Resources for Nonprofits

...So, if the thought of fundraising is enough to keep you up at night, read on. It’s not nearly as scary as you think, and it’s probably your safest bet when it comes to sustainable funding.

This year, of course, three major challenges have imperiled that landscape: Major cuts to government funding; socio-political pressure around race, immigration and gender; and a volatile market impacting philanthropic giving. Our region’s nonprofits and philanthropic sector are both on high alert...

Chances are, if you work at a nonprofit, then you have some awareness of donor-advised funds (DAFs) and how they contribute to philanthropy. If not, here’s a quick overview.

Many times, nonprofits highlight the most heartwarming stories to showcase the passion and generosity that our sector thrives on. While that will always be a crucial story, more of us need to extend the conversation.

From the foundation perspective, CICF is expressing to lawmakers that donors and foundations should be free to give to causes they care about without concerns of reprisal or retaliation. Through this commitment, we remain devoted to a more broadly prosperous Central Indiana. In the meantime, entities who directly serve the most vulnerable in our community need to know how best they can endure an era of uncertainty.

Before looking at several tips to stabilize your nonprofit finances, let’s address the obvious. In the wake of the federal grant freeze and subsequent legal back-and-forth, an alarming level of uncertainty has entered the nonprofit sector. The Urban Institute recently created a map quantifying the risk level to nonprofits posed by the freeze. While it provides a critical level of awareness, it’s hardly comforting.

In 2023, the Indy metro area not only led our state in its rate of population growth, it also led regional peer metros like Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, and Louisville. That year, we also discovered that the Indy metro area had also outpaced every other Midwest metro in GDP growth from 2019 to 2022—some of the toughest years in our history. That growth promises great benefits for our region, but only insofar as the benefits accrue to every Central Indiana county, town, neighborhood, and doorstep.

New Year’s resolutions are notorious for vanishing before the snow melts. Who can give up caffeine when the sun sets at 5 p.m.? Or spend more time in nature when it’s buried under snow? For your consideration, here are three resolutions that nonprofits can utilize for added sustainability – nearly all of which can all be accomplished indoors over coffee.

For many of us, the word “endowment” can feel intimidating. It conjures up images of billion-dollar family foundations or Ivy League universities, entities that seem to exist in another dimension from our own. In reality, an endowment is far more accessible – and versatile – than many realize.

As a not-for-profit, your strengths are typically in human services, public advocacy, volunteer coordination, and traditional fundraising. Liquidating a rare 1994 Alex Rodriguez rookie card for maximum value (up to $40,000) may not be in your wheelhouse. Welcome to the world of complex asset donation, an increasingly popular and effective form of philanthropy!

As philanthropic advisors in central Indiana, we are experiencing firsthand the results of generational culture shifts. At Central Indiana Community Foundation, we are seeing that as the wealth of Boomers and Gen X philanthropists is shifting to Millennials and Gen Zers, each generation brings their own unique spin to how they approach philanthropic giving. While older generations traditionally have prioritized legacy and public recognition, many emerging donors are more focused on tangible results and measurable impact. By emphasizing transparency, accountability, impact, trust, and collaboration, not-for-profits can build meaningful relationships with the next generation of donors and drive positive change in our central Indiana community.