The Indiana Youth Institute provides capacity-building programs and resources for the state’s youth workers and nonprofit youth-serving organizations, including schools, across all 92 counties in Indiana. The institute is also an outspoken advocate for healthy youth development throughout the State.

Tailored and Holistic Approach

The Indiana Youth Institute has become a resource many youth workers and communities turn to for technical assistance. IYI serves approximately 100 agencies per year through our Consulting Services. In addition to assisting individual nonprofit agencies of all sizes, IYI has been selected to conduct more than 60 large-scale research and data analysis projects, both multi-site and multi-year, since 2001. For nearly a decade, IYI has been engaged in a special form of consulting called Organizational Effectiveness Grants (OEG).  Also known as the “coaching” model of IYI’s consulting service, the OEG program focuses on elements that lead to strong, sustainable organizations. Some of these elements may include fundraising, strategic planning, board or staff development, program evaluation tools, volunteer recruitment, and other nonprofit management topics. With support from foundations across the state, IYI provides OEG recipients with 150 hours of one-on-one support from an IYI consultant, as well as funds for two staff members to attend IYI’s Because KIDS COUNT Conference, an annual gathering of more than 1,600 youth-serving professionals who come together to learn from expert workshop presenters. Additionally, OEG recipients receive funding for one staff member to attend a class at The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The goal of the one-on-one coaching is for IYI to work alongside an organization, giving guidance as the organization plans and implements its work, while the conference and fundraising course supplement gains in knowledge and skill for the organization’s staff.

IYI regularly measures the success of the OEG program, both qualitatively and quantitatively. In 2009, a long-term evaluation was conducted to measure the impact on programs that received an OEG between 2004-2008. More than 80 percent of the organizations indicated that assistance received through the coaching project:

• resulted in their organizations being able to serve more children;
• resulted in greater organizational effectiveness and efficiency; and
• resulted in change within their organizations that has helped them.

More recently, 2013-2014 OEG recipients have shared their short-term successes as a result of the coaching assistance they received. Some examples from different organizations include:

• increasing the number of board members from three to nine, providing more stability and more community involvement;
• raising more than $30,000 at an organization’s first fundraising event; and
• collaborating with three new partnering organizations to expand services without increasing expenses.

Recently, 100 percent of 2013-2015 OEG recipient agency executive directors indicated they would recommend the opportunity to other organizations.

IYI takes a tailored and holistic approach to the assistance nonprofits participating in the OEG program receive.  There is a thorough assessment process of the participating organization that utilizes an application, interview and two assessment tools.  This process allows IYI to strategically pair expert consultants who are able to coach these organizations well.  In the words of the Executive Director, Glenn Augustine, “IYI has built a level of trust with organizations and funders across the state and are very appreciative of the opportunity to impact youth across Indiana.”