Students gained hands-on experience in how foundations and donors make wise decisions about charitable giving
INDIANAPOLIS—PACE, Inc. (Public Advocates in Community re-Entry), will receive a $10,000 grant Tuesday from students in the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Learning by Giving class.
The IU Indianapolis students selected the local nonprofit for funding following a rigorous application and evaluation process. In the hands-on course, students learn and implement the process of making charitable grants and giving wisely, from deciding which community issues to address and writing requests for grant proposals to conducting site visits at nonprofits, evaluating applications and deciding where to award the money. The grant funds were provided by PNC Foundation and the Learning by Giving Foundation.
During an award ceremony Wed., May 1 at 3:00 p.m., students in the course will present an oversized check to PACE leaders and will discuss their experiences in the class and the decisions that led them to support the organization. The event will be held in University Hall, Room 1006, 301 University Blvd. on the IU Indianapolis campus. Media are invited.
“By designing and carrying out an effective strategy to help the local community, students learn to understand the process through which social change is funded and implemented,” said Dwight F. Burlingame, Ph.D., the course’s instructor, who holds the Glenn Family Chair in Philanthropy at the school. “From the beginning, these students were clear that they wanted their grant to equip the community with resources to increase people’s capacity to thrive.”
PACE works to help offenders, ex-offenders and their families lead productive and responsible lives in their communities. Its vision is “to ensure that people returning to the community from incarceration have the tools and resources to successfully re-enter; to promote public safety through effective re-entry; and to enhance community stabilization through reduced crime and increased productiveness.”
The grant from the Learning by Giving class will help renovate PACE’s kitchen so the nonprofit can increase its ability to provide meals to the people it serves. Many of them face hunger and food insecurity, and almost 18 percent are homeless or live in shelters. In partnership with Second Helpings, PACE strives to feed everyone who participates in its one-on-one appointments, workshops and trainings.
However, PACE currently is not able to take advantage of opportunities to provide more food to its clients due to the limited capacity of its kitchen, which does not have an oven to provide hot meals, a commercial refrigerator to keep cold food fresh, or the capacity to store donated food items. The grant will help the organization strengthen its ability to meet the needs of those participating in its programs and feed more people.
Students in the course report feeling positive about their selection of PACE as the grant recipient and say the experience helped them better understand and prepare for their careers in the philanthropic sector.
"Being in the Learning by Giving course has allowed me to learn about the need in the Indianapolis community while learning the ins and outs of the grant making process, which is something I had never been a part of before,” said student Molly Grimm. “PACE is an important organization in our Indianapolis community that meets our class’s mission while changing the lives of those that need them most."
"As a class we practiced real-world skills through reviewing applications, presenting site visit findings, and learning about the organizations and grant process. I can confidently say that our decision to grant PACE the $10,000 is one that will benefit the Indianapolis community for years to come," said Kellie Alexander, who is also a student in the course.
About the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change. The school offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its academic, research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, Mays Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Follow us on Twitter @IUPhilanthropy or “Like” us on Facebook.