The lack of opportunity, equity and inclusion in corporate America has been a hot topic this year. However, not-for-profit entities cannot be excluded from this conversation. Multiple studies show that this industry still is predominantly white, especially in terms of leadership roles and boards. Not-for-profit leaders need to raise their awareness of the barriers facing aspiring leaders of color, build their capacity to address these barriers — and ultimately dismantle these barriers. 

 

Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) recognizes the ripple effect on the philanthropic sector when there’s a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Without leaders of color, there’s no intimate understanding of the racialized experiences of communities of color. With no staff of color, there’s little to no accountability to communities of color. And ultimately, with no perspectives from people of color, there’s a reinforcement of the racial opportunity gap — a bias into how philanthropic dollars are disseminated. 

 

CICF recognizes that the Black community, the Latinx community, the Asian community, Indigenous communities, LGTBQ+, and people with disabilities have always been entrenched in the philanthropic sector, regardless of title or affiliation. All of us. We at CICF celebrate their work and will continue to uplift their voices.

And this is the voice of Tashi Copeland, communications manager at CICF, with my piece, “We, Too, are Philanthropy.” 

 

Philanthropy. A collective of people, powering on to create profound change. 

Creating causes to uplift the collective, 

whether that be the collection of time, talent, or treasure. 

But there’s something missing. 

You see from its erection, this section, of our society was sectioned off for wealthy white men. 

And while the decades created innovations in advocacy and giving campaigns, 

the people in power, the faces of these foundations’ teams and boardrooms, 

they didn’t change. 

So now we find ourselves in a predicament. 

The predicament of 2021 is a plague of pandemic, both in our bodies and our boardrooms. 

When funding decisions lack insight because there is not a member of our communities in sight, 

Charitable Advisors has launched a refreshed website! Find more content, resources, and upcoming events as well as order a job advertisement or submit news to the weekly publication. View

United Way of Central Indiana’s Great Families 2020 initiative highlights key findings about the benefits of a model that serves the needs of children and their parents together. Read

ReNew Indianapolis has been designated as a NeighborWorks America charter member, giving the local affiliate access to $85,000 in funding, expertise and support for community development. Read

Wabash Valley Community Foundation has issued more than $155,000 in New Challenge Grants as part of a recovery phase of support for nonprofit organizations. Read

Cathedral High School Foundation, Inc., has announced that it has received $3 million from an anonymous donor for the school’s Centennial Campaign. The campaign has raised more than $25 million for its endowment fund. Read

The Larry and Cherri Dawson Charitable Fund, a fund of the Indianapolis Foundation, has donated $4,000 to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry’s “Meat” the Need Initiative. The funds ensure that hunger relief agencies are able to provide food-insecure residents in Central Indiana with nutritious meat. Read

Brooke’s Place for Grieving Young People has announced a $2,972 grant from the IU Health Summer Youth Program Fund to support its Camp Healing Tree. Read

Spring Weed Wrangle at Graham Martin Park on May 8 at 9 a.m. Join Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) in removing harmful invasive plant species from the park. Keeping urban landscapes free of invasive species provide native plants and wildlife the space they need to thrive. No experience is needed. KIB provides all tools and instructions. Sign up