The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University increases the understanding of philanthropy, improves its practice, and enhances participation in philanthropy.

Philanthropy and scholarship are each separately among the most powerful influences working to shape the future of society.  In combination they may be unsurpassed in their power to improve the human condition.

       --William B. Boyd, President Emeritus
                                 University of Oregon and the Samuel Johnson Foundation

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University integrates philanthropy and scholarship in a unique way to help shape U.S. society and societies around the globe.

MISSION

Because every culture depends on voluntary association, voluntary giving, and voluntary action, the central aspects of philanthropy, Center on Philanthropy increases the understanding of philanthropy, improves its practice, and enhances participation in it through programs in knowledge creation and dissemination and education and training for engaged community volunteers, donors, practitioners, and scholars.

VISION

Through its leadership in the field of philanthropic and nonprofit studies and its outreach programs, the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University helps develop generous and engaged citizens and societies worldwide in which voluntary action and philanthropy for the common good are a part of the fabric of life.

VALUES

The Center on Philanthropy is guided by the following values:

·         Leadership in institutional development, field building, and impact on society

·         Excellence in scholarship, research, teaching, training, and collaboration

·         Integrity in everything we do

·         Accountability and service to each other, our sector, and our community

·         Respect for the intrinsic worth of individuals and their ideas, including staff, faculty, scholars, practitioners, volunteers, and donors

·         Commitment to racial, cultural, demographic, and gender diversity in our policies, personnel, and programs

·         Prudent application of knowledge and resources

GOALS

As the mission statement suggests, the goals of the Center on Philanthropy are to increase the understanding of philanthropy, to improve the practice of philanthropy, and to enhance participation in philanthropy.

The Center fulfills these goals by:

1.       Developing new knowledge through research to increase the understanding of the philanthropic process of associating, giving, and volunteering;

2.      Disseminating knowledge through public affairs and education programs, media relations, seminars, and other programs on issues related to philanthropy and philanthropic traditions;

3.      Supporting educational programs in philanthropic studies, to teach theory and further best practices related to the philanthropic process and nonprofit structures for graduate and undergraduate students, ranging from undergraduate programs to those in the Master of Public Affairs and the Master of Arts and Ph.D. in Philanthropic Studies degree programs;

4.      Offering public service and continuing education training based on the Center's knowledge creation to citizen volunteers and practitioners in the nonprofit sector through The Fund Raising School (TFRS), the Advanced Professional Issues Seminar, and a variety of contract programs and special initiatives;

5.      Providing philanthropic services to donors, donor advisors, wealth managers, and funders through the Philanthropy Incubator (PI), the Women's Philanthropy Institute (WPI), and the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving (LI).

THE PLACE OF THE CENTER

Context
Much of civil society depends on the activity of the nonprofit or nongovernmental sector.  It encompasses diverse organizations:  hospitals and nursing homes; charity and faith-based organizations; education and research institutions; arts and cultural; environmental; international relief and mediation, and civic improvement. Through philanthropy, we reduce human suffering and enhance human potential, provide equity and justice, build community and provide human fulfillment, support experimentation and change, and foster pluralism.

The value of the Center is its deep experience and knowledge of the sector and involvement in every facet from practice to research. Established in 1987, the Center on Philanthropy Indiana University is the nation's most comprehensive university-based project dedicated to serving philanthropic and nonprofit clients. There are excellent scholars in philanthropic studies and nonprofit management throughout the world, but no institution can convene among its own faculty the breadth and depth of the Philanthropic Studies Faculty at the Center on Philanthropy. 

The Center promotes both the practice and study of philanthropy, putting a priority on understanding its role in society and contributing to the knowledge of the field. Methodologies of the humanities, the social sciences, and professional disciplines are applied to understanding the processes of voluntary association, voluntary giving, and voluntary action. The knowledge base developed within the university informs the practices of fundraising, grantmaking, nonprofit organization management, and volunteer involvement primarily through TFRS, LFI, and WPI, as well as other public service programs that the Center administers.

The Center supports the first traditional Ph.D. program in Philanthropic Studies. It also supports a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies in the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI and a concentration in nonprofit management within the Master of Public Affairs degree program offered through the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI and IU Bloomington.  Support is also provided to other doctoral and undergraduate programs that include philanthropic studies and nonprofit management. 

