Indiana Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) statewide conference held June 7-8, was attended by over 250 private, corporate and community foundation leaders and others connected to philanthropy in Indiana. During the conference, IPA recognized outstanding leaders of Indiana philanthropy. Nancy Doemel, founding member of the Montgomery County Community Foundation in Crawfordsville was named the recipient of the 2016 Hazelett Award for Leadership in Grantmaking. Throughout her career, Doemel has shared her grantwriting and fundraising knowledge through her leadership role with the Montgomery County Leadership Academy, Crawfordsville Main Street, the Crawfordsville Community Center, the Darlington Community Center, Montgomery County Free Clinic, the Economic Health Committee of the Montgomery County League of Women Voters, the Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church and the Sugar Creek Quilt Guild. She was also the catalyst in helping establish the Women’s Legacy Fund at the foundation.
As a founder and board member of MCCF, Doemel served from 1991 – 1997 (President 1995-1997) and 2004-2010 (Vice President 2007-2008). During that time, she chaired the GIFT (Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow) IV, V, and SRD (Sustaining Resource Development) initiatives. At the recent MCCF annual meeting, she presented an oral history of MCCF and shared her memories of the organization including challenges and successes. A video of her full address can be viewed on the Montgomery County Community Foundation Facebook page.
Others recognized at the IPA conference last week included Senator Dan Coats (R-IN) who received the 2016 Public Policy Champion of Philanthropy award in recognition of his outstanding support of charitable giving. As a member of Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Coats has consistently been supportive of maintaining the charitable deduction, making the private foundation excise tax a flat tax and making the IRA rollover permanent. Helen Monroe, a lifelong champion of Indiana community foundations, was presented with the Sagamore of the Wabash by Gov. Mike Pence for her tremendous dedication to community foundations in Indiana. Judy Johnson, Executive Director of the Washington County Community Foundation received the Spirit in Youth Philanthropy Award for her outstanding leadership and support of youth engagement in philanthropy in Washington County. Under her guidance, the Washington County Community Foundation established a youth philanthropy endowment which now stands at $253,000.