Independent Sector’s members represent the variety of ways that working toward the common good happens in our country, and they reflect an array of unique visions for making a better tomorrow.
Each month, we also get to ring in a number of member-versaries. Check out the April anniversaries (there are a lot this month!), and spend some time learning more about each of these organizations!
5 years
AchieveMission
Led by a team of seven that has worked in-house for many of the country’s most innovative and entrepreneurial nonprofits, AchieveMission is dedicated to equipping leaders to guide social purpose organizations to their full, highest-performing potential. Though the AchieveMission team is spread out in four main regions—those surrounding Boston, New York, DC, and Denver—their leader, Mikaela Seligman, is based in Washington, DC. Mikaela is also an IS alum. Before joining AchieveMission in 2013, she served in a vice president capacity at IS, overseeing programs geared toward effective nonprofit and philanthropic leadership. Last October, we were fortunate to have Mikaela—a seasoned thinker and doer in the charitable space—join us in Detroit to speak Our Common Future.
Learn more | Twitter: @AchieveMission | Facebook: AchieveMission
Benevon
The Seattle-based team at Benevon helps do-gooders get their nonprofits to a sustainable place financially, so they can concentrate more on their mission, and less on the anxiety of annual fundraising. Their step-by-step pathway to steady financial health—known as the Benevon Model—has helped 5,000 nonprofit teams along in doing their work with much less worry about resource constraints. Benevon is led by Terry Axelrod, a Michigander of many years before she headed west and launched Benevon in 1996. In addition to leading her org, Axelrod still serves as an adjunct lecturer at her alma mater, the University of Michigan School of Social Work.
Learn more | Twitter: @benevon | Facebook: Benevon | Follow Terry Axelrod: @terryaxelrod
Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP)
Central to EPIP’s vision for a thriving philanthropic sector are diversity, equity, and inclusion. Though an equitable and inclusive philosophy is at the center of its programs for philanthropic leaders, the organization’s emphases include four other areas of commitment: share leadership, excellence, community, and learning. They are also explicit that though “emerging” is in their brand name, their community is not necessarily for professionals under 40. EPIP is headquartered in New York, and has 16 regional chapters (including one in that state off the U.S. mainland that we all perennially wish we were in instead of at our desks). EPIP’s national office has been led by Tamir Novotny since 2015.
Learn more | Twitter: @EPIPNational | Facebook: Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) |
Follow Tamir Novotny: @tamirnovotny
Empire Health Foundation
Yet another organization from the Evergreen State celebrating a member anniversary is Empire Health Foundation. Based in Spokane, the foundation dedicates their resources to transforming Eastern Washington into the state’s healthiest region. They are committed to helping the region make measurable strides in improving health outcomes, strengthening health systems, growing physician supply, and building nonprofit capacity. We’re proud of Empire Health Foundation’s recognition of the powerful connection between nonprofit capacity and holistic community health. We’re also fortunate to have Antony Chiang—their leader since 2010—as a member of the IS Board of Directors. Check out the conversation we had with him at the beginning of his board term in 2016.
Learn more | Twitter: @empirehealth | Facebook: Empire Health Foundation
Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation
The Southfield, Michigan-based Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation was endowed in 2005 following the death of one of its namesakes, Max Fisher. The philanthropy is grounded in the Jewish tradition of tzedakah. Translated, tzedakah– the closest word in the Hebrew language to “charity”—is about justice and fairness. Central to the Jewish concept is the belief that philanthropy benefits those who are able to give as much as it does the recipients. Doug Bitonti Stewart has led the foundation since the executive position was created in 2007.
Learn more | Follow Doug Bitoni Stewart: @bitontistewart
NEO Law Group
To reiterate something we’ve remarked on recently for the Upswell blog, NEO Law Group is pretty familiar to the nonprofit law and policy space, as is its leader, Gene Takagi. But in case you haven’t heard of them, or aren’t already privy to Gene’s Nonprofit Law Blog, they’re a San Francisco-based firm that represents nonprofits, and specializes in legal issues of tax-exempt organizations. Gene has served as Managing Attorney for the firm since 2005.
Learn more | Facebook: NEO Law Group | Follow Gene Takagi: @GTak
The Viscardi Center
The Albertson, New York-based Viscardi Center was founded over 60 years ago by Dr. Henry Viscardi. In his life, Viscardi became an important advocate for people with disabilities, and even served as a disability advisor to eight U.S. presidents. Viscardi himself was born with withered legs, and only ever walked with prosthetics. Viscardi died in 2004, but his namesake network of nonprofit organizations providing services for children and adults with disabilities has survived him. The organization has been led by John D. Kemp, Esq. since 2011. Kemp himself uses four prostheses, and has a mentoring and leadership reputation in the disability community that would make his org’s namesake proud.
Learn more | Twitter: @ViscardiCenter | Facebook: The Viscardi Center
3 years
After-School All Stars
After-School All Stars is a national nonprofit that provides free daily after-school programs to nearly 75,000 students from low-income families. It’s a pretty benign vision considering it was founded by the Terminator. No misprint there: After-School All Stars was founded by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. It has headquarters on both coasts, with main offices in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, but has programs in over 42 U.S. cities (to our envy, one thing they and EPIP share is a presence in Hawaii). Since 2003, the organization has been led by Ben Paul. In his tenure, Paul has overseen an expansion of programs from 45 to nearly 350 schools.
Learn more | Twitter: @ASASafterschool | Facebook: After-School All Stars
Harold K.L. Castle Foundation
And last, but not least, is yet another of our members with a presence in Hawaii. This one, however, is actually headquartered in Hawaii. Needless to say, they make us seriously question our choice of location so far from The Aloha State. On a more earnest note, the Castle Foundation has a diverse portfolio for important work in their state. Focused on building resources for Hawaii’s future, the Castle Foundation concentrates its efforts on closing the achievement gap in public education, restoring Hawaii’s nearshore marine habitats, and preserving the rich cultural legacy of the Windward Oahu communities. The foundation is led by Terry George, who has been in the executive post since 2014.
Learn more | Twitter: @HaroldKLCastle | Facebook: Harold K.L. Castle Foundation
To learn more about IS membership, check out our Membership page.
