GIFT Experts in Residence

IPA's GIFT Technical Assistance Program offers Indiana community foundations access to expertise and consultants to help troubleshoot and elevate their work covering a range of scope and issue areas.

 

How it Works

IPA's GIFT team responds to hundreds of questions from Indiana community foundations throughout the year, ranging in scope and issue area. Each organization has access to one hour of consultation per year, per expert. To access these services, contact Technical Assistance Advisor Alisa Winters at askalisa@inphilanthropy.org.

 

Types of Requests

  • Succession Planning: Community foundations may benefit from working with this expert when planning for an upcoming leadership transition or in the midst of an unexpected vacancy. Typical requests include information on current trends in salary and benefits expectations, best practices to plan for upcoming transitions, an executive search strategy, or establishing a process to move forward during an unexpected vacancy. 
  • Legal & Planned Giving: Laws that govern community foundations are complex and each scenario is unique. We can advise your foundation on approaching complex planned gifts, changes to funds, or updating old funds to bring them into compliance, among other things.
  • Finance & Accounting: Our experts deliver experience and knowledge in nonprofit accounting standards and widely used community foundation software platforms. Typical requests might include a consultation on best practices when preparing for a software conversion or a specific question about fund accounting.  
  • HR and Personnel: Community foundations are all employers and must comply with labor laws. Never is the phrase “an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure” more true! We can provide guidance on the correct classification of employee types, benefits, unemployment, and disability claims or offer insight on unusual employee requests. 
  • Executive Coaching: Community foundation leaders are fortunate to work alongside people passionate about serving their communities: donors, nonprofits, board members, other community leaders, and other staff. As such, they are often faced with complex, competing priorities. Our executive coach can serve as an experienced, trusted thought partner to help you navigate difficult decisions and communicate from a position of strength.
  • Individual Assistance & General Questions: GIFT Technical Assistance Advisor Alisa Winters is available for individual assistance as needed. Contact her for any request. We maintain an extensive resource library and pursue education and professional development to serve the field. If the question requires a higher level of expertise, we will connect you with one of the Experts in Residence listed below. 

 

Experts in Residence


Bryan Orander

Bryan Orander provides expert advice in the area of CEO Succession. Bryan is the founder and president of Charitable Advisors and specializes in executive transition, assessment and strategic planning, and board development. 


Phil Purcell, CFRE, MPA/JD

Phil Purcell provides expert advice in the area of legal and planned giving. With an extensive and varied experience background, Phil offers specialized knowledge in grantmaking, scholarships, fund management, planned giving, nonprofit law, the Pension Protection Act, UPMIFA, and other laws that specifically affect the operations of a foundation. READ MORE


Wes Terry, MBA, CPA & Tanner Egbert, MPA

Wes Terry serves as the president of Marsh, Terry & Associates CPAs and cofounder of FiscAlign LLC. Upon graduating from Indiana University with his MBA, he started his career at Forvis LLP (previously known as BKD LLP), where he conducted audits and consultations for a variety of nonprofit and governmental organizations. Through these roles, Wes has worked with hundreds of nonprofit organizations, which allows him to bring unique expertise to understanding nonprofit organizations and their challenges, whether they be small grassroots organizations or large international nonprofits. Before joining FiscAlign, Tanner Egbert served as the CFO for the Dubois County Community Foundation, responsible for financial management and fund accounting. He has experience with month-end processing, software conversions (Community Suite & Pearl), payroll, creating new work processes, financial reports, audits, and budget creation. Tanner completed his bachelor's degree in Public Financial Management at Indiana University and his Master of Public Affairs at Indiana University. 


Jeremy York, SHRM-SCP, SPHR

Jeremy York provides expert advice in the areas of HR and personnel management. Jeremy is InvigorateHR's lead consultant and president. His expertise in defining and understanding the "big picture" enables him to translate business needs into tangible solutions. With his guidance, organizations have improved employee relations, increased performance, and developed cultures based on mutual trust and respect. 


Cheryl Taylor

Cheryl Taylor has been a longtime coach—and lifelong mentee. For the last two decades, Taylor was president of Foellinger Foundation, a private, charitable foundation in Fort Wayne, IN, with assets of $200M. Before she was named president, Cheryl served ten years as program manager at the foundation. At Foellinger Foundation, Cheryl spearheaded the Helene Foellinger Leadership Development Initiative, which includes the rigorous 12-month Leadership Lab program. She also guided the Initiative’s Barbara Burt Innovative Leader Fund to provide leadership development to nonprofit board members. Prior to these roles, Cheryl worked for public and private organizations in roles including public information officer, marketing and communications, PR and disaster relief services. Cheryl has a Master’s Degree in Humanities from Indiana University, credentials in Professional Executive Coaching and Advanced Executive Coaching from Huntington University, and is certified in Conversational Intelligence™ and ECHO Listening Intelligence®


Alisa Winters

Alisa Winters came to IPA having served as the executive director of the Rush County Community Foundation (RCCF), where she led RCCF through growth in staff, assets, and two successful GIFT initiatives. Alisa created innovative partnerships and grant opportunities to position the foundation as a recognized leader in Rush County. She is on the board of the Rush County Economic and Community Development Corporation and is an active member of the Rotary Club and Glenwood United Methodist Church. Alisa attained her BS in sales management from Purdue University and a master’s degree in public health from Indiana University.