December 3, 2024

Blue Avocado

As nonprofit leaders, we know that volunteers are the backbone of our work. We know that they contribute countless hours of time and commitment to our organization, making projects possible that our budgets otherwise simply can’t afford.

Currently, the national average value of one volunteer hour is $25.63 (more than three times the $7.25 federal minimum wage and about comparable to the average $29.80 of a nonprofit employee).

Nonprofits everywhere are desperate to find volunteers, and it’s easy to see the tremendous economic benefit your volunteers bring to your organization. Yet so often, especially in small to midsize nonprofits, we are unsure about effective ways to find and manage quality volunteer cohorts. And given the post-pandemic decrease in volunteering nationwide, it’s crucial for us to keep those volunteers that we already have.

We tend to shy away from this key concept: A volunteer is really like an employee, just unpaid. For years, effective for-profit companies have numerous, specific processes to recruit, train, onboard, mentor, develop, and appreciate their employees. While the nonprofit sector has also been getting onboard with the importance of training its employees, the reality is that we should do no less for our volunteers.

Continue reading for practical tips and insights

In November, a coalition of organizations released the Central Indiana Digital Equity Plan, with the goal of cultivating digital equity for all in the region 

By Gary Thompson, project specialist, United Way of Central Indiana  

Growing up in Franklin, Indiana, I knew too many parents who had to drive their kids to the nearest fast food restaurant, public library, or coffee shop so their kids could use the free Wi-Fi to get their homework done on school-provided Chromebooks. 

Some days, they just simply couldn’t do their homework, usually because their parents were either too tired or busy to drive them again.

Now, almost a decade and a half later, friends who became teachers in Indiana complain about the same barriers for students, except this time, schools have required e-learning days on top of that.  

Times have changed, but support hasn’t.  

Digital technology and the internet are part of our daily lives, but not everyone has access to these essential tools. Investment in digital technology is like all other infrastructure investments in the United States: The lucky or wealthy get it, and others are left out. Marginalized and disinvested communities continue to lack access.

That’s where the Central Indiana Digital Equity Plan comes in.

Read more

Grant County Family YMCA named Adam Myers as CEO beginning January 2025. Myers was previously campus recreation director at Indiana Wesleyan University. —Inside Indiana Business

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is excited to welcome Karina Caballero as their new controller. Caballero previously served as the director of finance at INCAE Business School.

Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation is fueling a coalition of Indiana industry, education, and state leaders with over $1 million in grants to establish 50,000 student apprenticeships by 2034, beginning with talent associations in health care, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and banking. Modeled after Switzerland's gold-standard apprenticeship system, the initiative aims to align workforce training with industry needs, with the first pathways launching by the 2025-26 school year. Learn more

The University of Indianapolis landed a $5 million gift from UIndy alumnus and retired Eli Lilly executive, Stephen F. Fry, who is directing the money to three new programs at the business school designed to give students real-world business experience along with their classroom experience. Read more  

Little Red Door Cancer Agency’s annual fundraiser, Face of Hope Breakfast, raised a record-breaking $564,311. Proceeds will be used for Hoosiers along the cancer continuum and the medically underserved cancer community. Read more

The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, in partnership with Lilly Endowment Inc., is launching the Advancing Indiana’s Nonprofit Sector program in 2025 to strengthen fundraising practices for small and mid-sized nonprofits in Southern and Northeastern Indiana. Through tailored training sessions, a resource library, and a support hotline, the program aims to equip nonprofit leaders with essential skills to enhance sustainability and better serve their communities. Learn more

East Central Indiana is emerging as a hub for healthcare workforce training, thanks to partnerships between regional colleges like Ball State University, Taylor University, Ivy Tech Community College and healthcare institutions such as IU School of Medicine-Muncie. By equipping students with innovative, hands-on training and fostering local retention, the region is addressing critical healthcare shortages and building a stronger, healthier future for Indiana. Read more 

Close to 9,000 Hoosier students participated in the Summer Learning Labs, the annual report shows double-digit math and English Language Arts (ELA) learning gains for a fourth year. The Mind Trust launched the flagship program, Indy Summer Learning Labs (ISLL), in 2021 with United Way of Central Indiana, to combat the significant learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Download report 

Tell stories with data webinar on Dec. 11 from 9 - 11 a.m. Learn to find the compelling narrative in your data, connect facts that build a compelling argument, and use compelling graphics to communicate your point. Presented by SAVI. Cost: Free. Register  

Preparing for AI: Key considerations for nonprofits webinar on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. Participants will walk through the layers of AI Readiness. Presented by Tech Impact. Cost: Free. Register  

Public policy and philanthropy webinar on Dec. 12 at 1:30 p.m. Listen to a discussion with Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation. Presented by IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Cost: Free. Register

Fundraising from the business sector webinar on Dec. 12 at noon. Learn practical methods for translating your nonprofit’s mission and funding opportunity to business sector funders. Presented by IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Cost: $19. Register

Make decisions with data webinar on Dec. 17 from 9 - 11 a.m. Learn to apply your critical data skills to decision-making, learn the limits of data in decision-making, and incorporate qualitative information to improve decisions. Presented by SAVI. Cost: Free. Register  

Brooke's Place for Grieving Young People, Inc. needs support group facilitators for their Westside, Eastside, and Northside program nights. Volunteers will provide a safe and supportive environment for children, ages 3-29, and their immediate caregivers to grieve the way they need to grieve. Volunteers must be 16+. No counseling background is required. Training provided. Learn more  

DOL Publishes Skills-Based Hiring Guide

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a resource guide designed to educate employers about the benefits of using skills-first hiring practices to build a better, more qualified workforce. 

Navigating A.I. From Programs to Operations

Exploring artificial intelligence (AI) potential not just as a tool for efficiency but as a means to advance our mission in a way that’s aligned with our values. As a pivotal moment in philanthropy, could have lasting impacts on the communities we serve.