Celebrating and Reflecting

On the eve of the new year, it is timely for me to take a moment to reflect on the past year at Women's Fund and to share my vision for the next. 2009 been a challenging and rewarding year for Women's Fund. In the difficult economy, challenges faced by women and girls in our community have increased. This hardship has solidified Women's Fund's position as an expert resource on women and girls. Despite these challenges, we have had many notable accomplishments, impacting women and girls by:

• Concluding our endowment campaign. Thanks to the support of thousands of campaign donors since 2004, we have increased our capacity to grant to women and girl serving organizations in central Indiana now and in the future. And, the launch of online giving is helping us provide better service to our donors!

• Granting $337,500 to 13 organizations focused on keeping women and girls safe and helping women and girls gain and retain employment.

• Celebrating our 9th class of OPTIONS. 210 women have given more than 450,000 dollars to benefit women and girls in central Indiana. These participants and alumnae are the current and future philanthropists and leaders for our community.

• Growing GO: Give Back to include 67 GO Funds and almost 90 children and young adult participants. We also hosted our ninth Power of Girls event in collaboration with Indianapolis Power & Light and The Julian Center.

• Launching a Facebook page and blog to create conversations about women and girls.

What does 2010 hold for Women's Fund? Continued progress through funding addressing our issue areas: caregiving, domestic violence, and insufficient income. Communication with current and future donors will be a priority. And, we will continue to be the expert resource on philanthropy education, through GO and OPTIONS. We will forge ahead in our efforts to improve conditions for women and girls in central Indiana--there is much work yet to be done!

Thank you for reading, and for your continued support. I look forward to connecting with you in the new year!

p.s. Our next post will be January 12th. Women's Fund and CICF will be closed the week of January 4th, so be sure to check back with us!

Resolving to Make a Difference

It is almost 2010, so I am reflecting on what I was doing ten years ago, as the world anticipated what might come with Y2K. That same year, Women's Fund celebrated our first year of grantmaking. Ten years later, we have granted a total of over $3.2 million to 89 central Indiana organizations. Ten years later, we have impacted many women and girls in the community, thanks to thousands of donors, philanthropists empowered to improve conditions for women and girls through our permanent endowment.

While I've always cared about helping others, in ten years, I have grown my knowledge of how I can help the community I am a part of, through volunteering my time, serving in leadership positions, my career, and giving my charitable dollars.

There are many great causes to support... as an individual, sometimes it is difficult to navigate these options! This is why I enjoy being a part of civic organizations helping me focus my efforts (that's me during a service project with one group). This is why I also appreciate being part of Women's Fund, where we are an expert resource on issues impacting women and girls in our community, and on philanthropy education for women and children.

As we head into the new year, I'm excited to think about what 2010 - and the next ten years - will bring for me, for Women's Fund, and for women and girls in our community.

I ask what I can do to help make this next year even better for myself and the community? In this time of resolutions, planning for the future, and reflecting on the past, I also encourage you to learn more about community needs and how you can help. What are your plans?

Exploring a Community Center I Never Had

I’ve become interested in Community Centers through my work with Women’s Fund. Last year alone, Women’s Fund invested $65,000 for operating expenses to three different centers (Concord Neighborhood Center, Hawthorne Community Center and John H. Boner Community Center). Growing up on Army bases, I don’t recall having a community center to go to, so I became curious about them. What are they? Who visits them? What do people do there? Why are they so important?

Well, the more I explored, the more I learned and the more I love about them. First, I love that the word “unity” is in the word community. That’s exactly the purpose of a community center – to bring unity to the communities they serve. No matter a person’s age or their needs, there are programs, activities and services for everyone.

For today's blog I decided to take a closer look at Concord (the picture is from one of their childcare graduations). Women’s Fund has provided significant funds to this organization for a number of years – from computer training for girls to childcare for women; assistance with basic needs to youth development. The Concord Neighborhood Center has been serving south side families since 1875, providing everything from social services, children’s programs, educational opportunities and recreational activities. They pride themselves on their ability to positively impact the lives of its neighbors.

So to answer my own questions:

1. Who visits the center? Concord serves over 1,000 women and girls annually (not to mention the number of boys and men that visit throughout the year).


2. What do they do there? Concord offers childcare, before and after school care, sports, camps, homework help, employment assistance, educational programs, emergency assistance, family literacy programs, wellness classes, health clinics, activities for seniors – and the list goes on and on.


3. Why is it so important? I’m pretty sure the first two answer this question. If it weren’t for Concord, people on the south side wouldn’t have these quality programs and services.

Once again, I thank Women’s Fund for introducing me to an organization I wasn’t very familiar with and for the dollars you invest to help improve the quality of life for our women and girls in our community (in this case, those living on Indy’s south side).

Include Emergencies in Your Giving Plan

A few weeks ago, I attended a Women’s Fund event honoring OPTIONS Alumnae at Linda Mauer’s lovely home. First of all, I was honored to be a part of an organization that is comprised of such fantastic, diverse, and lively women. There were about eighty women present, from all OPTIONS classes, discussing everything from babies, to careers, to charitable giving. It was exciting watching the connections being made everywhere.

Once Jennifer got us all corralled for the program, we heard a story that I think may be particularly relevant for lots of us who may be reviewing our giving plans for this year and making decisions for the upcoming year. Two employees from The Julian Center came and spoke to us about the important work that they are doing. Of course, it is always compelling to hear the real stories of the families that The Julian Center is helping, from the battered women who have finally gotten up the courage to leave their terrible situation to the partnership with the prosecutors to ensure that batterers are held accountable. But what was really eye opening was a story that Jennifer shared about how The Julian Center lost a large government grant this year and faced a major budget crisis. The funding situation was so dire, and so unexpected, that The Julian Center faced immediate downsizing of its already lean staff. Jennifer mobilized her Women’s Fund network and helped arrange emergency dollars to allow The Julian Center to maintain the status quo while it worked to find replacement money to ensure that it could continue to maintain its critical staff.

