Collections

America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth was founded at the Presidents' Summit for America's Future in 1997. The Five Promises to children are at the core of America's Promise and are as follows: Caring Adults; Safe Places; a Healthy Start; Marketable Skills; and Opportunities to Serve.

The Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) was founded in 1971 by David Horton Smith and Bill Ready as the Association for Voluntary Action Scholars (AVAS). Their vision was to create an independent and impartial forum for researchers in the fledgling field of voluntary action and citizen participation. Major activities have included an annual conference and the publication of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ), formerly the Journal of Voluntary Action Research (JVAR); Citizen Participation and Voluntary Action Abstracts (CPVAA); and a newsletter. The organization's name change in 1991 signified diversification of the original mission, which now includes expanded outreach to researchers on nonprofit organizations and from previously neglected academic disciplines. The records consist of board and committee materials, correspondence, financial and administrative records, journals and newsletters, journal manuscript submissions, conference programs and proceedings, and grant proposals.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis is a social service organization focusing on youth in Indianapolis. The organization started in 1893 as the Newsboy's Home. Founders of the home were Thomas C. Day; Caleb S. Denny, three term mayor of Indianapolis; Carrie Lowe Denny, his wife; and M.V. McGilliard, a local philanthropist. Today the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis operate ten clubs: five in clubhouse facilities and five clubs based at Indianapolis Public Schools. These clubs are strategically located in the city to serve the most at-risk youth. Programs offered by the organization's professional staff and volunteers include counseling, career development, cultural enrichment, social recreation, citizenship and leadership development, and individual and team sports. The records consist of association and individual club materials and include board of director's minutes, events and activities, fundraising and publicity, annual reports, individual club files, record books, photographs, and videos.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is an organization formed by the 1975 merger of the American Alumni Council (AAC) and the American College Public Relations Association (ACPRA). Constituents of both groups believed their goal of increasing the professional competence of those individuals involved in all phases of alumni work including, alumni administration, educational fund raising, public relations and publications in order to promote the cause of education could be better achieved as a single entity. The collection contains the records of CASE and its predecessor institutions covering the development of the early organizations and their merger to form the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

David Reingold is the current Justin S. Morrill Dean of Liberal Arts and Professor of Sociology at Purdue University. This collection primarily focuses on his time working with the Corporation for National and Community Service as Director of Research and Policy Development where he was responsible for managing the agencies research and evaluation portfolio, providing consultation to the CEO on policy development, and working with the White House on the President's USA Freedom Corps initiative. This collection includes paper records as well as digital records.

Harris Wofford was a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, the former CEO of the Corporation of National and Community Service (CNCS, now AmeriCorps), a civil rights advocate, university president, lawyer, and writer. This collection focuses on his work supporting national service, including his time as the CEO of CNCS.

Independent Sector (IS) was founded in 1980 as a coalition of corporate, foundation and voluntary organizations for the purpose of encouraging charitable giving, volunteering and nonprofit activities in the United States. Its mission is to promote, strengthen, and advance the nonprofit and philanthropic community to foster private initiative for the public good. By 2004, the organization maintained a membership of approximately 500 of the nation's leading nonprofit agencies and funders of nonprofit work. The collection consists of board minutes, committee reports, correspondence, publications, lobbying efforts, and conference materials.

Indiana Campus Compact is a 501(c)(3) non-profit partnership of Indiana's public, private, and community college higher education institutions focused on advocating, implementing, and improving community engagement efforts so that students graduate as well-informed, engaged, and productive members of society who are fully enabled to provide leadership and service that advances the public good in their communities. Indiana Campus Compact is a state affiliate of Campus Compact.

The Indiana FFA Association, formed in 1929, was the 19th state association chartered by the National FFA Organization, an agricultural education organization consisting of 52 chartered state associations including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Each state association is governed by its own constitution approved by the National FFA Organization and is comprised of chapters within secondary schools throughout the state. In 1968 the Indiana FFA Leadership Center was established in Trafalgar, Indiana, to house leadership activities, the State FFA Officers, and state staff. By 2004, the Indiana FFA Association included 9,000 members in 188 chapters statewide.

The Indiana Literacy Foundation (ILF) was established in February of 1993, in Indianapolis, Indiana and operated for twelve years until it shut down in January of 2005, citing lack of financial sustainability. The organization, consisting primarily of its board members, worked to provide funds for voluntary literacy programs throughout the state of Indiana while simultaneously operating programs designed to increase awareness of adult literacy concerns and directly provide training for literacy tutors.

