot of people.”

Favorite things about Indianapolis: “I like that in Indy, you get a taste of city life but it’s smaller as well. People are also incredibly friendly.”

Fun fact: “I love Cake Bake and Quirky Feather Confectionary. I enjoy sweets in general!”

Stay tuned for Friday’s post, which will feature Rafia’s reflections from a recent Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising course.

The role of technology in disaster giving

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Abby Rolland

Last Friday, we posted recommendations from Dr. Patrick Rooney on impactful ways to give to Hurricane Harvey victims.

Now, Dr. Una Osili, associate dean for research and international programs, and Dr. Amir Pasic, Eugene R. Tempel Dean, focus on the impact that modern technology and social media have on disaster responses, as well as how important it is to continue to give long after the camera’s lenses have turned away.

First, insights from Dr. Osili about technology and the way it’s shaping our view of disasters and ways that we give.

“Social media, technology and innovation are increasingly shaping the way we learn about, identify with and respond to disasters such as this. Through social media, we are able to witness the human face of the disaster unfolding in real time in the photos and videos on our phones and we want to do something right now.

“Disaster giving is typically impulse giving: we see the need and we want to help. Online giving and text-to-give options let donors feel that they are helping immediately. Crowdfunding harnesses the power of social media to let people give quickly and directly, and they offer a way to make a bigger difference by enlisting friends, peers, and complete strangers in the cause. Technology is also playing a bigger role in how nonprofits raise both awareness and funds.”

Dr. Osili and Dr. Pasic comment on the necessity of short-term and long-term giving.

Dr. Osili: “Each disaster is complex and requires its own unique response. The way this disaster is unfolding is different from any in recent experience. After more than five days we are still primarily in basic rescue mode and may be in that mode for several more days. Because the disaster is ongoing and is still unfolding in new ways, it is not clear yet precisely what individuals, families and communities are going to need, or what recovery and rebuilding will look like. Nevertheless, the immediate needs are real and urgent, and donors should consider how they want to support both short-term and long-term needs.

Dr. Pasic: “With major disasters, we generally see a lot of giving during the first six weeks to six months after the disaster, and then donations begin to drop off rather substantially.

“The extent and type of media coverage is an important factor in whether and how much people give. Often it seems that when the television cameras and other media turn their attention elsewhere, donations begin to decline. Holding the public’s attention for the long haul will be a challenge in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, but it will be important to raising the funds necessary to meet long-term needs. Given the scope and duration of the disaster, the human and community needs will persist for years to come.”

Harvey Relief: ‘How can I give in a way that means the most?’

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Abby Rolland

Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and Louisiana nearly a week ago, yet the storm has continued to wreak havoc.

Fifty-two inches of rain has forced thousands out of their homes and into emergency shelters (ABC News). Over 300,000 people have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), while almost 100,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed by the massive amount of flooding.

Many have answered the call to help, whether that be donating money or time, and you may be asking yourself, “How can I give in a way that means the most?”

The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy has been studying Americans’ charitable responses to major disasters and ways to give since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Read below to learn how Dr. Patrick Rooney, executive associate dean for academic programs and professor of economics and philanthropic studies at the school, advises how you can give in a way that has the most impact.

“Americans are remarkably generous and have a strong desire to help others in need,” he said. “But it’s important to give in ways that will be helpful. The best way is to give money to long-standing relief organizations. Needs often vary from area to area and from moment to moment. Monetary donations provide relief workers with the flexibility to use your gift in the way that is most needed at any given time. This is more useful than giving food, clothing or other goods. It is easier to purchase these locally than to ship them.

“To ensure that your dollars get to those in need, give directly to reputable, established aid groups with experience working in disaster relief and recovery. They are best able to assess and meet needs and have established teams, infrastructures and experience for doing so. And beware of potential fraud. Sadly, scams often arise around disasters, including sham websites and emails that appear to be from legitimate organizations but are not. It’s safest to contact known organizations yourself to make a gift via check or credit card to avoid scams and provide documentation for yourself and the charity.”

