Driven by passion to make a change

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Abby Rolland

ARNOVA-AROCSA NGO Leadership Transition Fellows

As a student activist, Zimbabwean Jimmy Wilford discovered that students were faced with various health challenges.

“There was a lack of information about sexual and reproductive health issues like HIV, unplanned and unwanted pregnancy, and other health-related issues,” he said. “Zimbabwe has a conservative society, where people don’t talk about their sexual lives or sexuality. We wanted to break this silence and ensure that young people and students are able to meet to discuss these issues and make informed decisions. So, we gathered some colleagues and started talking about student health.”

This led to Wilford and fellow students starting the organization SAYWHAT (Students and Youth Working on reproductive health Action Team) in 2003. SAYWHAT advocates for and generates and disseminates knowledge about sexual and reproductive health, while also linking students to service providers.

Wilford has been involved since its founding, initially as the chairperson of the steering committee and then as the executive director.

“I was given the responsibility to lead the process and institutionalize what was happening in the organization,” he said. “However, I had no background on how to run a nonprofit; it was trial and error. I was only driven by passion.”

Through Wilford’s leadership, SAYWHAT has grown exponentially since its beginning. Founded in 2003, the organization was registered as a trust in 2007 and has developed rapidly since.

“In the beginning, we were completely run by volunteers with no budget and no office space,” Wilford said. “Our funding has increased where we’re now able to employ staff and use our own offices. Things have been changing and will continue to change.”

These changes have been a surprise to Wilford.

“The drive and vision have always been there, but I would never have expected us to be where we are 15 years ago,” he said. “Every year, we would dream further about what we could do and incorporate that into our strategic plan. We had thought about these plans, but some of the developments that took place were also a surprise.”

With those developments though, Wilford knew he needed to take a step back and learn more. Part of that process was obtaining a master’s degree in Global Health from Maastricht University in the Netherlands. This was followed by applying for the ARNOVA-AROCSA NGO Leadership Transition fellowship, co-hosted by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) Indianapolis.

“I’ve always had a desire and quest to transform myself. Having been a part of SAYWHAT and public health for a long time, I’ve been thinking about what is next,” he said. “When I received communication about this fellowship, I thought it could provide several opportunities.”

One of those opportunities was a way for Wilford to narrow down what he’s been thinking over the years in terms of his future and succession at SAYWHAT.

“I’ve been exposed to a lot of literature in terms of succession, leadership, and philanthropy. It made me think more about what it means to be a philanthropist,” he said. “In addition, this fellowship has given me the chance to reflect, guided by people and conversations here, on my time at SAYWHAT. I’ve also been able to see and place my story in a particular theoretical framework. I also plan on completing my Certificate in Fund Raising Management (offered by The Fund Raising School) and a certificate of appreciation in Strategic Planning & Nonprofit Leadership (offered by SPEA).

“Through these discussions and my experiences here, I’m planning on concretizing a succession plan for SAYWHAT when I return to Zimbabwe while also ensuring that the proper capacity building processes are in place.”

Wilford has also determined that he’d like to earn a Ph.D., whether in the U.S. or somewhere else. He’s interested in conducting research and publishing articles on youth organizations and youth and philanthropy in general.

After completing a Ph.D., Wilford intends on using his knowledge and experience to build the capacity of other youth organizations in Southern Africa, while also possibly venturing into politics.

“I’m passionate about leadership, and want to educate youth on leadership and tools of nonprofit management, such as managing boards and donor rights,” he said. “Youth organizations are so important yet so fragile; many can’t sustain themselves longer than five years. I’d like to add value to these organizations to ensure that they’re able to stand on stronger ground to impact change.”

With these future objectives in mind, Wilford has also enjoyed his present time in Indianapolis.

“People are very friendly in Indianapolis. I really enjoyed the snow as well!” he said. “I’ve also enjoyed the extent of the library here. You can’t find these resources in Zimbabwe, so it’s been exciting to have them here.”

Wilford says nonprofits operate differently in the U.S. compared to Africa in general, and Zimbabwe specifically. His experiences here have given him greater knowledge in recognizing those differences and he’s looking forward to taking what he’s learned about the U.S. nonprofit sector back to Zimbabwe.