If you contribute to any non-profit organization on a regular basis, you may receive frequent communication regarding financial crises that arise. Sometimes I know that I feel like charities may be crying wolf too often. And sometimes I wonder to myself why these organizations haven’t planned for the unexpected, and that maybe they are just preying on my human reaction to want to help fix an emergent problem. And perhaps they are. But I think the story of The Julian Center demonstrates that it shouldn’t really matter. There was no way for them to know that they would lose that critical piece of funding. The non-profit world can be a fluid, unexpected place, with changes occurring all the time that give rise to critical situations that require immediate funds. From changes in laws, cold winters, economic shifts, and other unexpected events, non-profits have to be incredibly dynamic to meet the needs of its constituents.

This is why I urge you to consider planning to allocate some dollars next year to emergencies of the organizations to which you regularly donate. For me, I always give annually to Planned Parenthood, but I also will set aside some funds to ensure that when I get one of those letters explaining that a local clinic is facing closure, I will be able to help address that immediate need, just as Women’s Fund was able to help rescue The Julian Center this year.

The Best Method to Gift to Charity

The end of the year is a good time to consider donating to your favorite nonprofit organization and to take advantage of tax benefits. Today's post is from Elaine Bedel, Women's Fund Advisory Board member and financial consultant. We are grateful to Elaine for sharing her expertise with our readers.

By Elaine E. Bedel, CFP®
President, Bedel Financial Consulting, Inc.

If your objective is to maximize the tax benefit of your gifts to charity, I recommend you start early. Some of the best options will take time to complete.

Depending on the form of your gift to charity, you can receive tax benefits beyond the charitable tax deduction itself. To take advantage of these other benefits, you need to review your personal situation and plan ahead to allow sufficient time to complete the gifting process.

Gifting Cash is Easy….But Not as Tax Wise
Writing a check to your favorite charity is probably the easiest form of gift-giving. The gift is completed as soon as the check is received by the charity, regardless of when the funds are deducted from your account. Generally, the date on the check is assumed to be the date of the gift.

Gifting Appreciated Assets Provides Greater Tax Benefits
If you gift an appreciated asset, you receive the same tax deduction as you would for gifting cash. In addition, you avoid future potential capital gain tax. You would receive a tax deduction on Schedule A and eliminate the capital gain tax that would be incurred at the sale of the asset.

An appreciated asset is any property that you purchased for less that it is currently worth. If you sell an appreciated asset, you would be required to pay a capital gain tax on the difference between the net sale amount and your cost to purchase. An appreciated asset may be real estate, a work of art, an investment security, or any other property that you own that can be gifted to a charity.

Charitable Gift Funds Allow You to Front-Load Your Tax Deduction
A charitable gift fund, officially referred to as a "donor advised fund", allows you to contribute cash, appreciated securities, real estate, cash value of life insurance, and, in some cases, other forms of business ownership to your own charitable giving account. You can then request gifts to be made to charities through your account until your original contribution, along with any investment earnings, is depleted. You can establish a donor advised fund through a public charity. Many of the mutual fund companies have established public charities to offer donor advised funds. You can also create a donor advised fund through a local community foundation, such as Central Indiana Community Foundation.

Charitable Giving from your IRA
Anyone who is 70 ½ years of age or older can make gifts to qualified charitable organizations from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA). The benefit to the taxpayer/donor is that any funds distributed from the IRA to a charity are excluded from the taxpayer's taxable income for the year. Therefore, no income tax is paid on the IRA distribution. Likewise, the taxpayer does not take the contribution as a charitable deduction on Schedule A of the federal income tax return.

Priority of Giving Methods for Tax Benefits
The following represents the priority for methods of giving based on the greatest tax benefit:

1. Distribution from IRA (for those who qualify).
2. Gift of appreciated assets directly to a charity or through a charitable gift fund.
3. Cash or check.

Summary
Advice: Start early and seek professional advice if necessary.

Making a charitable contribution can be as easy as writing a check or as complex as valuing and transferring appreciated property. You will need sufficient time to complete the gifting method that can provide the greatest tax benefit for you. Since certain gifting strategies may impact other areas of your overall financial plan, you may also want to secure the professional assistance of a financial planner to analyze the appropriate method of giving for you.

Elaine E. Bedel, CFP is president of Bedel Financial Consulting, Inc., a fee-only wealth management firm providing financial planning and investment management services. For more information, visit their website at www.BedelFinancial.com or email to ebedel@bedelfinancial.com.

‘Tis the Season for Joy; Not Pain

I recently read an article about the increased rate of domestic violence during the holidays, which really breaks my heart. The holidays are supposed to be filled with fun with family and friends, not a time for living in fear of violence. I can’t help wonder if holiday stress, stretched finances and increased alcohol consumption at holiday parties affect relationships and individual attitudes. I must confess I have found myself fighting back my own road rage recently – only to remind myself that the holidays are a time for cheer and joy, not frustration.

“Holiday stress” is no excuse for abuse (nothing is). If you – or someone you know, are in an abusive situation, it’s important to get help. Talk to a friend, stay at a relative’s house or take advantage of the many local resources we have available. Below are three places I’ve become more familiar with through working with Women’s Fund.

• The Julian Center – provides shelter, counseling and education for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and other life crisis.
• Prevail, Inc. – provides support and programs to victims of domestic violence in Hamilton and surrounding counties. They also staff a 24-hour crisis line: 317.776.3472. Their mission is to provide advocacy, awareness, support services and education to victims of crime and individuals and families in crisis.
• Turning Point Domestic Violence Services – provides support to women, men and children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. They have a 22-bed emergency shelter, the provide education, prevention and training programs; and they have a 24-help line: 1.800.221.6311.

