An important partner of the Community Foundation of Jackson County — Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, the state’s membership association of grantmakers — recently celebrated its 25th year with a reception at Indiana Humanities in Indianapolis.
According to the Alliance’s first annual report, the purposes of the organization were to: foster interaction among donors; enhance the quality and quantity of grantmaking in Indiana; stimulate development of new foundations and corporate giving programs; inform grant seekers about private philanthropy in the state; and bring attention to the contributions and importance of philanthropy in Indiana.
The Alliance has gone through various name and mission statement changes over the years, but its core purpose remains.
Currently, the organization’s 160 member grantmakers — including the Community Foundation of Jackson County — hold about $12.5 billion in assets and award more than $500 million in grants annually.
The organization’s “Silver Circle” members, grantmakers who have been members of the Alliance since its 1990 origins, were recognized at the Nov. 16 event in Indianapolis.
The event coincided with National Philanthropy Week, which offers an opportunity to recognize the contributions that the philanthropic community has made, through dollars given and invested, volunteer hours offered, and expertise donated to compassionate causes all across the Hoosier state, including here in Jackson County.
In Indiana, children are educated and nurtured in places like Girls Inc. of Jackson County, adults are educated in places like the Jackson County Learning Center, hungry people are fed through programs at area schools and pantries such as Community Provisions, housing is found for families in crisis at places such as Anchor House, adults are empowered to complete college degrees, our environment is nurtured, and our economy is strengthened through talent recruitment — and that’s just a small part of what Hoosier philanthropy is doing on a daily basis in our community and in towns and cities across Indiana.
Indiana Philanthropy Alliance is a nonprofit membership association for Indiana’s private, family, community and corporate foundations, corporate giving programs, and other grantmaking organizations.
Its mission is to champion, support and connect its members as they help lift up Indiana through effective philanthropy.
The Community Foundation of Jackson County — and our community as a whole — has benefited from its connection with the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance. The Foundation, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2017, relies on programming, seminars and sound advice that the Alliance offers to foundations throughout the state.
The Alliance’s work and the generous donations of area residents, organizations and businesses help make our work in philanthropy more meaningful and impactful throughout Jackson County.
To learn more about the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, you can visit its website at inphilanthropy.org. To learn more about the Community Foundation of Jackson County, check us out at cfjacksoncounty.org.
Or give me a call at 812-523-4483. I’d be happy to talk with you about how you, too, can help make a difference in our community through your gifts and your desire to help others.
Dan Davis is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Jackson County. For information about donating to the Foundation, call 812-523-4483 or send an email to [email protected].