“Cross-cultural and multi-national programs like this fellowship broaden the scope of leaders. We live in a global world. It’s important to learn how other people are doing things,” he said. “We’re also able to grow our minds by broadening the scope of knowledge and encouraging innovativeness. Sometimes, people can fail to explore their own potential because of limited resources. Being here has expanded my innovativeness and encouraged me to use all of the resources and technology provided here.”

This is the second in a series of posts on the ARNOVA-AROCSA NGO Leadership Transition Fellows. Check back soon for more posts about the fellows.

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

It’s been a year

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Abby Rolland

Lilly Family School of Philanthropy undergraduate students

By Justine Oppelt

It’s hard to think that I only have three more years left in this school. I only have three more years left until I’m officially out in the “real world.” Although, I think I’m already out in the “real world” because I pay bills. Who knew that bills would determine everything you do in life as a college student! Anyway, back to the main point: It’s been a year.

I started this year at a new place, in a new city, and I knew no one. I didn’t know much. The only thing I knew for certain was that I was going to be a student in the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and was oh so excited.

Orientation day rolled around and I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t the only philanthropic studies major there. During those two days, I saw just how hospitable the school really was. From the great philanthropy friends I made, to our caring advisor Pamela Clark, I could really start to see a home within the school.

Fast forward to the first day of college. I had two philanthropy classes that day and I immediately fell in love with the program. I never really had a class in high school that I was interested in or passionate about so talking about philanthropy for six hours was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Throughout my first year as an undergraduate in the B.A. program I learned a lot, about myself and the program. The first thing I learned is that college is way more expensive than it seems. Those hidden fees really start to add up. Yes, it is expensive but I know that this degree will speak volumes when I graduate. I still can’t believe that I’m lucky enough to have the opportunity to learn from experts and to obtain a degree from the world’s first school of philanthropy.

Secondly, I learned that everyone here in the school truly cares about me, from the students to the professors to the faculty and staff. I’ve never met a more open, friendly, and astonishing group of individuals that are always eager to ask me, “how’s Justine doing?”

I’ve met my closest friends through the program. Every student that I’ve met and have the pleasure to call my friend is amazing in his or her own way. Each and every one of my friends will achieve great things in their life and I’m happy to be a small part of their journey. They’re each so different in every way possible; not one person shares the same exact passion. One’s passionate about healthcare, another about children.

However, there’s one universal thing that ties us together: philanthropy. Yes, we’re all obtaining the same degree but we all have different passions and interests and so we’ll use the degree in different ways. That’s the greatest thing about philanthropic studies in my opinion. One of my friends wants to work oversees in an NGO, another in a local foundation. There’s an endless amount of possibility. I’m proud to call myself a part of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Lastly, I learned that the philanthropy classes I’m taking truly translate into the workforce. Most of the time in college, a degree is just a piece of paper that allows you to work in a certain field. However, here you can tailor your degree to your interests and still graduate on time. If a student knows he or she is interested in fundraising, then he or she can take specific classes that count towards the major. It will teach students the skills that they’d need to be successful in fundraising.

Likewise, if a student is interested in working for a religious organization, they can take classes geared towards their interests. This really goes for any interest you might have. You can truly make your passion your profession here.

This has been a year of firsts for me. My first time in college. My first time living away from my parents for an extended period of time. It’s been great. The first time I’ve worked not only one but two jobs (I like to stay busy). The first time I’ve lived with roommates and annoying neighbors (in a dorm) that blast music at midnight on Sundays (not cool). The first time I had the choice of eating ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without any parental judgment. The first time walking everywhere, and I mean everywhere because I don’t have a car on campus. The first time getting a credit card; it’s scary.

I never know when to pay the bill, so I pay it every time I make a purchase. However, despite all the changes and chaos, the constant support of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy has helped me through it. I have found my home here and wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world.

It’s been a year of happiness and joy, a year of hardships and lessons, and a year of fulfillment.

It’s been a year.

Translating philanthropy into a global perspective

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Abby Rolland

As the world’s first and only school of philanthropy, the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy acts as a hub not only for philanthropy in the United States, but for global philanthropy as well.

