Deepening research through collaboration

Posted on March 12, 2018 by Abby Rolland

At the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, collaboration is key.

Recently, the school participated in two collaborative panels with other schools and organizations on information and research related to international philanthropy and board diversity. Working with other schools and organizations provides the opportunity for the school to augment and deepen its research and knowledge on philanthropy.

The first panel took place in Bloomington, Indiana and featured Dr. Una Osili, associate dean for research and international programs, and Dr. Carol Adelman, the creator of the Global Indices and visiting research professor. Indiana University First Lady and Lilly Family School of Philanthropy alumna Laurie Burns McRobbie, M.A. ’16, moderated the discussion. The panel was sponsored by three Indiana University schools, including the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the School of Global and International Studies, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) Bloomington.

“I’ve always been interested in international affairs and how foreign aid has played a role in diplomacy,” Dr. Adelman said about the creation of the Global Indices. “I noticed that private players, such as individuals and foundations, were donating money internationally but that number isn’t included in official development assistance (ODA). We discovered and analyzed the source of that giving, which included corporate records, foundations, individual, NGO, and religious giving, and devised ways to measure private philanthropic giving and volunteerism.”

Dr. Adelman and her team discovered at the time that private philanthropic giving was nearing the same amount as ODA; it has since outpaced ODA. Last year, the Global Indices were transferred from the Hudson Institute to the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

“I wanted to find an institution that understands and conducts important research while also engaging foreign students. I believe I found the best one to facilitate that,” Dr. Adelman said.

Dr. Osili outlined the school plans for the indices.

“We’re going to utilize the school’s networks of international students and partners,” she said. “We’re also expanding the number of countries we’re studying to 80 and ‘going deeper’ by analyzing social, cultural, and political contexts that drive trends.”

The panel also explored the question of giving in one’s home country vs. overseas. Dr. Osili commented that individuals gain from giving to both, while Dr. Adelman explained that international philanthropy is good for democracies and for rights and freedom.

At the end, McRobbie asked each of the panelists to touch on global philanthropic trends they expect to see in 2018. Dr. Osili and Dr. Adelman both mentioned that technology and crowdfunding will play a role in international giving.

Watch the panel discussion

In addition to co-sponsoring events, the school also partners with organizations to produce relevant, interesting, and thorough research.

Another panel was sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and featured Dr. Osili, Angela White, CEO of Johnson, Grossnickle, and Associates, Vernetta Walker, chief governance officer and vice president of programs for BoardSource, and alumnus George Suttles, M.A. ’13, program officer with The John A. Hartford Foundation. The panelists shared their knowledge about recently-published research on nonprofit board diversity, how the research pertains to nonprofits, and practical advice for nonprofit organizations.

They first commented on the importance of having diversity on boards. Walker stated that building more diverse boards gives nonprofits the opportunity to lead authentically. White added that the case studies included in the report offer an opportunity to see what gifts a board can bring to the table.

“They illustrate that institutions need to be flexible, open to change, and embrace board development as a continuum,” White said.

Suttles pointed out that involving younger board members promotes a higher level of engagement. He stated that organizations should also create pathways for donors of color with high net worth to become more involved with the organization.

All three professionals presented practical tips for nonprofits to increase board diversity. Walker emphasized that organizations need to prioritize diversity and make connections with potential donors and board members.

“Organizations should become comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. It’s also important to create a culture and environment that is welcoming and able to mentor new board members,” she said.

White encouraged nonprofits to look at the case studies presented in the research.

“It takes time to change a culture and an ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion to better further the mission,” White said, while also encouraging organizations to personalize a board member’s experience.

Suttles said that organizations should remain committed and find ways to raise levels of cultural competency.

“If you engage people to understand your mission and resources, it allows them to see how the organization creates opportunities,” he said.

Walker, White, and Suttles also provided one additional piece of advice for nonprofits and boards. Walker encouraged nonprofits to have a conversation on what diversity means in their organizations. White reiterated the important point of nonprofits providing a continuum of board service to current and potential board members. Suttles urged nonprofits to connect everything they do to the mission of the organization.

Download and read the research report

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

Two students, two paths, one competition

Posted on March 8, 2018 by Abby Rolland

You may have heard about the David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Leadership and Giving competition and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy undergraduate winners of that competition, senior Rosie Tarlton and junior Elizabeth Williams.

You may have listened to their presentations and heard Tarlton talk about her passion for children’s health and Williams focus on poverty and urban development. You may wonder though, what are their motivations? What previous experiences caused these two young women to apply for this unique opportunity?