The Indianapolis Foundation was created in 1916 by the resolution of three financial institutions, the Fletcher Trust Company, Indiana Trust Company, and Union Trust Company. It was officially introduced as one of the first community foundations in the United States in the January 5, 1916, edition of the Indianapolis Star. According to the resolution, income from the Indianapolis Foundation would "be dispersed by said companies on the written order of a board of trustees for such charitable uses as well in its judgment promote the welfare of persons now or hereafter residing in Indianapolis, Indiana." The foundation began making grants in 1924 and today continues to give to Indianapolis organizations to help improve the quality of life in the city.

Junior Achievement of Central Indiana (JA Central Indiana) was founded in 1957 as an area franchise of Junior Achievement. JA Central Indiana has implemented the major educational programs of Junior Achievement from 1958 through today, teaching Central Indiana students from the grade school to high school level about economics and business in a hands-on format.

Junior Achievement, Inc. (JA) was founded in 1919 as the Boys' and Girls' Bureau of the Eastern States League. Embracing the concept of "learning by doing," the leaders of the Bureau dedicated themselves to teaching urban youth proper business practice and methods. They accomplished this through hands-on training in management and production. For much of its history, JA used one program to teach business to high school students. Beginning in the 1970s, JA started to expand its programs to include Kindergarten, Middle School, and college students. Over the last 20 years, the programs of JA have changed immensely. While the face of JA has changed, the mission of teaching youth about business remains at the core of Junior Achievement. Today, JA continues to be one of the most influential business education organizations worldwide

Kiwanis International, briefly called the Supreme Lodge Benevolent Order Brothers, was officially chartered in 1915 as a club for businessmen that also had social and commercial benefits. That original intent evolved quickly into a club for businessmen who wanted to improve their communities, hence the 1920 motto "we build." Today, Kiwanis International is a global organization, with numerous projects dedicated primarily to their current motto of "serving the children of the world." Through community-based, volunteer efforts, Kiwanians work toward improving the lives of children worldwide through projects such as The Worldwide Service Project for Iodine Deficiency Disorder, Young Children: Priority One, and their current global campaign, The Eliminate Project: Kiwanis eliminating maternal/neonatal tetanus. Kiwanis International membership includes clubs for ages six through adults, with approximately 600,000 total active members. This collection contains minutes, correspondence, newsletters, supply catalogs, publications, scrapbooks, photographs, negatives, slides, and audio/visual materials.

Leslie Lenkowsky is the former CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and professor emeritus of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Bloomington and of the Lilly School of Philanthropy at IUPUI. Lenkowsky taught on topics including nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, civil society, and public policy. He has written articles for national publications like The Wall Street Journal and has spoken worldwide about philanthropy. The Leslie Lenkowsky Papers consist of Lenkowsky's records from his involvement with the Corporation for National and Community Service, both before and during his time as CEO. It includes board meeting minutes, reports on CNCS and its programs, congressional and legislative records, correspondence, articles, and programs records.

The A.L. Mailman Family Foundation was established in 1980 as a private, successor organization to the Mailman Foundation, which was founded by Abraham and Joseph Mailman in 1943. The foundation, named for Abe Mailman and originally chaired by his daughter, Dr. Marilyn Mailman Segal, provides grant funding for projects and programs concerning early childhood education and development. Initially, the Foundation's early grants supported applied research and model programs, but based on feedback and replication issues, the Foundation began to focus on products and practices intended to inform public policy. In 1993, the Directors of the Foundation decided to proactively address larger societal issues, such as racism, violence, and poverty, in addition to their continued support for early childhood education and family care. The Mailman Foundation Records contain board meeting minutes, symposia memorabilia, annual reports and administrative files, grant files and related publications, records of contributions, and correspondence.

Malcolm Richardson's records contain the planning documents and proceedings from the White House Conference on Philanthropy, as well as materials from the President's Council on the Arts and Humanities, the White House Millennium Council, and the 3rd annual Expanding Philanthropy through the Internet conference.

The National FFA Organization, originally called the Future Farmers of America, was founded in 1928 as a national organization for boys in rural, farming communities. Its original purpose, the education of youth in agricultural fields of study, is still recognized through its current programs. Today, the mission of the National FFA Organization is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Through educational programs the FFA teaches students how to become active in their communities and successful in their occupation. FFA membership includes junior high, high school, and college students and totals approximately 450,000. This collection contains correspondence, minutes, newsletters, publications, reports, audio cassettes, video cassettes, and photographs.