As part of its commitment to global philanthropy research and practice, the school has acted as a host for philanthropic and nonprofit global leaders. As part of that role, the school recently hosted two fellows from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

The Richard Rockefeller Fellowship commemorates the life of Dr. Richard Rockefeller, who was an advocate for the growth and development of strategic Chinese philanthropy. The fellows stay at the Rockefeller Brothers Fund office in New York, but they made a visit to Indiana to engage with faculty, students, and staff at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

While coming from different backgrounds and perspectives, Danxi Shen and Oma Lee both found value in their visits to the school and lessons to take back with them to China.

Shen has a background in education and philanthropy, and has been working at the intersection of both for most of her career. As the deputy secretary general at Sany Foundation, she oversees the foundation’s grantmaking and education research.

“I came to the fellowship to explore how we can improve the effectiveness of private philanthropy, while also thinking about broader questions related to philanthropy education,” Shen said. “How do we nurture talent for the third sector?”

Lee comes at philanthropy from a different angle. With a background in law and public policy, she analyzes how philanthropy catalyzes the development of civil society and public policy, and how a more conducive legal environment encourages more thoughtful philanthropic giving and participation.

“Philanthropy is very interdisciplinary. It pulls actors from the government sector, the corporate sector, and individual citizens and philanthropists to come together,” Lee said.

Only a month into their six-month fellowships, both Lee and Shen shared the importance of coming to the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy early on.

“The school is a hub of intellectual and academic discussion that synthesizes practical solutions about philanthropy. It has created a theoretical framework that helps us better understand what it means to do philanthropy, how do we do better philanthropy, and how we look at philanthropy from a macro level and interdisciplinary framework,” Lee said.

She also emphasized the importance of the school acting as the focal point for both American and global philanthropy.

“The school is able to research and synthesize commonalities between philanthropic circles all around the world,” Lee said. “This international framework will to a large extent affect our work and our understanding of how we can push for better philanthropy in China.”

Shen also enjoyed her experience at the school, starting with the conversations she had.

“The school promotes and supports open and diverse lenses of thinking about philanthropy. One can approach the same broad topic of philanthropy from very different aspects,” she said. “Putting those ideas into a bigger picture of philanthropy is integral to the fellowship.”

The diverse academic programs (bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D.) and fellowships hosted by the school also stood out to Shen.

“There are multiple different programs here tailored for different kinds of learning,” she said. “You can learn about philanthropy in Indiana and the local environment but also see how the school acts as an integral part of the bigger picture.”

Both women believe that the fellowship will impact their work in China.

“We’d like to establish more bilateral conversations and think in depth about promoting the exchange of ideas, experiences, and lessons in our respective work,” Shen said. “In addition to that aspect, I’m imagining a broader picture of globalized philanthropy. How do we educate and foster the next generation of talent, of nonprofit professionals who will engage in global dialogue?”

Bridging cultural and political gaps is also the center of Lee’s thinking.

“One of my missions is to better translate China to the world through the lens of public policy and philanthropy,” she said.

Both enjoyed their experiences at the school and in Indiana.

Lee: “It’s set the bar very high. I’ve never been in a place where I have been able to immerse myself in such deep thinking about the philosophy behind philanthropy.”

Shen: “It’s important to show how diverse and complex a sector can be within a country. One may think of the East Coast or West Coast of the U.S. first, but that’s only a part of the whole philanthropic picture. China is the same way. Having that kind of parallel framework of thinking is important to both of our careers.”

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

Gender research matters

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Andrea Pactor

Kathleen Loehr and Debra Mesch — Kathleen Loehr and Women’s Philanthropy Institute director Debra Mesch at the Women Give 2018 launch in Denver.

By Kathleen Loehr

We know that the world has rapidly changed in the last generation. There is rich demographic diversity across our country today; kindergarten classes are now majority-minority, meaning that no one racial group makes up more than half their population. This shift translates into greater diversity of donors in our portfolios now and going forward. Fundraisers understand the need to adapt their current best practices to create meaningful connections to these diverse prospects and donors. How do we do it?