No matter the reason; no matter the season; I truly believe there is no excuse for abuse! I’m glad to know Women’s Fund is supporting these organizations so victims of abuse can find help – and hope.

"Working it Out" with Girls Inc.

When I had an opportunity to volunteer for Girls Incorporated of Greater Indianapolis, I was immediately interested. At Women's Fund, I had heard and seen many great things about the organization and its efforts to develop girls who are strong, smart, and bold. Through their recent expansion of outreach-based programming, volunteers and staff are reaching more girls through program delivery in community centers and schools.

As a volunteer, my positive perceptions of Girls Inc. have remained true. This fall, I lead a six-week afterschool program in a Pike Township elementary, through a partnership with Junior League of Indianapolis. Prior to facilitating the program, I received comprehensive training, detailed curriculum materials, solid staff support, and was paired with a volunteer co-facilitator. With all of these supports in place for volunteers, it is no wonder Girls Inc. is growing to meet the needs of girls in central Indiana.

The program I co-facilitated, "Work it Out," focused on helping girls, 6-8 years-old, learn to be good friends, work through conflict, and deal with bullies. A program like this is needed for girls of any age, especially with examples of unhealthy relationships so prevalent in the media. In six weeks we covered a lot of ground, with only a few minor hiccups... which you could expect with girls that age! I was impressed at the thoughtful conversations, positive feedback, and progress we seemed to make with many girls. At the end of the program, the girls were eager for it to continue and to share their favorite moments. Many shared one of my favorite lessons, the "Put-up Party," when they wrote and shared positive statements about each girl in the room.

This volunteer experience has helped me develop my facilitation skills and learn more about the current problems and issues faced by girls. It's been validating for me to see first-hand the results of funding Women's Fund has provided to Girls Inc., and I am proud of Women's Fund's support of gender-specific programs for girls in central Indiana.

Food Stamps on the Rise

Women’s Fund recently asked its Facebook Fans what they thought when hearing the words Food Stamps. What images come to mind? Interesting question – and one I wasn’t sure I knew how to answer right away. So I read up on it, did some online research and have a much better answer today than I would have had a few weeks ago.

According to a New York Times article, food stamp use is at an all-time high and increasing each month. The program helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children. More than 36 million people are using food stamps (now as simple as using an ordinary – and unnoticeable plastic card) for staples like milk, bread, cheese and other necessities. Nearly 12 percent of Americans receive aid — 28 percent African-Americans, 15 percent Latinos and 8 percent Caucasians. Those numbers alone make me realize that any one of my fellow shoppers could be using food stamps.

In fact, the more I think about it, my friends who have recently lost their jobs due to downsizing could be using – or could benefit from food stamps; my divorced friends who may be struggling financially could benefit from food stamps; my friends who are single mothers could benefit from food stamps. Maybe they’re already using them.

I’ve never been judgmental, but the first images that came to mind (until now) about food stamps were of people who were poor and/or homeless. Truth is, we don’t know the stories behind the recipients – nor do we need to know. What we need to know is the program is a much needed one.

I really knew little to nothing about the program until Women’s Fund asked that simple question. Now I want to learn more.

If you, or someone you know could benefit from food stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), there are great local resources to get help. Click here to find out more.

Being Thankful

It's approaching the end of the work day before Thanksgiving. Traffic on the street is moving by steadily as commuters get an early start home or elsewhere. I am in my office, wrapping up loose ends before going home for the holiday weekend. With tomorrow being a day to give thanks, I have paused to reflect on some things I am thankful for - big and small - in my role at Women's Fund.

I am thankful for...

• Donors who believe in Women's Fund's mission and the importance of investing in our permanent endowment, impacting women and girls for years to come through our grantmaking to nonprofit organizations.


• Advisory Board members and volunteers who work tirelessly to help women and girls in our community have a better future.


• GO: Give Back children and their parents, fostering our next generation of thoughtful philanthropists and community leaders.


• OPTIONS participants and alumnae, who have taken a step to learn about philanthropy, community needs, reflect on their values, and provide leadership to our community.


• Working with a team of committed staff and consultants who go above and beyond what's required of them every day, for the benefit of central Indiana's women and girls.


• The support of CICF to Women's Fund, and the dynamic resources they provide to assist us in our work.


• Nonprofit organizations providing services to help women access caregiving, have jobs and feed their families, and keeping them and their children safe.


• Women facing great obstacles and striving to overcome them, despite any barriers they have.

Although I could write much more, I will leave the rest to your imagination!

At this time of thanksgiving, what are you grateful for?

Volunteering as a Family

Teaching my children the importance of volunteering is something that’s extremely important to me. It’s something my parents me taught me growing up and something I hope to pass along to my children. They’re young now (and would probably hate this picutre being posted), but some small things we do make a big difference. Each birthday, they go through their toys and find some to donate to children who are less fortunate. We drop them off together at places such as Coburn Place, The Villages and The Julian Center. Each Thanksgiving, my family volunteers at a homeless shelter serving meals. While my kids aren’t old enough to go with us, they know and understand what we’re doing. These are just two things we’re doing to help them understand the importance of volunteering. I want volunteering to become a part of their life, no matter their age.

National Family Volunteer Day is Saturday, Nov. 21, which kicks off National Family Week. I had no idea. But I like it. I like the idea that families are encouraged to volunteer together. There are studies that show volunteering starts at an early age, so if kids see mom or dad doing it, chances are they'll do the same as adults.

Women’s Fund may not be the first organization that comes to mind when thinking about family volunteering, but in fact, they offer two philanthropy education programs that instill that same belief of giving back. The cool thing is their philanthropy education programs extend beyond a day or week of volunteering together, but focus on lifelong giving.

