Indiana Philanthropy Alliance

Meet 2025 Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute class member Neysa Meyer! Neysa is the Executive Director at the Putnam County Community Foundation. In this role, she ensures the responsible stewardship of the Community Foundation’s funds, leads the strategy laid out by the Board of Directors and supports the philanthropic goals of Putnam County. A native of Avon, Indiana, she earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Indianapolis and completed graduate studies at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis. Neysa began her career with the U.S. Peace Corps and later worked in the nonprofit sector with an international service organization. She and her husband, Adam, live in Greencastle with their daughter, Charlee.

In a recent IPA think piece, Arvetta Jideonwo, MHA, CSSGB, CFRE explores creating results-based funding models to improve impact. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gGtjXJNA Arvetta is a member of the 2025 Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute

Meet 2025 Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute class member Wendy Sedlak! Wendy is the strategy director for research and evaluation at Lumina Foundation. In her role, she establishes and synthesizes the evidence and data necessary to advise Lumina’s strategic direction and documents effective practices and policies to inform the foundation and the field. Prior to coming to Lumina, Sedlak worked at Equal Measure, where she managed and directed projects across various portfolios of work, including many large-scale complex national systems-change evaluations addressing complex challenges in the social sector. Sedlak earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and master’s and doctoral degrees from Temple University.

Meet 2025 Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Class Member Eric Hessel (He/Him/His)! Eric is the Vice President of Programs at the Hendricks County Community Foundation. Hessel started working with the Community Foundation in 2003 as a youth grantmaker. Since receiving his bachelor's degree in Politics from New York University in 2009, Hessel has worked for Portraits of Hope, Easter Seals, and the US Census Bureau. Hessel serves on the Leadership Hendricks County Program Committee, the IPA Education Committee, and is Co-Chair of the Hendricks County Bicentennial Steering Committee. Eric grew up in Pittsboro, IN and currently lives with his partner and two dogs in Carmel, IN.

How can we balance the priorities of those providing financial support with those directly engaged in the work? K. Tyrone Spann, a 2025 Mutz Philanthropic Leadership class member, offers his answers in this think piece: https://lnkd.in/g_ftW6PP

Jud Fisher of Ball Brothers Foundation (an IPA member) has been awarded the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash Awarded. Learn more about Jud Fisher and how his work earned him one of Indiana's highest honors: https://ow.ly/jWrS50VrKLA

Why should YOU join us at Origin Park? ✅ Explore a 430-acre transformation of industrial land into a thriving green space. ✅ Learn how philanthropy secured $37.5M in state funding! ✅ Connect with experts shaping the future of parks & economic development. 🔗 Don’t miss out! https://lnkd.in/gnN-mjHG

A big thank you to the dozens of IPA members, Mutz Fellows, and Indiana legislators who made Day at the Statehouse a huge success! From conversations about affordable housing and child care to advocating for smarter charitable giving policies, our time at the Capitol reminds us: philanthropy works best when it's connected to policy.

Yesterday I got to be a part of Indiana Philanthropy Alliance's Day at the Statehouse. It was an exciting and energizing morning with about 35 Indiana legislators coming to meet with their constituents who represent philanthropic organizations from all throughout the Hoosier State. Advocacy is part of philanthropy. I got to see firsthand how important it is for grantmakers and community leaders to show up, share what’s working, and speak for what’s needed.   Whether it’s supporting working parents through child care solutions or removing red tape for charitable distributions, our voices matter.   Proud to be part of a network that’s building better policy for stronger communities.   #INPhilanthropy #PhilanthropyInAction #INLegis #BetterTogether

📢 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞! 🏛️ Yesterday, our Director of Communications and Marketing, Wes Scott, joined fellow philanthropy leaders for the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance's 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐳 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞. This important day was all about ensuring our legislators and policymakers understand the 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 in strengthening our communities, state, and country. A huge thank you to Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser and Rep. Ed Clere for taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with Wes and discuss the Community Foundation’s Affordable Housing Study. Their support is invaluable as we work together to improve Clark and Floyd counties for all who call them home. 📸 Check out some moments from the day! ⬇️