A vintage photograph of the 300 block of Indiana Avenue captures a moment in time — when the area was nationally recognized for its bustling Black-owned businesses, and arts and culture scene. 

Some of the buildings likely would have been identified by Indiana Landmarks as historic sites worth saving — if they hadn’t already been demolished. With the exception of the Madame C.J. Walker Building, most of the black-owned buildings in the 1950s image, including the jazz clubs Sunset Terrace Ballroom and Royal Palm Gardens, no longer exist because of highway construction and modern urban development during the 1960s and 1970s.

However, Indiana Landmarks recently launched the Black Heritage Preservation Program, which effectively establishes a new concept for the nonprofit — recognizing the heritage of a place, whether or not a building still stands at the location.

People who may not have been familiar with the Black history of Indiana Avenue and other historically significant places like it will soon can gain an appreciation of their impact and influence in the state, said Eunice Trotter, who recently assumed the role of the program’s director.

Trotter, an author, journalist, and long-time community activist, said the new initiative is important because of the disappearance of many historically Black neighborhoods, schools, and businesses throughout the state through demolition or gentrification.

“It is extremely significant because so much of our history has been erased or ignored — even by ourselves,” Trotter said of Black residents. “We know it somewhat but, with each generation, we know even less. When you couple that with the tearing down of the physical evidence of that history, we become a history-less people. There’s no proof of anything that we’ve done, challenges we’ve overcome, or contributions that we’ve made.

Are you looking to prepare your nonprofit for a potential recession? We’ve helped nonprofits long enough to know that hard times can be tough on nonprofits, but they don’t have to shrink or shut down the organization. In fact, some nonprofits not only survive, but thrive during crises. 

So what do the nonprofits that thrive during tough times do differently than those that shrink or close their doors? Here are our tips on preparing your nonprofit for a recession so you can come out on the other side better than ever:

If things are going well for your nonprofit, the time to start saving for a rainy day is right now. Maximize your revenue, whether it’s through program service revenue or an extra fundraising push at year’s end. And then, save those funds. Even renting out a spare space in your office can bring in that extra cushion of funding. Always plan to have some savings in your budget. Most grant providers won’t want to contribute to that, so general donations or program service revenue can help you build up savings.

A word of caution though: Resist the urge to cut costs left and right. Most nonprofits I interact with already cut costs so much, and limiting that even more could actually be detrimental. 

Here’s an example: if you have a printer that’s old and prone to breaking down regularly, it costs your team time every minute they have to spend trying to fix it. The old model might also need ink and toner refills more frequently than a newer model. And let’s say you have an event coming up and the printer breaks again. Your staff might have to send the flyers off to a professional printing service to get printed on time. In this case, you’ve wasted time the staff could’ve used doing other things, the ink, the toner, and the money it took to have someone else print the flyers. While replacing the printer might seem like the more expensive option up front, if it runs well, it’s likely going to be cheaper over the course of the year. 

Episode 26: Join Bryan Orander as he speaks with Gurinder Kaur of the Immigrant Welcome Center about how Indiana is supporting people who need assistance from as near as Haiti and as far away as Afghanistan. Gurinder also shares how her journey to Detroit from India was both her first plane trip and first time seeing snow.  Listen

The Don Wood Foundation has awarded flash grants totaling $22,500 to area career and technical centers as part of National Manufacturing Week. The organization is dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and related education in the Fort Wayne area. Learn more

Lumina Foundation has awarded the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation (MDLF) a $100,000 grant to advance its educational and recruitment efforts. The funds will be used to promote a more diverse pool of MDLF Fellowship applicants, improve the quality of MDLF programs, and launch new initiatives to impact more Hoosier participants who are leaders in their communities. Read more

The Villages of Indiana’s 25th annual golf classic raised $115,000, exceeding its $100,000 goal. Proceeds will be used to provide opportunities for children to attend camps, take driver's education courses, and participate in various extracurricular activities. 

How boardrooms are evolving and how leaders should respond is on Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. In the past five years, boardrooms have seen significant internal changes while navigating the shifting role of corporations in society. Learn the latest insights about this trend. Cost: Free. Register

IU McKinney Law Juris Doctor information session on Nov. 14 from noon-1 p.m. Those interested in applying to start law school in 2023 are invited to attend this one-hour session which outlines steps in the application process. Register

Disability education series III: Panel discussion with disability advocates online discussion Nov. 15 from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Gain more insights about the disability community. Attendees are invited to a panel discussion as disability leaders in the community share their stories, answer questions, and discuss how to build a more accessible future together. Presented by McCoy. Cost: $5. Register

The Racial Equity Institute’s (REI) Groundwater Approach virtual interactive training on Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. Examine characteristics of modern-day racial inequity. Presented by The Indianapolis Foundation. Cost: Free. Register

Leading remote and hybrid teams webinar on Nov. 16 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. The world of work has changed — and so has leadership. Learn how to interact, communicate, and collaborate in a new work environment that includes remote and hybrid teams. Presented by HR Nonprofit Peer Group. Cost: Free. Register

Financial management power hour webinar on Nov. 17 at 1-2 p.m. at Barnes Dennig. Many nonprofit leaders in Indiana wear multiple hats — establishing the strategy, the mission, and the vision. However, growth may elude them. Learn the ins-and-outs of running the business side of a nonprofit. Presented by Barnes Dennig. Cost: Free. Register

The Indiana Historical Society is seeking volunteers to help transform its facilities into a winter wonderland for upcoming programs. Volunteers are needed to move and shape trees as well as decorate the inside and outside of the building. Contact IHS to volunteer.

Caring for a Cause Supportive Services, Inc. needs sponsors to donate toys or adopt a family for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. For more information, contact Tamara Ajimati or call (317) 886-0724.

Better Business Bureau 5 things to know before donating to emergency relief efforts

Johnson Grossnickle & Associates Ranking nonprofit innovation

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Program Manager - Junior Achievement of Central Indiana

Executive Director - Paws and Think, Inc.

Job Seekers, what do you think of Charitable Advisors’ new job board? We moved our job board to HiringOpps in late April. Now, we are anxious to find out how the new system is working as a job seeker. If you have applied for a job using the new system, could you please take 2-minutes to let us know how it is going?