Spirit & Place Festival welcomes a public conversation about a year that changed everything
|
|
by Shari Finnell, editor/writer, Not-for-profit News
Conversations about challenging topics can be incredibly uncomfortable, whether they’re about race relations, gender identity, pay equity, the removal of 100-year-old Confederate monuments, social justice protests or COVID-19 vaccine shots.
When faced with the many challenges in 2020, Indianapolis residents had the opportunity to engage in many uncomfortable conversations. Some did. Some didn’t. The 2021 Spirit & Place Festival wants to highlight the need for ongoing conversation by encouraging a public discourse on some of those topics.
The festival, which is now in its 26th year, has rolled out an agenda that revolves around the theme of CHANGE, encouraging the public to reflect and engage in conversations about how 2020 brought about change and envision the steps needed for further change.
.
The 11-day festival of events, which runs from Nov. 4-14, includes an exhibition and a panel discussion called Monumental Changes: History and Power in Public Art from 6-9 p.m. on Nov. 5. During that discussion, which will be held at the Garfield Park Arts Center, panelists will provide perspectives on the history, controversy and June 2020 removal of a Confederate monument in Garfield Park on the city’s Southside.
Jordan Ryan, a historian, archivist and scholar, who is among the panelists, noted that the monument was dismantled and removed without community discussion — leaving a gap in residents’ ability to have their voices heard. The Spirit & Place Festival panel discussion will provide one of those opportunities, Ryan said.
“We never had a community conversation when the statue was taken down ... a public conversation,” said Ryan, noting that some other cities had public forums before statues were removed. “This represents the first time the public can come together and have that discussion.”
Ryan acknowledged that it can be uncomfortable to engage in this type of discussion. However, it’s needed, she said.
“It will be uncomfortable, but that’s how we grow,” Ryan said.
|
|
Is now the time?: Revisiting your vision, mission, and values
|
|
by Kate Brierty, Consultant, Hedges
Rapid change has been relentless. Over the past 18 months, many organizations have been forced to make tough decisions about how to continue their work with limited resources and difficult contexts. Others have swiftly and significantly expanded programs and staff to meet a growing demand for their services. The ability to make split-second decisions and fast adaptations has been essential for every nonprofit organization to survive.
As we begin to consider how to reliably deliver meaningful impact in our new context, many organizations have carved out space to reflect on what’s new, what’s next and how to move forward in a sustainable way. Now more than ever, we are hearing that strategic planning has been challenging as organizations have found increased misalignment between their stated mission, what they do currently, and what future actions the changes in their communities call for. After factoring in the desires of a community, funders and a team, it can feel like an organization is left trying to be everything to everyone.
If this frustration or misalignment feels familiar, your organization might benefit from pressing pause on strategic planning until you can revisit and realign what’s most core to your organization: your vision, mission and values. It can sometimes be difficult to tell when this reflection process is needed, but the five questions below can help you determine if investing the time on vision, mission and value work now might help you avoid frustration, build alignment, and create a stronger plan for your organization’s future.
1. Does your organization need to define its vision, mission and values?
This might seem obvious, but you’ll first want to consider if your organization has taken the time to clearly write out its vision, mission and values. You might use different terms to describe this work (like calling it an organization’s purpose or commitment); regardless it is important for these core pieces to be internalized and aligned across the organization.
|
|
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana has promoted Ivan Cropper to chief diversity officer. Cropper previously served as vice president of marketing and communications.
|
|
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana has promoted Eric Schlegel as senior vice president and chief operating officer. Schlegel previously was vice president of operations.
|
|
Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana has promoted Betsy Delgado to senior vice president and chief mission and education officer. She previously was executive director of The Excel Center®.
|
|
Tangram has hired Shannon Duggan as director of quality improvement. Duggan previously led daily operations for market research compliance for Harper Global.
|
|
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites has hired Danielle Humphrey as director of corporate relations. Humphrey previously was the board engagement and leadership manager at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.
|
|
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites has hired Jess McPherson as site coordinator for the New Harmony State Historic Site. McPherson previously was a research assistant at Indiana University-Bloomington.
|
|
A new doctorate in Philanthropic Leadership program, which is expected to launch in August 2023, has been approved at IU Lilly School of Philanthropy at IUPUI. Read
The Indiana Arts Commission has announced that over 100 Hoosier artists have participated in the annual On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator for artists and creative professionals through local partnerships statewide. Read
Aspire Indiana Health has won an honorable mention for video of the year by PR Daily's annual Nonprofit Communication Awards. Read
State of the nonprofit industry survey. How did the events of 2021 impact your nonprofit organization? BKD is seeking insights from nonprofits for a research study. Please share your input in this brief 5- to 10-minute survey.
