Description

In today’s philanthropic landscape, data-driven decision-making is essential for maximizing impact and fostering meaningful change. Understanding how to effectively utilize data and build organizational capacity can open up new opportunities for nonprofits, donors, and community stakeholders. 

Join us for GROWing Capacity with Data, where we'll go beyond basic data access to explore actionable strategies that empower organizations to make informed decisions, strengthen collaborations, and create lasting community impact. 

This session will highlight key tools, such as SAVI and the Grow platform, offering practical approaches to harness data, build capacity, and engage stakeholders effectively. You'll leave with actionable insights and resources that can be immediately applied to elevate your work and drive positive change within your communities.

key takeaways

✅ Introduction to the Grow Platform from the Greater Evansville, Indiana area and its Capacity-Building Tools

✅ Learn about the Grow platform and its offerings, including access to data, training opportunities, and a curated list of resources designed to help nonprofits and community organizations build capacity and drive impact in their region

✅ Find out how to utilize data resources for enhanced community engagement and impact

✅ Identify key data tools and resources, such as SAVI and Grow, that can be leveraged to enhance community engagement, improve decision-making, and advance philanthropic goals

✅ Understand Data-Informed Decision Making through Resources like SAVI, Census

✅ Gain an overview of the SAVI, a research initiative from The Polis Center, and how it provides valuable data resources to support nonprofits, donors, funders, and community stakeholders in making informed, data-informed decisions

Guest speaker

Meghan Craven, Program Coordinator, Welborn Baptist Foundation

Meghan Craven joined the Welborn Baptist Foundation as a Program Coordinator in 2022. She holds a Marketing degree from Ball State University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Southern Indiana.

Beginning her career in the for-profit sector, Meghan specialized in marketing and event management before transitioning to the nonprofit domain in 2018. She has since gained experience in fundraising, event management, and program management. At the Welborn Baptist Foundation, Meghan plays a key role in coordinating the Grow platform, which fosters collaboration and capacity-building for nonprofits, donors, funders, and community stakeholders.

Candice Perry, Chief Capacity Officer, Welborn Baptist Foundation

Candice Perry is a dedicated nonprofit leader with over 30 years of experience advancing community impact through advocacy, capacity building, and data-informed strategies. With a career spanning both executive leadership and philanthropic roles, she brings a unique perspective on strengthening organizations and fostering regional collaboration.

Candice spent 23 years serving at a domestic violence shelter and advocacy organization in Evansville, Indiana, where she progressed from legal advocate to executive director. In 2016, she joined the Welborn Baptist Foundation as the Nonprofit Excellence Program Officer, leading initiatives in Next Generation Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness. Now serving as the Foundation’s Chief Capacity Building Officer, she oversees internal and external efforts to strengthen nonprofits and the broader community.

Candice is deeply engaged in regional, multi-sector collaboration, having co-chaired initiatives such as the COVID-19 Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region's Allocation Committee and the Nonprofit and Donor/Funder Capacity Building teams of Grow. She has chaired the Women's Fund of Vanderburgh County. She also serves on the William Henry Koch Distribution Committee. A lifelong learner, she holds certificates from The Fundraising School and Executive Education from IU SPEA and has been recognized as a past ATHENA Leadership Award nominee.

Passionate about empowering individuals and organizations, Candice continues to advocate for capacity building solutions that create lasting change for nonprofits and their leadership.

Jay Colbert, Data Manager, The Polis Center at IU Indianapolis

Jay Colbert is data manager at The Polis Center at Indiana University Indianapolis. He's an expert in data collection, transformation and analysis; management; and geographic information systems. He has 20 years of experience managing data for community initiatives, including the SAVI community information system, for which he also led public training workshops. He have also provided technical support and strategic data consulting to a variety of community-based organizations (CBOs) in Central Indiana.

Tyler Stock, Program Officer, Grow Program Director, Learning & Data Lead, Welborn Baptist Foundation

Tyler Stock was raised in Posey County, IN, and, like both of his parents, graduated from North Posey High School. He earned both his undergraduate degree and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Southern Indiana.

Tyler currently serves as Program Officer, Grow Program Director, and Learning & Data Lead at the Welborn Baptist Foundation. In this role, he oversees strategic investments in early childhood education, leads a nonprofit capacity-building initiative (Grow), and directs learning and data strategies for the foundation.

Previously, Tyler served as Executive Director of Talent EVV at the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, where he led the Evansville Region’s quality of life and place transformation strategy (Talent EVV). His work focused on aligning cross-sector efforts to enhance the region and make it a destination of choice in the Midwest —collaborating with employers, educators, nonprofit and civic leaders to drive long-term, systems-level change.

Tyler is a Rotary of Evansville 20 Under 40 honoree, and a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Business Leads Fellowship Program. He is currently pursuing his certification through the U.S. Chamber Institute for Organization Management (IOM) program. He is also a graduate of the Welborn Baptist Foundation Board Leadership Academy and Old National Bank’s Career Track Program.

Tyler serves on the boards of Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana, and Leadership Everyone, contributing to strategic planning, governance, and regional community development efforts.

Audience & Registration

Any PhilMO Member or Missouri may register. Our colleagues at Philanthropy Ohio are hosting this Midwest Partnership webinar. The webinar is geared to communication or development professionals who are gathering and sharing stories and/or staff leaders interested in building narrative skills and embedding storytelling into mission-driven work. 

PhilMO Members may participate for free. If this is your first interaction with the new PhilMO website, choose “Create New Account” when registering. 

Non-Member Missouri grantmakers may participate for a fee of $75. Non-Members should choose “Non-Member Funder” to register and submit payment.

If you encounter any challenges registering for this program or otherwise navigating the new website, help is available by contacting info@philmo.org. 

What is the Midwest Partnership?

The Midwest Partnership is a collaboration between the Council of Michigan Foundations, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, Philanthropy Missouri, and Philanthropy Ohio. 

The Midwest Partnership publishes an annual Midwest Grantmaker Salary Report and hosts joint programs, including monthly webinars connecting funders across the four states. Webinars are typically designed for community foundations, corporate foundations and giving programs, and/or family foundations. Occasionally, a program -- like this one! -- will be relevant to all foundation types. Regardless of focus, all foundation types may register for any program. 

Participation in webinars and access to the annual Salary Report is free for Member organizations. Non-Members may not access the report but may register for most webinars by contributing a $75 fee.