Charitable Advisors

By Fred Payne, President and CEO, United Way of Central Indiana Across Central Indiana, many families are doing exactly what we hope and expect: showing up for work, caring for their children, and doing their best to build a stable life. Yet for too many, even full-time work — and sometimes more than one job — is not enough to keep housing secure; bills current, and family life steady.

By Chelsea Ohlemiller, Director of Community & Content, Charitable Advisors A job can be more than a paycheck. It can be a purpose. It can be a way to strengthen communities, create meaningful change and become part of something bigger than yourself. That belief is at the heart of Charitable Advisors’ “Work for a Nonprofit, Make a Difference” campaign — an initiative created to highlight the purpose, impact and opportunity found in nonprofit careers across Indiana.

Monica Hingst, Senior Consultant, Schunk Moreland Strategies Most organizations have a vision and mission statement. Far fewer have a north star. A vision describes the future that an organization hopes to create. A mission declares why an organization exists, including what you do, who you serve, and how you serve. A north star answers a different question: What are we ultimately trying to achieve together? For mission-driven organizations, this distinction matters.

By Amandula Anderson, First Vice President & Manager of Nonprofit Services, The National Bank of Indianapolis Nonprofits manage frequent and varied types of transactions, from donations to payroll, which means that you need easy access to funds. In this area, you want to look for a combination of convenience from modern digital banking tools and a local team that knows your organization and is accessible in the moments that matter most. Everyone knows I love sweet treats.

By Morgan Riley, Charitable Advisors Fundraising right now feels a bit like learning a new map while the landscape keeps shifting. Fortunately, to find their footing, organizations don’t necessarily need the biggest budgets. Resilient fundraisers are building a funding ecosystem and weaving together multiple sources of support instead of relying on a single lifeline.

By Lauren Kreutzinger Nonprofit organizations are navigating a period of significant uncertainty. Changes in federal funding priorities, economic pressures, workforce challenges, and increased demand for services are forcing many organizations to make difficult decisions about staffing and resource allocation. While these challenges are not new, today’s environment requires nonprofit leaders to think differently about financial stewardship.

We are excited to share that Charitable Advisors has joined Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), bringing together two organizations deeply committed to strengthening the nonprofit sector in Central Indiana.

By Marshawn Wolley Networking sometimes gets a bad rap, especially in the philanthropic and advisory space. Too often, it’s reduced to handshakes, clumsy efforts to exchange contact information with your phone, and brief conversations that go nowhere. How many times can you talk about the weather or how (insert your go-to sports team) are doing? But, when done with intention, networking becomes something far more meaningful: a long-term investment in people, purpose, and shared impact.

Written By Stefany Dolan, becauseOne If you spend your days in the nonprofit world, you know something to be true: fulfilling the mission doesn’t neatly clock you in at 9:00 a.m. and out at 5:00 p.m. It follows you home. It sits with you at dinner. It wakes you up at 2:00 a.m. when you’re thinking about the family you couldn’t quite help, the funding you’re still trying to secure, or the team member or volunteer who is one hard week away from total burnout.

By: Kristen Schunk Moreland, President and Founder of Schunk Moreland Strategies Many nonprofit organizations do not think of their strategic plan as a fundraising tool. It is often viewed as something required by the board, something funders may request, or something that helps guide internal priorities. Once complete, it may be referenced from time to time, but it is rarely fully activated in a way that meaningfully shapes how the organization raises resources.