Research on how the different populations give is the first step. If we don’t know how they give differently, how can we engage with them in ways that demonstrate respect and understanding? Research also brings forward facts, so we can look directly at stories we carry in our head and question how true the stories really are. Are we assuming that millennials will engage directly with current nonprofits? Do we believe that women give less than men? Do we perceive Hispanics as less generous than other cultures?

For the last 22 years, I have paid attention to the unique ways women give. When I started in the mid-90s, I was regularly told: “Really? Women give differently?” as well as “What does it matter?” In January 2017, when I was presenting with the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) at the annual conference for the National Coalition of Girl’s Schools (NCGS), I was greeted by many with “We get that women give more and give differently. HOW do we adapt?”

The shift in understanding came from WPI’s research. WPI has advanced women’s philanthropy through original, rigorous research that informs donors, fundraisers, and institutions about the different ways women give. With thanks to an incredible body of empirical research that has grown significantly in the past decade, the world now knows that gender matters in philanthropy. As I saw from fundraisers and leaders at the NCGS conference, there is clear awareness now of the distinctions AND that they matter if we want to raise more support for our missions.

Still, why is awareness important? Without awareness, we have unexamined thoughts and actions. We are what we practice, and often what we practice is unconscious because we’ve gotten so good at it. For instance, in fundraising this means that we began with “new” behaviors many years ago, practiced them over and over, and at some point, we were able to effortlessly, almost unconsciously, gain the same fundraising results regularly without thinking about our behaviors.

This has worked admirably for us; we have codified our behaviors, processes and systems to result in billions of dollars raised each year. We believe in these best practices because they do work—for many male donors. They often do not resonate with women.

Once we are aware of the quantifiable, rigorous research that women DO give differently, we have increased our ability to choose new and more effective ways to interact with women. We become conscious of different possibilities. We get curious and look at our data differently, ask for input from women who care about our cause, design our cultivation in ways that will resonate with women, and also show impact differently based on what they are looking for. With awareness comes choice, and with choice we are open to new actions.

Research is what helps break the cycle of unconscious behaviors done over and over again to raise funds. Our sector has been able to move from “Why focus on women?” to “How do we focus on women,” thanks to the important research conducted by WPI. We can now act differently thanks to what we know.

Our new conscious actions will diversify the practices of our fundraising field so that we are adaptive and effective in bringing transformed connections to women who care about furthering a strong civil society.

Kathleen Loehr is the incoming chair of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (July 1, 2018). Her book, Gender Matters: A Guide to Empowering Women’s Philanthropy, is being published by CASE and will be out July 2018. Written for fundraisers, Loehr uses a design thinking approach to unlock our unconscious biases and provides dozens of specific examples of how we can connect to women differently to grow philanthropy.

Mastering the balance: A day in the life of an online master’s student

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Abby Rolland

What does a day look like in the life of a philanthropic studies student? We’re about to show you. In this series, three students in three different academic programs (Ph.D., M.A., and B.A.) take you inside their lives for a day to show you what it’s like learning, living, and breathing philanthropy. This week we highlight a day in the life of executive master’s student Jenny Convey.

Name: Jenny Convey

Hometown/Currently resides: Oak Park, IL (just outside of Chicago)

School: Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Major: Philanthropic studies, M.A.

Class year: First year

Previous: Georgetown University, B.A. Classical Studies, minor in History

Officially having made it over halfway through her second semester in the executive master’s program at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Jenny is starting to get the hang of the balancing act between working in a very high-paced job as a nonprofit consultant while also being back in school; not to mention her extracurricular commitments as a board member at a philanthropic foundation and as co-chair of the Next Gen giving group at her local community foundation. It is certainly a challenge to fit it all in on any given day!

Having majored as an undergrad in classical studies, with a focus on ancient Roman history, she loves, by contrast, how current and relevant the coursework in the philanthropic studies M.A. program is to her career in the nonprofit sector. Her clients turn to Jenny and her firm, Giving Tree Associates, for sound advice and the most up-to-date information in the field, and what she learns in her courses directly builds her expertise for this work helping nonprofits grow and thrive in her day job.

