Programs in arts, sciences, tech benefit from Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council grants

Source: IU Foundation

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Twenty programs across seven IU campuses were awarded grants totaling $200,000 from the Indiana University Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council. This year marks the council's eighth grant cycle, with cumulative awards totaling more than $1 million since 2012.

Awards range from $2,000 to $20,000 and support projects that improve public health, support women's leadership initiatives, promote STEM disciplines, develop a culture of philanthropy, increase opportunities for diverse and underserved populations, and provide global experiences for IU students.

"As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council and IU's bicentennial, it is an honor for the council to fund these fabulous grant finalists," said Janet Godfrey, council grants chair. "The ripple effect of these grants is far reaching, from our Hoosier 'nation' to the world stage. What a thrill it is for the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council to be a part of these programs and projects." 

The council reviewed 44 grant applications and invited 20 project leaders to present their programs in person to the full council. Through partnerships with the IU Foundation Board of Directors Advancement of Philanthropy Committee and the Well House Society -- one of the IU Foundation's donor recognition societies -- all 20 finalists received at least partial funding for their projects.

"As the Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council grant program successfully concludes its eighth year, we remain profoundly inspired by the initiatives we have been able to fund, which touch campuses and units across IU," said Rebecca Moorman, executive director of Women's Philanthropy at Indiana University. "With this grant cycle, the council celebrates a thrilling milestone, reaching more than $1 million in total funding awarded since 2012. We are grateful for the continued support of our partners in the IU Foundation and Well House Society, which has allowed an even greater investment in the many exciting ideas presented by Women’s Philanthropy Leadership Council grant applicants."

Well House Society Advisory Board members reviewed this year's grant applicants to ensure selected projects answer urgent needs and opportunities, demonstrate widespread impact on the university and align with the priorities of For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign. The Well House Society's 2019 contribution of $25,000 will help fund projects in IU Bloomington's Jacobs School of Music and the Overdose Lifeline Intervention and Prevention Project at IU Kokomo.

"We had many worthy projects to choose from this year, and the two projects we are able to fund will really make a difference for the residents of Indiana and beyond," said Chris Farr, the Well House Society Grants chair. "The Jacobs School of Music has a worldwide brand of excellence. This gift will help further extend that reach. Opioid abuse is devastating to communities across the nation, and IU Kokomo's proposal advocates early engagement as a preventive measure."

For the third year, the IU Foundation set aside $25,000, allowing the Advancement of Philanthropy Committee to aid the Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council in its grant-making efforts. Members of the Advancement of Philanthropy Committee attended as grant finalists presented their proposals, selecting three to receive at least partial grant funding: the Indiana Memorial Union Board's Lights on the Lawn project, Kelley Institute for Social Impact international internships and the Pathways to Social Change program, a collaborative project between the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the McKinney School of Law.

The 2019 IU Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council grant recipients are:

IU Bloomington:

• Indiana University Sage Fashion Collection: Funding for the next stage of the Glenn Close Costume Collection program at IU Bloomington, which will include the eventual exhibition of the collection within the Eskenazi Museum of Art and object photography for a color catalog to be published concurrently with the exhibition.
• Indiana University Cinema: "Running the Screen: Directed by Women" is a month-long film screening, public conversation and master-class series celebrating and affirming the pioneering contributions of women to the art of filmmaking.
• Books and Beyond Program: In partnership with about 10 IU departments and units, this program aims to provide more than 2,000 eye exams and pairs of eyeglasses to Rwandan students and establish a system for manufacturing locally 3D-printed prosthetic limbs, as part of its "Treating the Whole Child" initiative.
• Center for Rural Engagement: Students from the IU School of Medicine and School of Nursing conduct free health screenings and examinations for the diverse, underserved and marginalized populations in the Indiana Uplands through the collaborative Rural Health Screening Initiative. The service-learning opportunity for students provides practical, hands-on experience and enhanced opportunities for learning.
• IU Center for Excellence for Women and Technology: In this new pilot program, female first- and second-year students with little to no IT experience will be matched to local corporations where they will serve as externs to gain exposure to technology-related work, shadow industry employees and receive on-the-job training for eight hours per week over two semesters.
• 21st Century Scholars Precollege Camp: In partnership with the IU Bloomington Office of Admissions, the 21st Century Scholars Program and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, the camp exposes middle school students to the 21st Century Scholarship Program and other precollege resources Indiana University offers to help them plan their academic journey.
• Jacobs School of Music: Through Jacobs Connect, the school will thoughtfully and purposefully engage learners and collaborators regionally, nationally and internationally in an effort to bring the school's world-class talent and pedagogy to underserved and other communities. This proposed study will help researchers determine whether multiple years of subconcussive head impact exposure in adolescent athletes may induce progressive neurodegenerative changes and brain functional impairments.
• The Center for Veteran and Military Students: Funds will create a part-time outreach coordinator for engaging female veterans. This position will be responsible for gathering data, creating programming opportunities and reporting impediments to success experienced by female student veterans.
• Indiana Memorial Union Board's Lights on the Lawn: For the Lights on the Lawn Concert in October, a cohort of 50 IU students will produce a philanthropic event supporting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bloomington, making a material impact in the local community and learning valuable skills. This event also creates a significant culture of philanthropy, continuing to build the relationship between IU students and the Bloomington community.