Discovering Ukraine

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Les Lenkowsky

Written by Dr. Les Lenkowsky (introduction) and Diane Thomas, M.A. ’09

Diane Thomas had already raised a family and been a leader in the Indianapolis nonprofit sector when she enrolled in the M.A. in Philanthropic Studies program, earning her degree at the end of 2009. She served as president of the International Center of Indianapolis through 2016, when she took an unusual step: she joined the Peace Corps. Earlier this year, she (and two other philanthropic studies graduates, Bryan Roesler and Ashleigh Graves-Roesler) began training for assignments in Ukraine, a country in the throes of economic and political change, as well as conflict with neighboring Russia.

Diane is currently located in Lviv, the largest city in the western Ukraine, founded over 750 years ago. She is working with the Lviv Education Foundation to assist civil society groups in the city. (The Ukrainian Catholic University, located in the city, sponsors Ukraine’s only graduate program in nonprofit management.) As she describes in the following note, the work is challenging – and opposing armies are not far away.

Almost five months, and I still can’t speak this language! But, I am beginning to understand more. This is my true challenge; feeling so isolated at times when I cannot understand what is being said at home and at work. In both places there are English speakers, but that is only when someone wants me to know something. I want to know everything!

I now live with a young family with three small children (ages 7, 4 and 2) so it is a very active home. We all get along, and the 2-year-old calls me ‘Babu,’ short for Babucia or Grandma. At the end of November, I can move into my own place.

The Peace Corps placed me in a nonprofit called the Lviv Education Foundation. I am still in the process of discovery and am thoroughly enjoying working with a young staff of future leaders. They are all between 22 and 32, full of energy, optimism, and most importantly hope for their country. Their enthusiasm is contagious and makes me believe that Ukraine will indeed succeed as a nation.

A little background is needed to appreciate today’s reality in Ukraine. This is a country that has been repeatedly traumatized over the centuries. Invaded by every imaginable empire and neighbor, they have only ruled themselves for a short time in the early 1900s. However, there is a real sense of nation, even if the west is more ‘European’ and the east more ‘Russian.’

You can see this in the language, where in the west only Ukrainian is spoken, and the further east you travel, the more Russian is spoken. In between there are a number of dialects that mix Ukrainian and Russian. Everyone over the age of 25 was educated in Russian, as the use of the Ukrainian language was banned under Soviet rule. Each invader coveted the rich soil that feeds much of Europe and Russia, and the fourth-longest river in Europe with an enviable geopolitical location.

Freed from the Soviet Union 25 years ago, the Ukrainians have wanted to become a western democracy in spite of widespread corruption, an apathetic older generation, and the Russian threat to the east. They endured the Chernobyl disaster, a corrupt government that they threw out during the Maidan revolution in 2014, and most recently the Russian occupation of their Eastern region. It is a nation at war, with a very uncertain future.

But where I work, these young people are undeterred. Most were in Kyiv during the Maidan revolution, and for them there is no turning back. They work with families in crisis throughout the country in different ways. With nearly 1000 volunteers, they rebuild homes that have been damaged by the war in the east, enlist local volunteers and businesses, and hope to build more than structures.

This grassroots movement is about civic engagement and building community. The work is difficult in a post-Soviet society that has known only distrust and lies. There are projects to work with families whose children are at risk of being removed by the Ukrainian social services to be placed in horrible orphanages. Everything here needs reform; social services, education, the judiciary, and the only actors able to bring these reforms are the fledging NGOs led by young, inexperienced, but inspired individuals.

So what’s my role is all this? To bring a bit of order in all this chaos, and to provide support and encouragement. At first I tried to introduce a few basic tools like time management, activity calendars, meeting agendas, to no avail. I would request a meeting time, all would agree, and no one would show up. Yet, I was responsible for planning the staff retreat at the end of July and could not even find out what they wanted to accomplish.