The Indy Winter Farmers Market will be open 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., on Saturdays, from Nov. 6 through April 30, 2022, at 1220 Waterway Blvd. To increase food access, the market will offer shoppers a triple-match on SNAP eligible items.
Is your board staying on top of local nonprofit news and industry trends? Great resources are available in the weekly Not-for-profit News and Frontline Perspectives. Encourage your board members to subscribe.
|
|
The Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana virtual conference on Oct. 27 from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. Topics discussed include cross-cultural communication, racial wellness, modern gender theory, cultural competency. Cost: $100. Register
Equity at work: Practical tools for building an inclusive workplace webinar on Nov. 3 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Companies working on improving representation of women, people of color, and others from traditionally marginalized groups must build a culture that fully leverages the benefits of diversity. Cost: Free. Presented by Momentive. Register
How nonprofits can maximize virtual fundraising in 2022 webinar on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. The latest virtual fundraising tools needed to effectively plan and manage online fundraising campaigns. Cost: Free. Presented by Nonprofit Tech for Good. Register
Find existing data webinar on Nov. 14 from 10 a.m.-noon. The session will provide an overview of the strengths, weaknesses, and costs of readily available data sets. Presented by SAVI Data Literacy. Cost: Free. Register
|
|
The Milk Bank is accepting nominations for its board of directors. Ideal candidates are passionate about advancing public health, combatting infant mortality, or reducing health disparities. Read more details
The Heart and Soul Clinic in Westfield is seeking to fill open board positions. Ideal candidates are committed to championing the organization’s mission to provide quality healthcare to uninsured and underinsured Central Indiana residents. The board meets quarterly. Email lisa@heartandsoulclinic.org
The Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation is seeking board and committee members interested in ensuring affordable housing, diversity, food access and quality education on the Near Northside of Indianapolis. To learn more, contact Elan Daniel elan@mfcdc.org.
Volunteers are needed to help paint the homes of veterans on Nov. 5, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sign up
|
|
Explore these 6 evidence-based strategies for improving diversity in your organization.
|
|
Develop orientation that speeds up the learning curve of new members and their engagement.
|
|
Our sponsor marketplace serves to further connect our readers with our advertisers who are focused on serving nonprofits. To learn about each sponsor's nonprofit services, click on its logo.
|
|
|
FUND DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGIC PLANNING
|
|
|
|
|
BANKING/
ASSET MANAGEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
|
CHARITABLE ADVISORS
FEATURED JOB POSTINGS
|
|
We believe a city thrives with a healthy and active arts and culture sector. Do you want to help make Indianapolis a city that delivers on the promise of A Full Creative Life for All? The Arts Council of Indianapolis partners with seventy local arts organizations and hundreds of local artists to become the most diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible in the nation.
Take the lead at one of Indiana's premier disability services providers, headquartered in beautiful south-central Indiana (Bloomington, Lake Monroe, Brown County, Indiana University). Stone Belt believes in the uniqueness, worth, and right to self-determination of every individual. Therefore, it is our mission, in partnership with the community, to prepare, empower, and support persons with developmental disabilities and their families, to participate fully in the life of the community.
Could you lead an organization that has assisted four thousand victims of crime and abuse victims each year and helps them move forward or start in a new life? Do you feel passionate about advocating on behalf of marginalized and traumatized individuals? Prevail has offered a full range of comprehensive, restorative services to victims for the past 35 years and is a recognized leader in victim advocacy. We empower victims of crime and abuse on their path to healing, while engaging the community to support safe, healthy relationships. Programs and services including housing opportunities are offered to teens and adults along with their children.
|
|
Executive
Development
Administrative/Management/Leadership
Marketing/Communications/Events
Finance
Programs
Teaching
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|