Tarlton has been passionate about children’s health since she was little. As a newborn, she was rushed to Riley Children’s Hospital, part of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals system, where she received life-saving treatment. In 2015, she was selected as a Riley Champion, one of seven individuals who have overcome adversity within their medical journeys and continued to give back to the hospital. As a senior and Riley Champion in high school, Tarlton attended Jagathon—IUPUI’s dance marathon—and realized that IUPUI was where she wanted to spend her college years.

“The feeling at Jagathon and IUPUI … the entire experience literally changed my life,” she said. “I knew I wanted to come here after that.”

Tarlton arrived at IUPUI that fall, believing that she wanted to major in American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting.

“I was in a public relations first-year seminar class, and the advisor said to me, ‘Rosie, you are not in the right place,’ ” she said. “I had shared all of my experiences and pictures as a Riley Champion and she told me that IUPUI had the perfect major and introduced me to the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.”

Tarlton immediately began taking classes in the school, and realized it was the place for her.

Williams came to IUPUI through a different path, and she also didn’t begin as a philanthropic studies major.

“I grew up in Indianapolis and during my last two years of high school, I took many of my prerequisites for college at IUPUI. I initially didn’t intend on coming here, but it ended up making the most sense,” she said.

Williams knew she wanted to work in the nonprofit sector, and began in the Kelley School of Business.

“There was someone in my church who was enrolled in the Ph.D. program (at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy),” she said. “It sounded so interesting, so I met with Pamela (Clark, director of student services and admissions), and she sold me on it. I love the flexibility and the fact that the professors have real world experience in the field. I thought it would be an incredible education if I wanted to work for a nonprofit organization and so far it’s been that way.”

When the two women heard about the David Nathan Meyerson Prize, they responded in two very different ways. Williams read an email about it and decided immediately to apply.

“I enjoy writing and public speaking and thought it would be a unique opportunity to grant money to an organization,” she said.

Tarlton, however, took some convincing.

“I didn’t plan on applying originally,” she said. “Pamela encouraged me to apply and so I decided to.”

Both felt confident entering the presentation stage of the competition. Tarlton spoke about children and youth health, and the impact of the care she had received on her own life.

“I was a little nervous, but it’s also easy to speak about something I have so much passion for,” she said. “It truly came from my heart; I loved the experience.”

Williams based her presentation on the book When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty without Hurting the Poor… and Ourselves” by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. She spoke about her passion for city and urban development, affordable housing, and wanting to address the root issues of poverty.

“I was nervous, but it was also exciting to talk about something that I love,” she said.

Both expressed surprise that they won, but also were excited about the possibilities.

Williams: “I thought everyone’s presentation was excellent. I was inspired by everything the students had done. I immediately started thinking about who I wanted to grant the money to and what I wanted to do for the experience.”

Tarlton: “I thought everyone did a phenomenal job, so I was surprised and honored that I won. It wraps up my experience at the school. It represents what I’ve done here and made it all feel whole to me.”

And their plans? Williams organized a trip to The Chalmers Center in Atlanta, Georgia to meet the authors of the book she based her presentation on.

“The Chalmers Center works with other social service organizations in the area to provide holistic strategies and approaches to helping people and working on poverty,” she said.

During her visit, Williams was able to learn about the organization and sit in on two lectures on poverty in the U.S. and community development.

“One of the most impactful things I was reminded of was that, in order to be effective, I have to approach situations with humility and recognize that there is so much I still need to learn,” she said.

Williams also plans to do an internship with the Southeast Neighborhood Development, Inc. (SEND), and she has applied to volunteer at Shepherd Community Center.

“Poverty is an issue that has so many different factors. Housing is one of those factors that I hope to address,” Williams said.

Tarlton finished her term as the director of community engagement on the Jagathon executive board last weekend, and looks forward to continuing to volunteer at Riley Children’s Hospital. She tentatively plans on visiting several Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals around the country to learn about their missions and what they do.

“I’d like to learn more about organizations that support collegiate level student involvement with philanthropy, like Jagathon,” she said.

After graduation Tarlton says she wants to work in development and fundraising in an organization where she can make an impact.

“My experience (at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy) has been amazing,” she said. “It has truly given me so many opportunities that I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere else.”

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

Balancing work, family, and a master’s degree

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Abby Rolland

Erin Hedges, M.A. ’13, had worked in the nonprofit field for many years, was managing her own nonprofit consulting firm Hedges in Indianapolis, and had started her family.

A feeling, however, was drawing her back to school.

“I had always wanted to pursue a graduate program, but wanted to be very intentional about what I wanted to study. I knew that the then-Center on Philanthropy was located in Indianapolis and had a well-known master’s program in philanthropic studies. It became a priority for me to complete the program when I realized this was the kind of work I was going to do forever,” Erin said.

She enrolled in the executive master’s program while also continuing her full-time work with her consulting business.