• GO: Give Back is a program that combines philanthropic education with charitable giving – teaching young people to make meaningful financial contributions to their community.


• Power of Girls is a one day mother-daughter event that teaches philanthropy, the challenges facing women and girls in our community and the value of granting dollars to an organization.

I appreciate Women’s Fund for the work they are doing to improve the lives of women and girls in central Indiana. I appreciate that they focus on lifelong impact through its permanent endowment. I appreciate that they provide opportunities for family volunteering.

I heard someone with Women’s Fund once say: When you help a woman, you help the entire family. When you help a family, you help the community. That’s something I will keep in mind as I find ways to volunteer as a family – and as I continue to think of ways to encourage my children to give back.

I truly believe that volunteering as a family is a great way to spend quality time together while doing meaningful work in the community. Does your family volunteer together?

OPTIONS Alumnae Reconnect

Tonight a dynamic group of 65 OPTIONS Alumnae gathered for an informative and social event. These women, from nine OPTIONS classes, represent a diverse cross-section of the community, including business and medical professionals, nonprofit employees, and community volunteers. As the ninth class of OPTIONS concludes and we head into the tenth anniversary year for this philanthropy education program, this was a fitting way to celebrate this year and launch into the next.

Some highlights from the event were:

• A presentation from two advocates from The Julian Center's Domestic Violence and Indianapolis Metro Police Department partnership. The advocates shared moving stories of real victims they have helped and encouraged everyone to offer support to anyone they think might be in a violent situation. If you are interested in a presentation for a group, contact the Julian Center at 317.941.2200.
  
• Kicking off the 10th Anniversary of the OPTIONS program, with appreciation to Jane Salentine for her leadership of the group in recent years, and welcoming Lindsey Rabinowitch as the 2010 OPTIONS Alumnae president.
• An announcement from OPTIONS Class Nine about the three grants they awarded in their final class session.
  
• Fantastic food, Barefoot wine, and great giveaways from Saks (for more information about a December 3rd Women's Fund event at Saks, click here).
• Women's Fund updates from Jennifer Pope Baker, including highlights of the leadership OPTIONS Alumnae members are providing in other areas of Women's Fund, such as Julie Manning Magid as Advisory Board Vice Chair in 2010 and Chair in 2012.
• An opportunity to complete a survey to guide next year's activities.
• A drawing to win an OPTIONS Alumnae "Favorite Things" basket, with gift certificates, a candle, picture frames, clips, and more! See the picture, right, for a peek at the basket.
• Sign-ups to become a 2010 Alumnae member. If you are an OPTIONS Alumnae and would like to join, click here to donate online.
  

The buzz was all around the room, as women reconnected with former OPTIONS classmates and met women from other classes. Thanks to the OPTIONS Alumnae Committee for putting on another great event!

National Family Caregivers Month - Think about the caregivers in your life

This month is National Family Caregivers Month, which got me thinking about the roles of traditional caregivers. I am a working mom of 1 year old twin boys. I am constantly trying to balance the desire to work as a small business attorney against the needs of my kids to have me there for all their daily events, big and small. Even as I sit here and write this post at 5:30 p.m. on a Wednesday evening, I am making a value judgment that this activity is worth not being at home with my kids.

My nanny, my husband, and my family make it possible for me to be away from my kids in order to earn a living and to have a professional identity, which I have realized is critical to my happiness. They serve as caregivers for my kids and provide them with safety and security, but more importantly, they provide a diversity of care. My mother in law, whom I adore, has a different approach to playtime than I do, and that is a good thing. It means my kids get to experience a wide variety of approaches to child care. However, as all parents know, consistency is also key, and so my husband knows very well that he has to give them a bath before bed every night, even if a new Xbox game came out today that he is dying to play.

Having caregivers for our kids is a reality for women. I am ridiculously lucky to have the support system in place to allow me to work. Especially when I consider that most women don’t have the choices that I have with regard to caregivers. Access to good child care is critical to a woman’s success, both personally and professionally. As we celebrate the caregivers for our children this month, I urge you to consider the importance of loving, thoughtful, experienced child care and remember that Women’s Fund is intimately involved in assisting organizations that provide access to responsible and cost effective caregivers that allow women to support themselves.

Lessons for a Lifetime

Power of Girls participants had a great time last Saturday at this ninth event hosted through a partnership between Women's Fund, The Julian Center, and Indianapolis Power & Light (for more information, click here to go to Ann Murtlow's recent blog post, or here to go to our website).

What did participants learn at Power of Girls? How were they impacted? So many of the "take aways" from this program go well beyond the day of the event... and even the responses we received that day are pretty powerful! Here are reflections from both girl and adult attendees:

"What one thing sticks in your mind from the Healthy Relationships session?

• "How, when I was in two abusive relationships that the cycle would go again and again, and how I can recognize the signs." - Local 13-year-old girl

"Do you feel that your participation today has made a difference in the life of your daughter?"

• "I think the participation in today's event has made my daughter more aware of women's needs in the community and the lessons learned in the healthy relationships seminar will make a strong difference in her life; it will open doors for healthy relationships now and in the future." - Mother attending with her 14-year-old

"What was the most valuable part of the day for you?"

• "Seeing my daughter be a part of the process to learn of needs and experience the process of allocating donations." - Mother attending with her 15-year-old

"Do you feel you made a difference in the lives of others today? How?"

• "Just seeing the happiness and joy of the mothers and children (at the Julian Center) made you feel like you accomplished something great." - Ninth grade girl

Do you know someone who could benefit from this meaningful program focused on learning about healthy relationships, needs of the central Indiana community, and philanthropy? Our next event will be in 2010; contact me at abigailc@cicf.org if you would like us to send you information!

