The Future of the Philanthropic Sector – Experiential Learning with The Patterson Foundation

Photo: Inaugural TPF Fellow Hannah Saeger Karnei with IUPUI students and TPF consultant Laurey Stryker

Photo: Suncoast Summer Reading Challenge Blastoff Event

July 2019 – Present

The Future of the Philanthropic Sector – Experiential Learning with The Patterson Foundation

The Purpose

Through a collaboration with The Patterson Foundation and Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, The Future of the Philanthropic Sector course provides undergraduate and graduate students attending Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy a professional growth opportunity using The Patterson Foundation's initiatives.

Students will focus on 1.) Capacity Building through Margin & Mission Ignition, 2.) Issue-Based Movement through the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, 3.) Inspiring Philanthropy through the Giving Challenge.

Strengthening the Impact

The course will connect students to The Patterson Foundation, a foundation known for its collaborative philosophy and tenets of change. Students will learn innovative philanthropic principles and share their expertise with nonprofits in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.

The course will explore these questions:

What may the philanthropic sector look like in the future?
What will it take to build sustainable organizations that can tackle systemic problems within our local communities, our country, and our world?
How are innovative partnerships begun and sustained?
What competencies and qualities will leaders of the future need?
What ideas, questions, and recommendations do thought-leaders have about the future of the philanthropic sector?

FAQ's

Click on frequently asked questions below to learn more about this program...

Why is The Patterson Foundation collaborating with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy?

The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is the first school dedicated solely to the study and teaching of philanthropy. Since its inception, it has demonstrated a commitment to training and empowering students and practitioners to innovate and lead to create positive and lasting change in the world. This includes its growing bachelor’s and master’s programs offering students a mix of theory and practice.

Why is The Patterson Foundation interested in supporting a course at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy?

Through The Patterson Foundation’s unique position of having an unfettered charter, we can undertake work in ways others are not doing, cannot do, or will not do. In that spirit, supporting a course that allows students to explore “The Future of Work in the Philanthropic Sector” through the lens of The Patterson Foundation’s initiatives, opens up possibilities for a new generation of leadership.

What is The Future of Work in the Philanthropic Sector course?

The focus of The Future of Work in the Philanthropic Sector course is to connect students to living examples of innovative philanthropic strategy through The Patterson Foundation and its connections to nonprofits in the Sarasota area. The course will explore these questions:

What may the philanthropic sector look like in the future?
What will it take to build sustainable organizations that can tackle systemic problems within our local communities, our country, and our world?
How are innovative partnerships begun and sustained?
What competencies and qualities will leaders of the future need?
What ideas, questions, and recommendations do thought-leaders have about the future of the philanthropic sector?

During the course of the semester, students will have the opportunity to learn about and focus on three topic areas:

Capacity Building
Issue-Based Movements
Inspiring Philanthropy.

Then, during spring break, The Patterson Foundation will host students and explore these areas through local partnerships.

What will students gain from participating in an experiential, hybrid course?

The experiential nature of the course offers a unique opportunity to live philanthropic work in real environments. Because there will be a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, this exposure allows for meaningful participation across the experience and interest spectrum.

The Patterson Foundation is proud to showcase the philanthropic ecosystem that is so vibrant across the Suncoast.

Is the course connected to The Patterson Foundation Fellows Program?

The course is an extension of the partnership between Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and The Patterson Foundation, but there is no direct link between the course and the Fellows Program. The course is not a requirement to apply for the Fellows Program.

Why three interest paths in the course?

Philanthropy is a field of possibilities with many different avenues for professional growth. By focusing the course to three broad but tangible action areas, students will be able to partake in projects and experiences that are an accurate representation of what work in the field may look like using The Patterson Foundation’s initiatives. Students will focus on:

Capacity Building through Margin & Mission Ignition
Issue Based Movement through Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Inspiring Philanthropy through the Giving Challenge

Who can apply for this course?

The course is open to any undergraduate or masters student at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Due to an enthusiastic response, registration is already closed for Spring 2020. Keep your eyes peeled during future registration windows!

Fellows Program

"TPF's Current Initiatives at a Glance"