“I took one course at a time and during the summers, I took two. I completed the program in four years,” she said. “There’s tremendous value in the program as a mid-career professional. You’re able to engage with the program and courses while looking at the work you’ve previously done and identifying the future work that needs to be done. In addition, you’re easily able to be a working professional and balance coursework and family.”

Erin continues to use her courses in her professional work, taking three of the elective courses in the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation.

“Those courses gave me a broader perspective of the motivations behind donor behavior and how tax strategy plays a role in giving,” she said.

Erin has also given back to the school and now serves on the alumni board.

As a result of earning the degree, Erin has grown Hedges to advise nonprofits in a more holistic way. While the company used to focus its service line solely on grant services, it now provides strategic planning and program development evaluation services as well. Erin credits her coursework for that evolution.

“That’s been a direct result of me being able to look at the work that we were doing in the sector through the lens of my course work, and then look at new ways we can help them build capacity, become more sustainable, and have greater impact,” she said. “Through my degree program, I was able to deepen and expand my knowledge. Now, I see the work that we’re doing at Hedges through a wider lens and how the work we do relates to transformative social change.”

Erin also advises current students to take advantage of opportunities available, encouraging them to look for ways to connect with people who are working in areas of interest to the students.

“Someone introduced me to a woman who was doing what I wanted to be doing,” Erin said. “She ended up being my first client in central Indiana. People at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy want to help you find your place where you can make a difference.”

Madam C.J. Walker: Extraordinary and ordinary philanthropy

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Abby Rolland

Black History Month ended on Wednesday, and Women’s History Month started yesterday. In honor of these occasions, I spoke with Dr. Tyrone McKinley Freeman, an expert on Madam C.J. Walker and philanthropy in communities of color.

Madam Walker, who lived during the height of Jim Crow, was widely known as the first American woman who became a self-made millionaire. She was African-American and a woman, but she was so much more, as I learned from Dr. Freeman.

Before studying Madam Walker, Dr. Freeman worked as a fundraiser for a community development corporation in Indianapolis. He began taking courses within The Fund Raising School, which then set him on a career path in development where he served organizations in youth and family social services and higher education.

Eventually, he became the associate director of The Fund Raising School where he traveled around the country and to Africa, Asia, and Europe teaching nonprofit professionals and developing curricula. He knew he wanted to learn more though, and began as a Ph.D. candidate in the newly-established philanthropic studies Ph.D. program.

Dr. Freeman began studying Madam Walker soon afterward.

Exploring Madam Walker

“I’ve always been interested in the multiplicity of philanthropy; what counts as philanthropy and who counts as a philanthropist,” he said. “I’ve known Madam Walker’s story since I was a child. I had heard she was a philanthropist, but didn’t see her in the philanthropy textbooks or other related research. Nobody had written about her in that way, so I decided to take the opportunity to do so.”

Dr. Freeman soon learned from working in archives at the Indiana Historical Society, the Chicago Public Library, Yale University, and digital archives of black newspapers, just how vibrant and significant was Madam Walker’s philanthropic story.

“She did so many activities and projects that fit under the notion of philanthropy in terms of voluntary action for the public good,” he said. “She saw her company as a vehicle and opportunity for uplifting and empowering African-American women by providing jobs outside of menial labor. She incubated salons to help black women launch businesses. Education was important for her, so she created a network of beauty schools to offer a professional credential at a time when there were unjust legal limitations placed on black learning.

“She organized her agents into clubs so they could sell products and serve others. The agents did charity work in their communities. They produced a resolution against lynching, so there was an activist element to it where they were collectively raising their voices as black women.

“Madam Walker also donated money to southern black schools and to social service organizations. She’s very courageous, thwarting Jim Crow, and showing others how to do so as well while creating opportunities in her community for African-Americans, especially African-American women. She’s given me a window into how vibrant philanthropy was in the black community 100 years ago.”

However, Dr. Freeman also explained how “ordinary” Madam Walker was in relation to her time. While she was an extraordinary case, she did what she was taught to do by black women mentors.

“This is what they did; the expectation was that you would give back to society,” Dr. Freeman explained. “Madam Walker had a unique platform and more resources than the average person, but she was doing what black women typically did in their communities. This point is essential for understanding her, and black women more broadly, as philanthropists.”

Re-thinking philanthropy

Students learn about Madam Walker in the classroom, but in different ways. Rather than include her solely in a section on race and philanthropy or gender and philanthropy, Dr. Freeman seeks to weave her story in various sections throughout his class.

“She gave in many different ways. I could include her in a section on different ways to give or social entrepreneurship,” he said. “Rather than limit student exposure to her in the more obvious categories of race and gender, I can weave her into the general discourse and bring topics like her or communities of color into the center. It’s re-thinking the way we approach and teach philanthropy.”