Caregiving: Challenges and Solutions

Many of us are fortunate to have the resources to be able to handle both day-to-day and unexpected caregiving challenges. What about those who are on the edge of making it—or not? Take, for example, the single mother who is working an $8.00-an-hour job. What if she doesn't have a safe, affordable childcare option, or a family member, neighbor, or friend to leave their child with?

Women's Fund has made a concerted effort to fund organizations focused on caregiving. We have made great strides in central Indiana, granting over $832,000 to address caregiving issues through organizations like Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis, Project HOME Indy, Business Ownership Initiative (BOI), Indiana Women's Prison, and John P. Craine House, for example. Our focus has been not only on care of children, but also of seniors. This funding has helped women access affordable childcare, helped homeless pregnant and parenting teens become self-sufficient, and promoted the start of businesses providing reasonable senior and childcare options, for example.

November is National Family Caregivers Month; to learn more and access resources, click here. Whether you do or do not have someone to provide care for, I encourage you to take time this month to explore what caregiving resources are available in our community and consider how you might help those facing challenges in caring for seniors or children.

Discovering “Did You Knows”

I truly have had a great time getting to know Women’s Fund better over the past few months. Yes, I went through OPTIONS several years ago. Yes, I know several of the organizations who benefit from Women’s Fund grants. Yes, I have a few friends on committees and/or the board. But I’ve discovered some new things I didn’t know (or maybe didn’t remember). Take, for example, some of these “did you knows” that I’ve discovered – or rediscovered.

• Grants: I was familiar with the fact that Women’s Fund supports women and girls in Central Indiana. However, I didn’t recall their primary focus on caregiving, domestic violence and insufficient income. The even greater “did you know” … Women's Fund has awarded a total of 236 grants totaling $3,244,077 to 89 different organizations since its inception in May 1999. This year alone they granted over $330,000 to 13 organizations. Wow!


• Programs: I was familiar with OPTIONS because I went through the program, but what I didn’t know was some of the specifics about their other philanthropic educational programs, such as GO: Give Back and Power of Girls – programs specifically designed to teach youth about philanthropy and giving back to the community.


• Research: I was familiar with their “Still On Shaky Ground” reports, but I find the work, passion and commitment to research on the critical issues facing women and girls in our community remarkable. Again, my “did you know” moment was realizing that the research and key findings help form Women’s Fund priorities when making grants.


• Funding: This isn’t a “did you know” defining moment, but it was a great reminder, Women’s Fund continues to fund programs that improve the lives of women and girls in our community, but in order to do so, they need our help. They can’t continue to fund at the level they have been if we don’t continue to fund them. “Did you know” you can donate online now too?

I look forward to discovering even more about Women’s Fund -- about the organizations they support and the programs they develop; their research and key findings; and how Women’s Fund will continue to make an even greater impact in the work they do throughout the community.

OPTIONS and Impact

We all have options to give money where we like: church, museums, not-for-profits, etc. My OPTIONS class number four had the opportunity to give money as a group. That is what I love about Women’s Fund. It takes all the money we give, pools it all together and gives it where it is needed.

Our group had $3,500.00 that we chose to give to Planned Parenthood, Hawthorne Community Center, Girls Inc., the Julian Center and the OPTIONS Scholarship Fund. I could have given a donation to each of these groups initially but my small gift probably would not make as big as an impact as the bigger gift we gave as a group. Don’t get me wrong... in today’s economic time, any donations are welcome. I know that giving money to Women’s Fund makes an impact that I cannot make alone.

There are now nine OPTIONS classes, each having the opportunity to give money to various organizations. It is amazing when we see the difference we have made in the community. If you are in OPTIONS or an alumni of the group think about the impact your donations will make. A little bit of money can go along way!

Power of Girls: A Life-Changing Experience

Power of Girls is a one-of-a-kind program providing a unique opportunity to learn lessons that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Since March 2004, Women’s Fund of Central Indiana has partnered with Indianapolis Power & Light Company and the Julian Center to host eight Power of Girls events. Power of Girls IX will be held Saturday, November 7, 2009. Over the course of a six hour period, participants:

• Learn what constitutes healthy relationships, recognize the signs of abusive ones, and learn how to get out of a destructive relationship before it’s too late.
• Learn about all forms of philanthropy and how to help.
• Hear a summary of current research about problems faced by women in our community and how Women’s Fund is helping in a very special way.
• Understand what the Julian Center does, how it is funded and the cost of providing its services.
• Hear how the Julian Center is changing the lives of many women in our community that simply have no where else to go.
• Meet and do a project with shelter residents and tour the facility.
• (Girl participants) Grant approximately $3000 to the Julian Center for purposes that they decide based on what they've learned about the Center during the day.
• (Adult participants) Watch girls present the grant and explain their rationale for choosing particular services or programs to support.

There are several things that make this event so special:

1. It targets teenage girls, ages 13 to 16, at a critical time in their journey toward relationship building and teaches them some very valuable and practical lessons about healthy and not‐so‐healthy relationships.
2. 17 adult/girl couples participate, making this an intimate and interactive session.
3. Although a girl can attend with her mom, she may also attend with an aunt, grandmother or other special woman in her life.

The cost per couple is $250. While this may sound pricey, I assure you this program provides tremendous value and an unforgettable experience ; the fee is also tax deductible. For full details and to register, please download the brochure by clicking here or calling 317.634.2423. Spaces are limited and are first-come, first-served, so register soon.

I can’t recommend this program highly enough. I attended with my daughter in 2004 and I encourage you to participate with your daughter or special teenage girl. You won’t regret it – in fact, it just may change your life… and hers.