Key Strengths and Assets
The Center has significant knowledge of the sector, developed from years of experience highlighted by the following key strengths and assets.

·        University Base: Academic and research excellence with an outstanding reputation forms a foundation for all the Center does.

·        Comprehensive, Integrative Approach: The Center has a model program through successful integration of its research, academic programs, governance, administration, and practitioner training into impact on professional practice and on university curricula and discovery, with research informing practice and practice informing research.

·        Quality Research Base: Leadership and excellence in research is at the heart of the organization's competencies.

·        Superior Philanthropic Education Programs: Distinction in its M.A. in Philanthropic Studies program has a distinctive emphasizes on the role of the liberal arts in philanthropic studies and provides a foundation for multi-disciplinary research in the new Ph.D. degree in Philanthropic Studies.

·        Multi-Disciplinary Philanthropic Studies Faculty: Faculty spanning several disciplines, schools, and campuses are committed to the development of philanthropic studies.

·        Practitioner-Based Faculty: Knowledgeable TFRS faculty and WPI speakers experienced in relevant aspects of development teach citizens beyond the scope of university degree programs.  

·        Staff and Students:  Staff and students with diverse and extensive knowledge, experience, and commitment are dedicated to understanding and improving the sector. 

·        Public Voice and Public Policy Impact: Extensive media and other relationships assist in disseminating Center knowledge to the public and policy makers through local, state, and national media outlets, contributing to a healthier understanding of the role of philanthropy in our society.

·        Alumni Network: Alumni of both academic and training programs serve with distinction in leadership positions locally, nationally, and internationally, strengthening the Center's leadership role. 

·        Payton Philanthropic Studies Library and Philanthropy Archives: Unequalled resources serve as a foundation for the Center's work.

·        The Center on Philanthropy Panel Study (COPPS): Providing the only longitudinal study of giving and volunteering with potential major impact for practitioners, policy makers, and wealth advisors.

·        International Scope: The Center has international experience in developing philanthropy with affiliates and academic partners in Italy, Germany, Thailand, Mexico, Argentina, Austria, and New Zealand. 

·        Board of Visitors: Skilled individuals representing and experienced in all aspects of contemporary philanthropy help guide the Center, extend its reach nationally and internationally, and assist it in securing resources.

·        Executive Committee: Key university administrators committed to the Center's work help set policy for the Center and secure its place in the university.

Expectations
These are extraordinary times in the philanthropic and nonprofit sector.  They call for extraordinary efforts by the Center to understand the traditional roles that the sector has played and the dynamics of the changes taking place and to develop and test theories on giving, asking, volunteering, managing, and evaluating.  The demands for professional-level approaches call for specialized undergraduate, graduate, and life-long learning opportunities.  The Center's programs impact directly students in the university, practitioners in nonprofit organizations, donors and funders, and, ultimately, the lives of individuals served by philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.

Maintain the Center's reputation as the premiere resource for research about the sector.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS GOAL
Maintain national and international leadership of the Center's academic programs.

PUBLIC SERVICE GOAL
Maintain and enhance The Fund Raising School's (TFRS) reputation as the leading provider of comprehensive fundraising training and increase penetration into the NPO/NGO field.

PHILANTHROPIC SERVICES GOAL
To integrate the Philanthropy Incubator (PI) and the Women's Philanthropy Institute (WPI) into the Center with emphasis on developing a viable and sustainable business model.

LAKE INSTITUTE ON FAITH & GIVING (LI) GOAL
Establish the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving as a national and international program by 2011.

OBJECTIVES OF SUPPORT FUNCTIONS GOAL
Move the Center from an "A" organization to an "A+" organization by strengthening the leadership position of the Center as a "thought leader" among key constituents - funders, clients, university, faculty, students, and alumni - as determined by an outside evaluation compared to the results of the previous evaluations by June 30, 2010.

Administration Goal
Provide leadership and oversight to the Center on a continuum from daily operations to long-term vision and resource generation.

Finance Goal
Develop system of effective financial management update reports by June 30, 2007.

Development and Communications Goal
Develop ongoing and comprehensive model development program for the Center on Philanthropy.

Technology Goal
To have the Center achieve leadership status in use of technology to enhance its operations and distribute information.