The National Network of Grantmakers (NNG) is an organization formed in 1980 to bring together individuals committed to the idea that a "fully functioning democracy depends upon involved and empowered citizens who share both the responsibilities and benefits of society." It was a progressive-minded organization committed to social, economic, and environmental justice. Records include board and committee records, program files, correspondence, financial records, and publications.

The 1987 Pan American Games were held in Indianapolis between August 7 and August 23, involving 38 countries and 31 different sports. It was planned and hosted by an offshoot of the Indiana Sports Corporation, PAX/Indianapolis (PAX-I). While preparing for the upcoming games, PAX-I researched how previous organizations had handled similar events. They arranged for corporate licensing and in-kind donations and worked with Disney to design the opening and closing ceremonies. PAX-I security staff cooperated with the Indianapolis Police Department and the U.S. Department of Defense to provide security for residents and visitors. The Language and Meeting Services Division organized bilingual interpreters and translation services, and the Games and Venues Division determined sites and schedules for sporting events and practices. Human Resources coordinated a large team of volunteers, and the Communications Division arranged publicity, speeches, tours, and the "look" of the games. Support staff established an athlete's village at Fort Benjamin Harrison with the permission of the U. S. Army and handled the many logistical details necessary for the influx of athletes, dignitaries, and spectators for the 1987 games. Some political problems accompanied the games because of tensions between the United States and Communist Cuba.

Peter Dobkin Hall was a historian of American philanthropy, who held appointments at Wesleyan (1974-1982), Yale (1973-1999), and Harvard (2000 until death), and was Scholar in Residence at the Rockefeller Archive Center in 1989. He was extensively published in philanthropy but it probably best known for his book "'Inventing the Nonprofit Sector' and Other Essays on Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Nonprofit Organizations."

In 1947 Charles Edward Marsh founded the Public Welfare Foundation to render direct financial assistance to the needy. His purpose, to offer the greatest good to the greatest number of people, symbolized the efforts of the foundation he created. His method of distributing money, called the agent system, dispersed financial assistance to provide for the immediate needs of individuals. As tax laws required more detailed reporting, the foundation began to phase out the agent system and created a more formal method of receiving proposals from organizations worldwide. With a commitment to supporting organizations that help people overcome barriers to full participation in society, the foundation had distributed more than $400 million in grants by 2007. Its purpose continues in the spirit of Charles Marsh to focus on "ensuring the fundamental rights and opportunities for people in need."

The Social Health Association of Central Indiana began as the Anti-Syphilis League of Indiana in 1938. Its purpose was to eradicate venereal diseases, particularly syphilis and gonorrhea, and the conditions which contributed to its proliferation. In 1939, the name was changed to the Indiana Social Hygiene Association. In 1943, their mission included the eradication of venereal diseases; the battle against prostitution and sexual delinquency; the promotion of sex education and appropriate sexual behavior; and the support of family and marriage relations. As the organization's focus evolved, it underwent a name change to the Social Health Association of Indianapolis and Marion County, and in the 1960s, became more involved in sex education, developing materials for elementary and secondary schools and education professionals. In 1976, the name changed to the Social Health Association of Central Indiana as it began to develop programs for areas outside of Marion County. In the 1980s, the organization added AIDS education to its curriculum and in the 1990s it added "Life Skills" education. The agency changed its name to Social Health Association of Indiana in 2000; in the 2000s its focus shifted to puberty education, internet safety, and bullying prevention. In 2018, it became LifeSmart Youth, Inc. and focused on health and behavior education. The collection consists of board of directors and committee minutes, administrative records, publications, program materials, sex education plans, teaching materials, and audio materials including class instruction, advertisements and radio broadcasts.

Women & Philanthropy incorporated in 1977 with the purpose of elevating the status of women as decision makers in philanthropy and increasing the amount of funding for women and girls' programs. The organization's research-based advocacy served as the foundation for its agenda. Providing evidence that women were under-represented in a variety of key areas in the field of philanthropy, Women & Philanthropy developed ways to combat the problem and while providing a resource for women in the field to become educators and advocates for their gender. In 2007 Women & Philanthropy ceased as a separate organization and became a special project of the Council on Foundations. Materials in this collection cover the whole of the organization's history from its beginning until its incorporation into the Council on Foundations and provide an excellent resource for understanding the role of women as leaders in the foundation world.