Becoming Passionately Pink

During October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wear more pink than normal; I eat pink M&Ms and I eat Yoplait and save the lids. For several years I have walked in numerous breast cancer walks locally and even 60 miles in San Diego for the 3-Day Walk. I’ve attended fundraisers and made donations. In a way, I hoped that would make me exempt from breast cancer ever affecting me – or my friends. Not so. Last year was a year when breast cancer became more than a “cause” and more of a “personal passion”.

Last year, my best friend from college was diagnosed, fought –and beat breast cancer. While I celebrated her survival, I mourned the loss of another friend’s mom who lost a long battle with it. With all of the money raised, research being done, innovative programs established, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.

As I’ve become more “passionately pink”, my interest in organizations supporting breast cancer has increased. In my attempt to learn more, I decided to explore the work of Women’s Fund and find out what they’ve done to support breast cancer. I was pleasantly surprised by what I learned. Once again, I was introduced to new organizations and new programs through the organizations and programs they support. Some of the organizations I wasn’t familiar with; some of the needs I wasn’t aware of – all of it will be things I will further explore as I continue my passion for pink.

Here’s what I discovered. Over the years, Women’s Fund has provided dollars to and for:

• Gennesaret Free Clinic and Shalom Health Care Center: for breast exams, screenings and breast health education for women.


• Indiana Women in Need Foundation: money to help women going through cancer treatment pay for non-medical services, such as housecleaning and childcare.


• Little Red Door: to pay for garments, hats, bras, breast prostheses and other items so cancer patients can get them for free.

During October – and all year long, I hope you will celebrate the survivors, remember the fighters and find your own way to support the cause. One new thing I'm doing this year is chairing the 2010 Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure. What ways are you becoming "passionately pink"?

Business Ownership Initiative - Another WF Success Story

Three years ago, I attended my first Women's Fund dinner. I was in awe of thousands of attendees, all of whom were involved with and passionate about Women's Fund. Fresh off my OPTIONS class, I was feeling happy and motivated about staying involved, but I wasn't sure what avenue would best suit my enthusiasm. During the dinner, Jennifer announced a bold and transformative grant to an organization called the Neighborhood Self Employment Initiative. I was impressed. I loved the idea of helping women help themselves by giving them the tools to start and run small business, like daycares and cleaning services.

For a while, that was the extent of my involvement with the NSEI. In the meantime, they changed their name to Business Ownership Initiative. With the help of the bold and transformative Women's Fund grant, BOI grew into a much bigger, broader organization, offering one on one business counseling services, planning, and workshops to help people with any of their small business educational and support needs. In June of this year, I started a law practice with a focus on small business and entrepreneurial services. I contacted BOI and was thrilled to hear about all the programming being offered to small business owners. What was most impressive was the full slate of workshops BOI offered, everything from basic instruction on how to incorporate a business in Indiana to complex topics about sales and marketing. And now, I have worked with BOI to assist in teaching some of their legal related topics, even developing a new class for their clients on the legal risks of marketing using social media tools.

It was just a happy coincidence that I was introduced to BOI from Women's Fund, but it is not a coincidence that both organizations are meaningful to me. Women's Fund yet again exposed me to an organization using innovative tools to help women and girls in Central Indiana, and I am sure BOI's success is in no small part because of the Women's Fund grant that I saw awarded in 2006. There are so many other organizations out there that need our dollars and or time. My experience with BOI is just a great example of how I have been able to give both, directly and indirectly because of my involvement with Women's Fund.

Investing in Our Community

What would you do with $337,500? My first instinct would be to buy a house, save for retirement, and give a portion to my favorite nonprofits. While this might bring joy to me and my family, I am proud to work for Women's Fund, where, with a similar amount, we regularly impact hundreds of people's lives through funding of central Indiana nonprofits. Thanks to our permanent endowment and all donors to it, Women's Fund will be able to continue this impact in our community for generations to come.

Women's Fund recently awarded grants totaling $337,500 to 13 central Indiana organizations. This year, in the difficult economy, we focused on organizations keeping women and children safe and helping women gain and retain employment. To do this, we engaged organizations with which we had established relationships, going on site visits and facilitating roundtable discussions to learn more about current community needs. A sampling of grants awarded includes:

• Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis - $30,000 for the Tuition Assistance Program, helping low-income families access early care and education for young children.
• Girls Incorporated of Franklin/Johnson County - $25,000 for operating support to help inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold.
• Hawthorne Community Center - $20,000 for operating support to help women and girls living in Indianapolis’ near westside.
• Prevail, Inc. - $15,000 for operating support of its victim awareness and support program serving Hamilton and surrounding counties.
• Turning Point Domestic Violence Services - $30,000 to support a matching grant for operating support for Johnson and Shelby County services of victims of domestic violence.

Learn more about all of the organizations we supported this year by clicking here.

I encourage you to get to know what each of these organizations is doing in our community to support women and girls!

Friendships Made; Experiences Gained – Your OPTION

Recruiting for OPTIONS Class 10 already? It doesn’t seem that long ago that I participated - eight years goes by quickly. Back then I was eager to learn; eager to make a difference. I wanted to participate in every leadership and community program offered. OPTIONS was one of several – and the one that had the greatest impact on me.

Times have changed and community needs may be different, but I’m certain Women’s Fund has adapted in order to continue strengthening OPTIONS and making it a meaningful experience for participants. Just to be sure, I called a friend. Tonia Lotz, community volunteer, OPTIONS Class 9. Our conversation reinforced what I was thinking.

OPTIONS:

• is a wonderful way to meet and network with like-minded women. We made great friendships and connections – not just with classmates, but with community leaders.


• opened our eyes to other organizations. We had been involved with nonprofits, but we agreed our knowledge was pretty limited until OPTIONS. We were introduced to organizations we didn’t know existed.


