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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 at home and abroad.

Brief History

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 at Indiana University is the nation's most comprehensive university-based program dedicated to serving philanthropic and nonprofit clients and preparing the next generation of community volunteers, donors, nonprofit leaders, fundraising executives, policy makers, and scholars. 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 as the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

The Center promotes both the practice and the study of philanthropy, putting a priority on understanding its role in society and contributing to the knowledge of the field internationally. 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, Lake Institute, 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 as well as a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies both in the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. It also supports 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.
Multi-Disciplinary Philanthropic Studies Faculty: Faculty spanning several disciplines, schools, and campuses are committed to the development of philanthropic studies.
Five Endowed Chairs: Including the Binford Chair in Corporate Citizenship, Efroymson Chair in Philanthropy, Hartsook Chair in Fundraising, Baker-Ort Chair in International Healthcare Philanthropy, and Lake Chair on Faith & Giving.
Executive Committee: Key university administrators committed to the Center’s work help set policy for the Center and secure its place in the university.
Board of Visitors: Skilled individuals experienced in, and representing, all aspects of contemporary philanthropy help guide the Center, extend its reach nationally and internationally, and assist it in securing resources.
High Quality Research Base: Leadership and excellence in research is at the heart of the organization’s competencies.
Reflective Practitioner Faculty: Knowledgeable TFRS, LI, and WPI faculty and speakers experienced in relevant aspects of practice teach practitioners and volunteers beyond the scope of university degree programs.
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.
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.
Superior Philanthropic Education Programs: Distinction in its M.A. in Philanthropic Studies program has a unique emphasis on the role of the liberal arts in philanthropic studies and provides a foundation for multi-disciplinary research in the Ph.D. degree in Philanthropic Studies.
Payton Philanthropic Studies Library and Philanthropy Archives: Unequalled information resources support the Center’s work.
Staff and Students: Staff and students with diverse and extensive knowledge, experience, and commitment are dedicated to understanding and improving the sector.
Public Affairs: Nationally recognized expertise, insightful thought leadership and extensive media and other relationships make the Center a trusted leading national public voice on philanthropy and nonprofit issues and a first stop for journalists and policy makers seeking a more objective understanding of the role of philanthropy in our society.
Power to Convene National and International Leaders: The Center leverages its extensive network and partnerships to convene nonprofit leaders, fundraising executives, experts, and scholars to learn and share perspectives, grapple with contemporary and future challenges in the nonprofit sector and help find solutions.
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.
International Scope: The Center is committed to understanding philanthropy and improving its practice internationally and has gained international experience through collaboration and partnerships throughout the world.
Commitment to Diversity: The Center has extensive experience working with organizations and individuals that represent diverse cultures, ethnicity, religions, gender, and age.
Endowment: Current and pledged endowment supports the Center, valued at $68 million at the time of gift commitment.

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. These are also times 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, leaders, and fundraisers in nonprofit organizations, donors and funders, and, ultimately, the lives of individuals served by philanthropy and the nonprofit sector throughout the state, across the nation, and around the world.