Finally, I just threw a fit! Not so professional, but I was out of options. Since Ukrainians greatly value relationships, they worried that their relationship with me and the Peace Corps could be damaged, and that would be unacceptable. So we started working … goals and objectives, budget, facilitators, fantastic retreat, organizational capacity assessment, and we are on a roll! Best of all, I think they really enjoy this ‘capacity building’ work.

I close this episode with the knowledge that 30,000 NATO forces are amassed in the Balkans and Poland, and that 100,000 Russian troops will be doing military exercises on their western border in September. Guess who is in the middle?

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Thoughts on 21st Century Fundraising

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Abby Rolland

In the mid-1990s, although the fundraising occupation had been in existence for decades, it still was not well understood, and many people did not consider it a profession.

Beyond anecdotal stories and short reports published by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ predecessor, few studies had been conducted to determine who fundraisers were, when they became involved in the field, and how long they stayed in each job. So, Dr. Eugene Tempel, then Vice President of External Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and Margaret Duronio, then Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement at the University of Pittsburgh, conducted the first-ever comprehensive national study on the fundraising profession.

Over 1,900 mail responses and 80 interviews later, the duo published the information gathered in a book, with data and stories woven together.

“It was the first time there was a data set about who fundraisers were, how they came to the profession, how long they stayed in their jobs, among other information,” reported Dr. Sarah Nathan, associate director of public programs and adjunct faculty member at the school.

Over the years, the nonprofit sector and the fundraising profession grew and changed. Dr. Tempel wished to conduct a follow-up survey to determine if some of the changes he saw taking place in the field were true. Along with Dr. Nathan, Dr. Tempel was able to conduct a follow-up to the 1996 study. Approximately the same number of respondents (1,826) answered the online survey; however, Drs. Tempel and Nathan found dramatic fluctuations in several key areas when comparing the 1996 study to the 2015 study.

One difference is the increasing feminization of the profession.

“During the 1996 study, fundraisers were 55 percent men and 45 percent women – almost a 50/50 split,” Dr. Nathan said. “The recent data set reports that fundraisers are comprised of about 73 percent women and 27 percent men.”

Another noted change is that fundraisers are coming into the profession younger.

“Half of all fundraisers start fundraising before 27,” Dr. Nathan said. “The age at which they start in the fundraising field has decreased by three years compared to the previous study. More people are choosing fundraising as a first career, which is really exciting.”

Finally, Dr. Nathan noted the increasing professionalization of fundraising.

“There are over 300 universities and colleges now that offer at least one course in nonprofit management,” she said. “We have places like the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy that specialize in philanthropy and The Fund Raising School that offers professional training. Fundraisers, no matter the type of organization they work for, are increasingly coming to that work with training in ethical practice, an understanding of how comprehensive development programs are managed, and an understanding of donor motivations. That’s good for donors and for nonprofit organizations.”

Dr. Nathan noted that the individuals in the study expressed concern over nonprofits over-emphasizing metrics (e.g. how many donor visits, total dollars raised) at the risk of discounting the long-term nature of fundraising and relationship building.

“One of the potential downsides of professionalization is that it’s become very data driven, which has created some tension between metrics and mission for some fundraisers,” she said.

Overall though, Dr. Nathan sees the growth and professionalization of the field, in addition to the growth in academic and professional training, as positive changes.

“As fundraisers, we approach our work from a position of pride,” she said. “We’re matching donors to something that they care about and that makes their communities better.”

» Read the full results of Dr. Tempel and Dr. Nathan’s recent study

Want more information about this study? Stay tuned over the next several months as Dr. Nathan further breaks down some of the study’s key findings, including the increasing feminization of the field and the reasons behind professionals entering the field at a younger age.

Abby Rolland is the blog content coordinator for the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.