• challenged the way we thought about philanthropy. It helped us understand when, where, why and how to give in order to make the greatest impact.


• site visits provided powerful messages and often intense experiences. We were both impacted by our visit to the Women’s Prison. Tonia also talked about Girls, Inc. and how impressed she was by the girls' confidence. I recalled the Julian Center and how shocked I was at how many women and children were affected by domestic violence.

Friends, knowledge and incredible experiences – that’s what we remember most from OPTIONS. Consider applying and inviting others to join you. It’s an experience you truly won’t forget.

E-mail me at kelly@baisecommunications.com if you want to talk more about OPTIONS.

Creating OPTIONS and Opportunities

We all want options in life: paper or plastic, Coke or Pepsi, run or walk, chocolate or peanut butter ... peanut butter in our chocolate. All of the grants Women's Fund makes are designed to give women and girls options, the kind of options and opportunities that position them for success in life. How do we have the money to give to organizations, who helps make those decisions, where does the leadership begin? One resource for all of those answers comes from OPTIONS.

OPTIONS is a year-long philanthropy education program for women who are 25-45 years-old. For nearly ten years, Women's Fund has been educating a new class of twenty women every year to learn about the needs and concerns of women and girls, personal and group philanthropy, the role of non-profit board leaders, and creating opportunities for site visits to organizations we support.

OPTIONS members are today's donors and leaders for Women's Fund. OPTIONS members and OPTIONS Alumnae are creating the future path for Women's Fund ... our future donors and leaders. In the past nine years over 200 women have participated in OPTIONS and Alumnae and have contributed more than $260,000 to Women's Fund. Amazing!!

To find out how you can participate in OPTIONS, go to our website: http://www.womensfund.org/ and click on OPTIONS ... hurry ... the next and last information session is October 13th and applications for 2010 are due by October 31, 2009.

Shining a Light on a Quiet Issue

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Thanks to initiatives like Shattering the Silence, led by Angela Caine at WTHR Channel 13, domestic violence is more openly discussed in our community. As one of our primary funding areas, Women's Fund welcomes opportunities to shine a light on domestic violence and its impact on our community. Last week, Women's Fund awarded a total of $105,000 to three organizations providing direct service to victims of domestic violence: The Julian Center, Prevail, Inc. and Turning Point.

Connect 2 Help and Domestic Violence Network founded the Domestic Violence Navigation Hub (2-1-1) in 2003 to field domestic abuse calls in central Indiana. For the 2008-2009 year, Connect 2 Help's "Domestic Abuse on the Rise" reports:

• 3,682 recorded domestic abuse calls, a 5% increase from the previous year.
• The violence is increasing, with 20 domestic violence fatalities.
• There has been a 65% increase in the number of child abuse-related calls in homes were domestic violence is also reported.

Women's Fund research shows that children who witness domestic violence incidents, and those in homes where domestic violence is present, are 1,500% more likely to become victims themselves.

Domestic violence persists in central Indiana and impacts the health of our children, families and entire community. It is a quiet issue we tend to tiptoe around because we believe "it doesn't happen in my neighborhood," yet it knows no boundary by income level, educational level, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. It's hard to imagine a neighbor or friend is experiencing this terrible violence, but it is happening more than we think. Will you join Women's Fund and help shine a light on this quiet issue?

If you or anyone you know is a victim of abuse, call 2-1-1 immediately.

Funding Cut; Women’s Fund Refuses to See Women at Risk

This week I learned from Women's Fund that they are involved in trying to save a critical program in our community. Women's Fund stepped in after the Julian Center learned the Department of Justice is cutting funding for "The Grants to Encourage Arrests" program – a program credited with having a significant impact on saving lives and keeping women safe. Without this funding, six family violence advocates and officers who respond daily to domestic violence calls will lose their jobs. Without this funding, a partnership between IMPD and the Julian Center will cease to exist. Without this funding, women and children in our community are in danger. It's sad to know we are putting women and children at risk.

Last year alone, more than 2,000 women received help through this program. I hate to think what would happen if this program didn’t exist.

I think it's great to know that Women's Fund is committed to keeping women and children safe - and that their Advisory Board approved an emergency grant of $30,000 for the first month of support in order to prevent layoffs and help keep the program afloat.

The loss from this cut is nearly $360,000 ($30,000/month). Women’s Fund is now seeking others to join them in providing one month of support toward the Julian Center. If, as a community, we can secure a full-year of funding, the Julian Center can be strategic and thoughtful in their approach for finding replacement funds. I truly hope it happens, and I look forward to seeing who else will support this effort. Will it be you?

Domestic violence is too important for us to ignore. In fact, it's one of Women's Fund's focus areas. This is a timely topic too: October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. That's why we will dedicate much of October's blog to this issue.

Visit this blog throughout October to find out what happens to this program (let's hope for full funding) and other important topics related to Domestic Violence.

Bank on Indy

How did you first learn about managing money? As a child, you might have had an allowance and a piggy bank, and as you got older, perhaps you had a part time job and a checking account. At some point, you probably learned something about the value of money and keeping it safe. Through economic literacy programs at local Girls Inc. chapters, for example, many central Indiana girls are developing money management skills at an early age.

79,000 Marion County residents do not use bank accounts, according to today’s Indianapolis Star article “Indy to help 79,000 ‘unbanked’ open accounts.” Instead, these residents utilize cash or payday loan companies that charge a fee to cash a paycheck. “Bank on Indy” is a campaign to encourage these residents to obtain bank accounts. Twelve area banks participating in the program will forgive those who have made financial missteps in the past and allow them to establish free or low-cost bank accounts, as well as access support services provided by ten local community centers and five Centers for Working Families (click on the article and program titles to learn more).

