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Understanding and Engaging Latinx Philanthropy is the focus of April 24 speech by former head of The Minneapolis Foundation

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Sandra Vargas

Sandra Vargas to speak in Indianapolis as part of Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy’s Diverse Speaker Series

“Latinx Philanthropy: Engaging a Culture of Generosity and Collective Good,” will be the focus of an April 24 speech in Indianapolis by Sandra Vargas, Senior Executive Leadership Fellow, Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and Former President + CEO, The Minneapolis Foundation.

Vargas’s talk is the latest in the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy’s Diverse Speaker Series. The institute and the series, which are part of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, work to broaden and deepen understanding of the philanthropy of under-represented people.

The Latinx culture is authentically generous, but more connection and cultivation are needed to strengthen a participation breakthrough in philanthropy for both the donor and the funding experience. Vargas says that philanthropic structures have funded the Latinx community at a very low level. Boards and senior staff roles need to include Latinx members who have enough authority to influence organizations' decisions. Philanthropy needs more understanding, dialogue and engagement with the Latinx community and a willingness to change the philanthropic culture and practice toward a more equitable future.

The event will be held at the NCAA Hall of Champions and Conference Center, 700 W. Washington Street in Indianapolis with a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. followed by the public conversation at 6:00 p.m. Both are free and open to the public; registration is requested.

A champion of bringing people, charitable resources, and ideas together to spark positive community change, Vargas enhances community engagement with communities of color and low-income communities in her role at the University of Minnesota, where she makes the issues of racial, social and economic equity major themes in initiatives and projects.

Prior to joining the university, Vargas led one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country, The Minneapolis Foundation, where she oversaw management of $700 million in assets, administration of more than 1,000 charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses, and distribution of more than $45 million in grants each year. Under her leadership, the foundation focused on aligning the philanthropic passions of donors with the emerging needs of the community.

Vargas began her career as a small-business consultant in the Minnesota Department of Economic Development, and held management positions at the City of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. A native Minnesotan, she earned her Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the College of St. Catherine and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

A volunteer for boards and issues about which she is passionate, Vargas is active in several Twin Cities organizations and serves on the local boards of St. Catherine University, Minnesota Comeback and Wallin Education Partnership. She is an active member of the national boards of Independent Sector, 50CAN and Hispanics in Philanthropy.

Vargas has been recognized throughout her career as a leader in expanding business development opportunities for women and people of color, building cross-sector collaborations, streamlining business processes and incorporating accountability measures, and promoting strategies to increase individual self-sufficiency and strengthen communities. A Bush Fellow, she also was profiled in the book Heroes Among Us in 2008. She received Women Venture’s Pioneer Award in 2009, and the Medal of Honor from St. Catherine's University in 2010.

IU Indianapolis 50th Anniversary
The Mays Family Institute Diverse Speakers Series is presented in part by the IU Indianapolis 50th Anniversary Event Fund. To learn more about other 50th Anniversary events, visit 50.indianapolis.iu.edu.

The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy
The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy fosters a greater understanding of the ways in which underrepresented people are both inspired and informed donors by providing knowledge, education and training. The institute seeks to understand the perceptions, practices, experiences and needs of the individuals and institutions that operationalize philanthropy in underrepresented communities and develop programming and services to engage philanthropic practitioners, scholars and the public at large in conversations and activities to advance this field.

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, the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Follow us on Twitter @IUPhilanthropy or “Like” us on Facebook.

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