It was this thirst to dive deeper and continue to educate herself in the most important topics in the world of philanthropy—both in her professional life and in her capacity as a board member with her family’s foundation—that drove Jenny’s interest in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

As soon as the master’s program offered the option to complete the entire degree online, she jumped at the chance to enroll. The remote coursework meshes especially well with her schedule, having developed the discipline required for teleworking through her job, where she works from home (when not in client meetings!). Still, during busy work-weeks, she tends to find herself burning the midnight oil to get her schoolwork done, and it can be a challenge to squeeze in enough quality time with her husband, friends and family.

But she is grateful for this flexible option for earning the degree, and has absolutely loved her courses so far, with her favorite being Grantmaking and the Role of Foundations, a particular interest of Jenny’s due to her work with her family’s foundation.

JENNY’S TYPICAL TUESDAY

7:30 a.m. – Wake up, shower, pack up and get ready to go. (I’m not a morning person, so this part is, admittedly, a bit of a struggle…)

8:30 a.m. – Much needed dose of caffeine, courtesy of my husband’s homemade cold brew.

8:45 a.m. – Jump in the car and head out to the biweekly staff meeting for my firm, Giving Tree Associates.

9:30 a.m. – Arrive at the home of the firm’s principal/co-founder: so much cozier than your typical staff meeting, and we always have a delicious breakfast spread of berries, avocado, and bagels! I love staff meetings because, as a remote office, these meetings serve as our opportunity to catch up with each other and put our heads together to problem-solve any roadblocks our clients are having and to share new information or best practices in the nonprofit sector. Plus, if there is a birthday, we get to eat cookies. I am a sucker for treats!

10:30 a.m. – Each staff meeting includes built-in learning opportunities: today’s “tool of the day” is all about Facebook Fundraising Tools, and my coworker, Jackie, gives a fascinating lightning talk on the Blackbaud Institute 2017 Global Trends in Giving Report, from which we learn that 73 percent of donors to nonprofits are women, compared to 27 percent who are male, among other trends.

11:30 a.m. – Staff meeting ends. I quickly send a few client emails, grab a bagel, and head downtown (Chicago) for a Speaker Series the firm is hosting.

12 p.m. – Arrive at the Speaker Series. The panel is on “Eliminating Sexual Harassment in the Nonprofit Workplace,” a topic that I had covered during my own lightning talk at a recent staff meeting, and wrote a blog post around. As a women-owned and staffed firm, the issue really hit home for our team, and we felt it was so timely and important that we wanted to bring it to a wider audience. The expert panel was fantastic and most of the audience opted to stay late to continue the riveting Q&A session.

1:30 p.m. – Dash over to my weekly meeting with one of my favorite clients, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA), in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago. JCUA is an incredible nonprofit organization working to advance systemic change through community organizing around issues like police accountability and immigration justice, and the team is just fabulous. I’m so glad I get to work with them!

3 p.m. – Catch up on client emails

4 p.m. – Hop over to another client meeting—for Reading In Motion, a children’s literacy nonprofit—where we run a fundraising solicitation training for the organization’s 35th Anniversary Gala committee. Practice, practice, practice!

6 p.m. – Back to Oak Park, where I live, for a meeting at the Oak Park Community Foundation. I am the co-chair of a Next Gen giving group—Next Gen Leaders in Philanthropy—that gives out small capacity building grants to local nonprofits.

7:30 p.m. – HOME! (Finally!) Time to eat dinner with my husband, and I’m starving!

8:30 p.m. – Finish this module’s reading about the social sector in Egypt for my course on Civil Society in Comparative Perspective, and post in the online discussion.

10 p.m. – Listen to Dr. Badertscher’s lecture on the ethical management of nonprofit organizations for my other course this semester, Applying Ethics in Philanthropy, and then crack open the reading for this module. This is a reading week, so I won’t be posting in the discussion until next week, but the readings are all about ways nonprofits can put ethical considerations into practice, which is giving me a lot to think about, both for my clients and my family foundation.

Midnight – Time to pass out: my husband has already been asleep for over an hour, and I am jealous! But can’t wait to do it all again tomorrow.