"Bank on Indy" allows community members to gain access to a resource many of us take for granted. For a woman living paycheck to paycheck, utilizing a payday loan company that charges a fee of $8-$12 per paycheck she cashes, the ability to establish a bank account charging no more than $15 a year may help her stabilize herself and teach her children about money management. Coupled with support from other community resources, such as Making Connections and Business Ownership Initiative, “Bank on Indy” is an important part of a woman’s path to economic self-sufficiency. Women’s Fund applauds this new initiative!

Options and Opportunities

My grandmother graduated in 1949 with a Chemistry degree (pictured is the two of us in recent years). Her five hard-working daughters became a teacher, nurses, doctor, and a graphic designer/business owner. From a young age, my closest friends were education-focused, and they are now working in a variety of career fields. You might imagine one of the most important values to me is education, and I am fortunate this was modeled by many strong women in my life.

Still on Shaky Ground, Women’s Fund’s 2006 research document, shows, with equivalent education:

• The salary of a male high school graduate is 78% more than a female’s, and

• The salary of a male with a Bachelor's degree is 64% more than a female's.

This highlights clear economic disadvantages for women regardless of the education they have received, and, barriers to women achieving economic self-sufficiency without depending on the goodwill of others.

Concord Neighborhood Center is one of the many organizations Women’s Fund has funded in the area of insufficient income. Serving over 1,000 low-income women on the near south side of Indianapolis, Concord provides wide-ranging services, including affordable childcare, youth development, basic needs assistance (including GED classes), job coaching, and case management for senior women. Their services help women of all ages be economically self-sufficient and build a foundation for them, their families, and their neighborhood to achieve long-term success.

As a woman who has had many options and opportunities through education, I am proud Women’s Fund supports Concord and their efforts to help many women also have options and opportunities!

Are You Hungry?

I am feeling hungry as the day winds down and am eating an apple and trying not to drip the juice on the keyboard while I type. For my entire life, I have been fortunate to have never worried about having food for my next meal. My food worries center more around eating too much food and making healthy choices.

This past Saturday our GO: Give Back participants gathered for their GO educational sessions and in age-appropriate and gender divided groups, we discussed Food: Enough to Spare? Enough to Share? It was a challenging topic for children to think about people in our country and community who don't have enough to eat. The children were open, receptive, and left the session with a greater appreciation for food, nutrition, and hunger.

Here are some comments from GO participants about what they learned:

"We talked about world hunger and hunger in the U.S. and I learned that 1 out of nine people are hungry in the U.S. and a lot more people are hungry around the world."
--Maddie, sixth grade

"I learned about hunger and soup kitchens. We talked about how we can help people who don't have as much food as we do."
-- Joel, fourth grade

"I learned that one out of nine people in Indiana are hungry. I learned if we do not waste our food then less people will be hungry. I learned if you want to donate give some food to Second Helpings."
-- Catherine, fourth grade

Stay tuned for more later this week about what participants like best about GO. In the meantime, for more information about GO, see our website: http://www.womensfund.org/.

Thanks for reading! I have to go clean my sticky keyboard now.

More than Fun and Games

When you were young, I bet you liked to have fun and play games. I did too. There was always the fun of playing naturally with friends in the backyard and structured play times (like the 3rd grade lip sync performance). In hindsight, I most enjoyed learning when I didn't even know I was doing so. I was lucky enough to have opportunities like Girl Scouts and great programs at school to get involved in... so many good opportunities, it was sometimes hard to choose. I never imagined that these choices and opportunities did not exist for other girls.

In Shelby County, Girls Inc. of Shelbyville/Shelby County is one of the only girls-only programs in the area. They have a beautiful center located in the heart of Shelbyville and offer dynamic, affordable programs for girls. They are accessible to many girls and are working to reach girls living in the far reaches of their county. On a recent site visit, I was surprised to learn that they offer the only gymnastics program in Shelby County. They have an amazing facility and offer very reasonable rates so any girl who wants to participate is able to. The girls have the opportunity to compete, and some travel to do so.

In addition to their gymnastics program, Girls Inc. offers age-appropriate hands-on programs for girls, mainly in the summer and before and after school. Some of their offerings include gardening (in collaboration with a local gardening club), cooking, economic literacy, self esteem, and science programs.

Shelby County is lucky to have Girls Inc. to help girls discover they are strong, smart and bold. Women's Fund is proud to fund Girls Inc. because they help us fulfill our mission to provide options and opportunities for women and girls.

Everyday Leadership

Do you see yourself as a leader? Many of us are leaders by nature of our work or affiliations. Leadership opportunities occur at many moments each day. Sometimes we take advantage of them, sometimes we don't, and sometimes we exhibit leadership in unexpected ways.

Over the years, I have had several trainings on leadership. These opportunities have helped me define my own style of leadership, think differently as I approach many situations, and not to sit on the sidelines. One of my favorite leadership books shared with me is "The Leadership Moment," which outlines nine true stories and reminds me how each of us can be leaders in our everyday lives.

At a recent Women's Fund event, Ann Murtlow, Women's Fund Advisory Board Vice Chair and community leader, said something to the effect of "strong women make strong families, and strong families make strong communities." While our community needs leadership in board rooms, companies, and classrooms, we also need it in our homes and within our families. Women are often the pillar of their family, so it is necessary for us to see the issues women face as important to the success of our entire community.

Women's Fund is providing leadership for women and girls in our community not only by bringing to light the issues they face, but by providing funding to effective nonprofits addressing these issues. Women's Fund has granted to John H. Boner, Concord, and Hawthorne Community Centers, for example. This funding has helped with services such as high-quality childcare and job coaching primarily for low-income families in the neighborhoods they serve.

How are you using leadership opportunities each day? What are you teaching others? How are you using these opportunities to make our community a better place?