Center on Philanthropy receives $40 million endowment grant

My Alma Mata, the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, announced today that is has received a $40 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to establish a permanent endowment. This investment will generate about $2 million in earnings annually to replace the annual operating support that Lilly Endowment currently is giving to the Center.

Actually, I'm a graduate of the Center's Fundraising School, which is the only international educational program of its type housed within a university. Founded here in the Bay Area by Hank Rosso over 3o years ago, it later became a part of the Center and continues to provide superior training in fundraising principles and practices throughout the country.

So whether it is my heavily highlighted, dog-eared copy of Achieving Excellence in Fund Raising, my volunteer service with the Development Executives Roundtable Board, or my training through the Fundraising School, Hank's voice is never too far from my ear, reminding me that at the core fundraising is the "gentle art of teaching the joy of giving."