In addition to a paralyzing pandemic and social unrest, 2020 marked the year that philanthropic organizations in Indiana, and nationally and globally, abandoned the rulebook on how grants traditionally had been issued.

Many Indiana philanthropic organizations, weighed down by the enormity of the challenges facing communities, including job losses and food insecurity, decided to distribute funds to nonprofits without the need for detailed grant requests or reporting processes.

“They woke up and asked, ‘What can we do?” recalled Claudia Cummings, president and CEO of the Indiana Philanthropic Alliance, which represents 190 philanthropic organizations in the state.

The leaders of “one foundation showed up at the office one morning and mailed out checks to every single grantee — whether or not they had requested funds,” Cummings said.

Other philanthropic organizations shared similar stories with the alliance, including distributing funds without restrictions — trusting that the grant recipients would use them to carry out their mission quickly and optimally in the midst of the global pandemic.

In that way, the COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated the adoption of better practices across all industries worldwide, according to Cummings.

“Many things we would have thought to be impossible pre-COVID were adopted by a lot of institutions. It has opened up opportunities,” Cummings said. “While writing out checks to those who never even asked might not be something that's triggered all of the time or even ever again because it may not be a good practice, we have learned that dollars can go out rapidly and we understand the mechanisms that can make that happen.”

As professionals in the financial services industry, we’ve devoted our careers to helping individuals attain financial peace of mind, personal protection, and retirement security.

The pandemic, though, has cast this important work in a new light, invigorating Americans’ interests in all aspects of financial preparedness and personal protection, and highlighting the deep connections between financial, physical, and emotional wellness.

This is a pivotal moment for our industry and the Americans we serve, as we guide those who have just experienced, first-hand, the complex and unexpected path life can take. In this new environment, widening the lens and broadening the view on the traditional idea of financial wellness can help Americans feel prepared and protected for today, tomorrow, and the years to come — whatever those days and years may bring.

As a longtime veteran of the financial services industry, I’ve seen first-hand the energy we’ve collectively spent educating retirement plan participants about market risk, asset allocation, and the importance of beginning deferrals early. Though these are, of course, critical elements, there’s more that’s needed to help individuals establish peace-of-mind about their financial security.

As an industry, we must guide individual workers, and their employers, to look beyond the retirement plan — to realize that true, comprehensive plans for financial wellness also incorporate personal protection and decumulation strategies. This is especially critical and relevant post-COVID, as the pandemic forced the idea of financial protection for loved ones, and our own mortality, to be top of mind in a way we haven’t seen previously.

United Way of Central Indiana is distributing $1.2 million in Social Innovation Fund grants to 14 community organizations. The fund supports one of five impact initiatives aimed at reducing generational poverty in Central Indiana. View grant recipients.

Zotec Foundation has announced a $250,000 donation to Foster Success. The funds will support career development programs and resources for teens and young adults transitioning from foster care during the next three years. Read more

ServLife International has raised a total of $114,931 in a recent matching fundraising campaign. Proceeds will be used to educate children, empower families and support pastors in India and Nepal. Read more

The Indiana Recycling Coalition has changed its name to Circular Indiana. The organization also launched a new website to reflect its shift from focusing primarily on recycling to rallying individuals, communities and organizations in creating a more circular economy centered on reduce, reuse, repair and redesign. Visit the website

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry has received a $5,000 grant from Walmart 6955 to support its “Meat” the Need initiative to aid in hunger relief in Hendricks County. Currently, more than 13,000 Hendricks County residents regularly struggle with food insecurity, according to Feeding America.

Through a partnership between Indianapolis Public Schools and the city, Susan R. Leach School 68, a former school building on the city's Eastside, will serve as overflow housing for people who are experiencing homelessness. The facility will be open to women and their children during the winter months if all other city facilities are at capacity. Read more

Tips to identify bias in nonprofit programs webinar on Dec. 1 at noon. Get an understanding of why identifying bias, micro-aggressions, or other issues primarily on an individual level do not change systemic biases that affect bigger issues. Presented by Nonprofit Learning Lab. Cost: Free. Register

Frame the problem webinar on Dec. 2 from 10 a.m.-noon. Before you can begin using data to inform decisions, identify what you are trying to accomplish and determine how data can help you. Presented by SAVI Data Literacy. Cost: Free. Register

Leading courageously in unparalleled times webinar on Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Learn how nonprofit executives can stay energized and continue to lead with courage and conviction. Presented by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Cost: Free. Register

A new approach to propensity modeling webinar on Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. Propensity modeling is a powerful tool that can cut through the noise to find the constituents who are most likely to give to your cause. Presented by Nonprofit Learning Lab. Cost: Free. Register

United Way of Central Indiana is looking for volunteers for Indy Free Tax Prep, a program that provides free tax preparation to individuals and families with a household income of $66,000 or less in 2021. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to sign up before the end of December. Register

IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI A learning culture and keys to sustainability

Charitable Allies End of Year Fundraising Checklist

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