In addition, Dr. Freeman also conducts research on philanthropy in higher education and philanthropy in communities of color in general. His current projects include research on million dollar giving to historically black colleges and universities, and the landscape of African-American philanthropy in the 21st century.

“In both studies, we can learn how and why these donors conceptualize their giving and what they’re trying to accomplish with those gifts. In the process, we can observe how historical practices of giving from 100+ years ago have evolved and impact giving in the community today,” he said.

Through those studies, and his research on Madam C.J. Walker, Dr. Freeman hopes to shed new light on philanthropic giving in traditionally overlooked communities.

“These communities teach us about the scope, limits, and possibilities of philanthropy,” he said. “They also illustrate that people in communities of color come out of longstanding, historical traditions of giving and have been actively engaged in philanthropic work from the beginning of their American experience. They aren’t new or emerging donors in that sense.

“In addition, fundraisers and others in the philanthropic field have expressed interest in what’s broadly being termed as diversity in fundraising and philanthropy. That interest and the growing number of questions from donors of color about their giving and their history is giving academia the opportunity to try to connect donors of color with information and resources so they can become more effective in their giving. It also gives academia the chance to contribute and learn about what philanthropy is, how it’s being done, who’s doing it, and why they’re doing it.”

Tyrone McKinley Freeman, Ph.D., is assistant professor of philanthropic studies and director of undergraduate programs at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. He just finished writing a book about Madam C.J. Walker and black women’s philanthropy in the early 20th century. You can reach him at tyfreema@iupui.edu.

Challenge accepted

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Andrea Pactor

By Robert Harris

“You have to do this.”

These were the words Dr. Debra Mesch said to me to improve the quality of my work in the Gender and Philanthropy online graduate level course.

Strong, but I have always accepted the challenge of teachers and instructors that take me into uncomfortable spaces. The course, led by Dr. Mesch and Andrea Pactor, continues to resonate with me in my work.

One course reading in particular, Birds of a Feather: Homophily in Social Networks (McPherson, 2001), has pushed me in my current work to seek greater understanding of the views of people who are different from me. This is the opportunity I see for us now, to work with others from diverse backgrounds.

Homophily is the tendency for individuals to connect to and network with people who are similar to them. We learned in the course that giving circles are an example of homophily in action. Individual giving circles generally include members of a certain race, gender, age, religion, or ethnicity.

Once, as an undergraduate, I returned to my hometown of Gary, Indiana. In the car with my mother, she put on Rush Limbaugh. I was horrified. I turned to her, a union leader, one of the first group of African-American women to work full time in the steel mills of Gary, my single-black-mother and asked, “Why are you listening to Rush Limbaugh?”

Her response?

“If you don’t know someone’s point of view, how can you shape an argument against them? They may have an idea you can stand behind.”

Being one to live what she said, my mother challenged herself to have regular conversations with a co-worker known as a staunch conservative who carried strong opinions about politics, race, and the role of women.

“In a national probability sample, only 8 percent of adults with networks a size of two or more mention having a person of another race with whom they ‘discuss important matters.’ ” (McPherson, 2001)

In the summer of 2017, I was asked to lead a strategic planning session for a partnership in a city in South Carolina. The city’s population is equally split between whites and African-Americans. Not lost on me, standing in the front of this room of educators and local partners numbering more than 40 people, only four African-Americans in the community were selected to take part in the planning.

Later in my small breakout session, two African-American women representing a local private foundation were stunned that the presidents of the local United Way and community foundation were unaware of the efforts of individuals and organizations in the African-American community.

The dynamics of the deep south make an easy scapegoat for this lack of awareness, but it’s also homophily. The Gender and Philanthropy course has allowed me to name, call out, and consider how to address this issue. I appreciated that philanthropic professionals that lead the two largest funding institutions for this city came together with two women from the private foundation and accepted the challenge to draft a diverse list of the people and organizations to study and potentially fund.

At the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, our definition of philanthropy is, with respect to Robert Payton, voluntary action for the public good. In a period when our society is divided on issues, as philanthropic students and professionals our choice of work can place us on one side of any issue … for full public view.

There are challenges philanthropy students and professionals can accept, in the spirit of that definition, to break through homophily:

Take time to learn about the passions of your colleagues, from them;
Review who are the stakeholders in your work, consider if they are all represented in discussions and planning;
Remember philanthropy comes from philanthropos “love of mankind;” as heated as discussions have become in recent years, philanthropic professionals work from love and ultimately for the inclusion of all.

That opinionated coworker my mother became friends with was one of the first people to call me after my mother passed away. His entire family put their arms around me to help me grieve and I found myself taking my mother’s place in their conversations. Conversations held with respect, understanding, and civility.

Robert Harris is senior manager of network engagement at Strive Together, a national nonprofit of more than 70 communities that support the success of every child, cradle to career. Robert received an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in 2016.