IUPUI:

• Adaptive Ballet at Camp Riley: Children with physical and cognitive disabilities often do not have access to extracurricular and cultural activities available to typically developing peers. This is a pilot project to develop and deliver an adaptive ballet program for children with disabilities attending Camp Riley.
• Pathways to Social Change: This cross-collaborative initiative encourages undergraduate students from historically underrepresented populations to pursue social-change careers. The participants will have an opportunity to work with the McKinney School of Law, the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and community partners on social issues relevant to the Indianapolis area and to society at large.
• CRISP Evaluation Clinic: The Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy's Evaluation Clinic provides research and evaluation services for small nonprofit organizations in central Indiana that serve diverse, at-risk communities. The goal is to help these entities make informed decisions and increase their competitiveness for external funding opportunities.

IU East:

• The Family READ Club: The Family READ Club -- Read, Explore, Ask, Discover -- promotes reading an array of nonfiction books and engaging in dynamic, interactive learning together as a family. Monthly programs, highlighting themes related to diversity and inclusion, are facilitated by IU East students, faculty and staff.

IU Kokomo:

• Supporting Undergraduate Women in Computing: Funding will support a proposed program to retain and support female students in STEM fields through peer mentoring activities and collaboration. Students will be recruited as learning assistants, and a series of seminars focused on women in computing will be planned.
• The Overdose Lifeline Intervention and Prevention Program: In concert with faculty from IU Kokomo and IU Bloomington, Overdose Lifeline Inc. will develop a multilevel educational intervention and prevention program for eighth-graders in six middle schools across four Indiana counties.

IU Southeast:

• Augmented reality: Augmented reality brings together pieces of the real-world environment with virtual computer-generated imagery. Educators at IU Southeast hope to provide learning experiences that connect pedagogical purpose, encourage collaboration and foster a sense of empowerment among students.

IU South Bend:

• The Piano Concert Series: This proposed curated piano series is a new initiative that aims to establish a four-concert series focused on educating piano students, enriching the community, and attracting more attention and philanthropic support for the renowned piano program at the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts. The Piano Concert Series will be the first performance series in South Bend focused specifically on the piano.

IUPUC:

• Early and Elementary Education in Italy: This study abroad experience enables 15 students to learn about the philosophies and pedagogies of Italy's educational system and apply this knowledge to their beliefs about the role of education in a diverse society.

Additional projects:

• Strengths-Based Education -- A Multi-Campus Learning Community at Indiana University:This faculty learning community, involving all five regional campuses of Indiana University, will focus on learning and applying the Strengths-Based Education model to first-year courses.
• Kelley Institute for Social Impact at IU Bloomington: In partnership with the Advancement of Philanthropy Committee, funding will support international summer internships. The Kelley Institute for Social Impact coordinates the internships for Kelley School students, reducing the cost barrier to participation and ensuring that deserving students have the opportunity to learn in an international business setting.
• Girl Scouts in Space at IU Kokomo: Additional funding through private support from Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council members will support a Space Science Badge event for Girl Scouts in Grades K-5 in Howard and Tipton counties. Through this program, about 120 girls will get to look through the telescope at IU Kokomo's observatory while learning about the solar system.