by Alisa Winters, Executive Director

At the end of 2020, I learned that I was selected as one of 24 participants in the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance’s (IPA) inaugural John Mutz Philanthropic Institute. Throughout the past year I enjoyed meeting monthly with philanthropic leaders from throughout the state learning and building meaningful relationships.

The Institute, named after former Lieutenant Governor and philanthropist John Mutz, was established by membership organization IPA in response to feedback that our state needed to continue building a pipeline of leaders within foundations and corporate giving programs. Among the highlights of the program was having the opportunity to hear the namesake of the Institute, John Mutz, speak several times. The visionary leader who was instrumental in so many important developments in our state inspired the cohort with his passion for philanthropy and futuristic views of the role philanthropy plays – and can play – in building better communities.

In the past 10 months I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about fundraising, board development, the role of philanthropy in public policy, trends in philanthropy, how storytelling and communications can advance philanthropy, and the future of giving. A perk of our increasingly virtual world could be recognized in the lineup of experts from throughout the U.S. I had the opportunity to learn from as they shared data, experiences, and information through Zoom presentations. Over the course of the yearlong Mutz Philanthropic Institute, 70 different presenters shared meaningful information relevant to the day-to-day work in the philanthropic industry.

So what was my favorite part of the experience? Getting to know the other participants in the Institute! In addition to learning from the incredible speakers, I was fortunate to meet and learn from 23 talented, experienced leaders from across the state. Each person involved in the Mutz Institute brought a unique perspective, diverse background, and passion for making our world a better place. It was a joy to learn firsthand how philanthropy plays a role in so many different areas across our state and humbling to be among professionals who have worked so hard to improve lives through their work. I am grateful for the entire experience and especially look forward to continuing to grow both personally and professionally through my colleagues involved in the Mutz Institute.