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

The Center on Philanthropy increases the understanding of philanthropy and improves its practice worldwide.

Philanthropy encompasses formal and informal voluntary association, voluntary giving, and voluntary action and thus is a powerful force in shaping all societies.  The Center on Philanthropy is committed to knowledge creation, dissemination and education for engaged community volunteers, donors, nonprofit leaders, fundraising executives, policy makers, students and scholars.

The Center’s programs support the development of professionally trained practitioners and scholars, resulting in more efficiently and effectively operated nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations, more engaged volunteers and donors, and increased and effective philanthropy in the United States and globally.

VISION

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University will be recognized as the world’s leader in studying, teaching, and training about philanthropy.

GOALS

In achieving its mission to increase the understanding of philanthropy and to improve its practice, the Center will focus on these goals:

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

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

3.      Providing 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, fundraisers, and executives in the nonprofit sector through The Fund Raising School (TFRS), the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving (LI), and a range of professional development programs, seminars, and conferences offered in person, through media, and around the world;

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;

6.      Ensuring that a global perspective and an awareness of both the transnational and comparative dimensions of philanthropy are incorporated into all aspects of understanding philanthropy and improving its practice by developing strategic international partnerships, which will sustain the Center’s position as a world leader in the field.

VALUES

The Center on Philanthropy is guided by the following values including adherence to independent sector’s Obedience to the Unenforceable:

·         Commitment beyond self, beyond the law, and to the public good

·         Obedience to the laws

·         Integrity, openness and honesty in everything we do

·         Respect for the intrinsic worth of individuals and their ideas, including staff, faculty, scholars, students, practitioners, volunteers, and donors in the U.S. and abroad

·         Commitment to racial, cultural, demographic, gender, sexual orientation, religious, ethnic,  international, and intellectual diversity in our policies, personnel, and programs

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

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

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

·         Prudent application of knowledge and resources

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 only 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 new 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 le adership positions locally, nationally, and internationally, strengthening the Center’s le adership 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 of $68 million supports the Center’s work.

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.

PROGRAM GOALS AND STRATEGIES

RESEARCH

Goal

Maintain position as the premier resource for research about U.S. philanthropy and the nonprofit sector and increase research about international philanthropy

·         Build capacity of Center staff and Philanthropic Studies Faculty to conduct cutting-edge research related to philanthropy, nonprofit management, and fundraising.  

·         Develop awareness of COPPS as the premier source of data on giving and volunteering in the U.S. by utilizing the data to showcase its features (e.g. volunteering, panel/time-series data, etc.).

·         Enhance public access and understanding of Center research through easy to access information and in a format that is easy for practitioners and the public to understand.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Goal

Impact public understanding and public policy through the Center’s “thought leadership” in the field.

Strategies

• Maintain the Center’s position as “thought leader” in the field among major national media.
• Disseminate findings to policy makers and practitioners to inform policy and best practice.
• Implement and expand best uses of technology to make information available.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Strategies

• Provide comprehensive education on philanthropy and nonprofit organizations through undergraduate and graduate degree programs utilizing traditional and distance-learning delivery options.
• Support a multidisciplinary faculty to provide interdisciplinary approaches to philanthropic and nonprofit education within a global context.
• Collaborate with others in various communities to meet the needs and opportunities of a civil society.

Millennium Goals and Strategies

Goal

Build democracy and equity in leadership for the philanthropic sector. 

      Strategies

• Elevate the visibility and participation of individuals and organizations from communities of color, women, and youth.
• Integrate learning about leadership development-- particularly as it relates to communities of color, women, and youth-- into the literature and practices of the larger field as well as locally.
• Create better understanding of leadership issues through research.

PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE FUND RAISING SCHOOL

Goal

Strengthen and expand The Fund Raising School’s (TFRS) reputation and capacity as the leading provider in delivering comprehensive fundraising training and increase the penetration into broader NPO/NGO field through other public service offerings in the U.S. and abroad.

Strategies

• Continuously evaluate and improve TFRS.
• Engage new constituent markets in training.
• Implement and expand best uses of technology in course development and delivery.

PHILANTHROPIC SERVICES

Goal

To become the first source for research-based information for those seeking to enhance participation in philanthropy.

Strategies

• To provide research informed services to assist donor advisors, wealth managers, institutional executives and donors in enhancing their philanthropy.
• Integrate the Philanthropy Incubator (PI) and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) into the Center’s work, with emphasis on developing a viable, sustainable and revenue-generating model for Philanthropic Services programs and contracts.
• Seek partnerships to develop donor advisor and wealth manager education.
• Develop workshops, consulting, and web-based services for a variety of constituents to enhance and expand philanthropy.

Women's Philanthropy Institute (WPI)

Goal

To become a leading voice in issues related to women’s philanthropy.

Strategies

• Develop a better understanding of women’s philanthropy through research.
• To provide research-based services to inform donors and fundraisers about women’s philanthropy.
• Promote WPI as the resource for women’s philanthropy trends, best practices, and information.

LAKE INSTITUTE ON FAITH & GIVING

Goal

To establish the Lake Institute as a national and international program center for the exploration of the relationship between faith and giving among the world’s religions.

Strategies

• Develop cutting-edge research on questions about religion and philanthropy, faith, and giving.
• Establish the topic of faith and giving as central in the Academy.
• Equip religious communities and their leaders as well as individuals of wealth with the opportunities and resources to explore the topic of faith, money, and giving in all its robust diversity.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Goal

To be recognized as the world’s leading Center for philanthropic studies.

Strategies

• Develop a framework and procedure for establishing strategic international partnerships and establish a small and select number of formal relationships with universities abroad for joint programs including joint degrees and courses via the Internet.
• Collaborate with other Centers in the U.S. for the delivery of programs and dissemination of research internationally.
• Seek endowed programs from international foundations to support student study, library holdings (including electronic data bases and electronic distribution), and at least one signature research program developed in collaboration with one or more institutions abroad.

SUPPORT FUNCTION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

ADMINISTRATION

Goal