Indiana Philanthropy Alliance

Name: Help or Harm: AI in Grantmaking – Rural & Beyond
Start: 2026-05-20T12:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-20T13:30:00-04:00
Location: Online

January 2026
Data Centers and Community Primer

January 21 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Midwestern communities are powering the future of artificial intelligence and cloud computing through the exponential growth of data center operations breaking ground in our region. These infrastructure investments have impacts on economic and environmental resources that are not always well-understood or anticipated. Through this fact-based primer on data centers, foundation leaders can be informed partners working to drive effective decision-making and strategy development within their own communities. What you’ll take away: Fact-based insights on the topic of data center operations and implications on communities. Questions to ask to understand the benefits and drawbacks of data centers for your region. IPA Member Price: $0 Nonmember Price: $50

$50
February 2026
Community Foundation Brown Bag Lunch: Leading as a Board Chair

February 2 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Community foundation leaders come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, and inevitably face new challenges leading this unique type of nonprofit. Join this series of casual lunchtime calls about leadership, featuring conversations with longtime community foundation CEOs and GIFT experts in the field. Each virtual session will highlight scenarios you may encounter and tips for building a team of leaders you can consult when faced with new challenges. More details will be available soon. View the full series here. Who May Join The CF Brown Bag Lunch series is open to Indiana community foundation CEOs and their board chair. 👥 Registering Others: Community foundation staff can register board members by selecting their names from the Colleague drop-down menu above. To add new board members or contacts to your account, visit My Dashboard, select Manage My Organizations, and select edit to update your contact list.
Relationships and Power: Listening Well

February 10 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Join us to explore how intentional practices of listening can help shift power between philanthropic families and their partners, within grantmaking relationships, and among communities that funders serve; deepen relationships; and support equitable outcomes. Participants will reflect on how families can engage authentically with grantees and communities, ask effective questions, interpret what they hear, and respond in ways that strengthen mutual trust, co-creation, and agency. You’ll leave with actionable takeaways for how your philanthropic practice can be more relational, equitable, and grounded in the voices of those you aim to serve.
Census for Funders 101

February 17 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Online

Census participation gaps, particularly among historically undercounted populations, can have lasting consequences for states, local governments, and the nonprofits and systems philanthropy supports. This webinar will explore practical ways grantmakers can engage individually and collectively to strengthen outreach, trust, and participation. An accurate census is essential to ensuring communities receive their fair share of public funding and resources, especially as we look ahead to Census 2030. Census participation gaps, particularly among historically undercounted populations, can have lasting consequences for states, local governments, and the nonprofits and systems philanthropy supports. Census for Funders 101 will outline how philanthropy and its partners can play a critical role in supporting a fair and accurate Census 2030. This webinar will explore why the census matters for securing government dollars, how census data is used in funding and policy decisions, and practical ways grantmakers can engage individually and collectively to strengthen outreach, trust, and participation. Designed for funders at all levels of experience, this session will equip participants with foundational knowledge, real-world examples, and actionable strategies to help ensure an accurate count that benefits Indiana’s communities for the next decade. What You'll Learn Why Census 2030 matters for equitable funding and representation How census data […]
May 2026
Help or Harm: AI in Grantmaking – Rural & Beyond

May 20 @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Online

Is AI leveling the field or raising the bar? Many Midwest funders are noticing a surge in grant applications – and wondering whether AI is helping or harming the philanthropic process. At the same time, rural nonprofits – and often nonprofits in other geographies – consistently cite limited capacity as one of their biggest barriers to engaging in the grantmaking process. This session shares emerging research and real-world observations on how AI is being used throughout the nonprofit sector and how funders are experiencing the resulting shifts in volume, clarity, storytelling, and capacity across rural nonprofits. Together, we’ll explore both sides of the equation: AI as a potential equalizer for small, often volunteer-driven rural organizations, and AI as a force that may overwhelm funder systems or obscure genuine organizational needs. The conversation will focus on what’s actionable now: responsible AI use, equity considerations, and how funders can adapt their processes to maintain trust, discernment, and alignment with community priorities. Participants will leave with practical strategies and a clearer sense of where AI can support their work – and where human discernment matters most. Grounded in the realities of rural philanthropy, this session will include information transferable to any geographic setting. […]

RESOURCES

TRAINING

Indiana Philanthropy Alliance

January 2026

Data Centers and Community Primer

February 2026

Community Foundation Brown Bag Lunch: Leading as a Board Chair

Relationships and Power: Listening Well

Census for Funders 101

May 2026

Help or Harm: AI in Grantmaking – Rural & Beyond

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