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, certificate, and master’s programs offering students a mix of theory and practice.

Through The Patterson Foundation’s unique position of having an unfettered charter, it can undertake work in ways others are not doing, cannot do, or will not do. In that spirit, supporting courses “Beyond the Check: The Patterson Foundation’s Approach to Innovative Philanthropy” and “The Future of the Philanthropic Sector: Experiential Learning with The Patterson Foundation” provide a lens on The Patterson Foundation’s initiatives, opening up possibilities for a new generation of leadership.

The focus of The Future of Work in the Philanthropic Sector: Experiential Learning with The Patterson Foundation is to connect students to living examples of innovative philanthropic strategy through The Patterson Foundation and its connections to nonprofits in its home region. The course explores 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, country, and the 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?
• Why are foundations different from other nonprofits?

During the semester, students have the opportunity to learn about and focus on capacity building, issue-based movements, and inspiring philanthropy. Over a weeklong spring Study Away experience, The Patterson Foundation connects students with local nonprofits to further explore these areas.

An impactful leadership-development experience based on The Patterson Foundation's approach, the course explored network building, values-driven work, creating value beyond the check, systems thinking, the balance between foundation leadership and community leadership, and the importance of communication. Assignments and discussions challenged students to think about what's possible in philanthropy when we look beyond how things have always been done.

The course spanned six weeks with a different subject focus each week:
● Week 1: Building Connective Tissue
● Week 2: Values-Driven Work
● Week 3: Creating Value Beyond the Check
● Week 4: From-To/Systems Thinking
● Week 5: Your Role as a Community Leader
● Week 6: More Than Money – Strategic Communication

Beginning in week one, the topics built upon each other to offer a brief but holistic view of The Patterson Foundation's approach to philanthropy.

For more information, contact initiative manager Dr. Donald R. Bowman: dbowmantpf@gmail.com.