Earlier this year, Fellowship alumna Lauren Petersen was asked to chair the United Way of Central Indiana's Technology Fund Work Group. Ultimately, they distributed over half a million dollars to 48 local nonprofits in order to improve their technology, which was strained by the pandemic. We asked Lauren 6 questions about her experience - read on to learn more!

1. How’d you get involved with United Way?

I was first introduced to UWCI when I began working at TechPoint, which is an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, as they are a United Way corporate partner. During my first week on the team in 2015, I attended our corporate philanthropic giving breakfast that we host each year for all employees. While at the breakfast, I participated in a facilitated poverty simulation and also heard from one of the torchbearers from Dress for Success. I was inspired by the torchbearer’s personal journey of establishing herself as a female professional and how the organization supported her through resume development, interview preparation and outfitting her with a professional suit. That moment inspired me to get engaged and from there, I donated my talent and treasure to UWCI for the first time.

I remember going home that night and having a conversation with my boyfriend over dinner about implementing our household giving plan; that experience ultimately inspired our current plan. It made us think about how we want to intentionally give back to our local community and understand where the greatest impact is needed. It not only inspired me to give more strategically to organizations in our own backyard, but also allowed us to choose how we wanted to do that as a household. That night, I also signed up to volunteer for the ReadUP program where for a year, my friend (who was also a colleague) and I visited IPS 67 weekly to read with two third-graders in an effort to increase their reading proficiency.

Over the past three years, it’s also been a joy serving as the project manager for the partnership that TechPoint and United Way have formed and something that I continue to support each day. The thesis behind that partnership is recognizing that as the Central Indiana tech ecosystem continues to grow and thrive, there continues to be an acute awareness of the haves and have-nots. This partnership is helping the tech community understand complex issues facing our community, like poverty, so they can be inspired and motivated to help find creative solutions alongside United Way.

2. How’d you come to lead the Technology Fund grant program? How does the program work?

In the fall of 2019, I was invited to join the United Way board of directors. It’s been an absolute joy and blessing to serve as a steward for the organization in this capacity and I’m learning so much from my fellow board members! One of the efforts I’m leading is the relaunch of the Technology Fund to assist accredited community-based organizations across Central Indiana with their technology needs. As chair of the work group, I’ve invited several tech leaders and experts to help guide the initiative and to use our skills in meaningful ways to help improve technology needs in our human services network. The purpose of the fund is simple: assist non-profit organizations in purchasing and using the most recent technology to increase productivity and effectiveness in meeting client’s needs.

3. Tell us about the impact the pandemic had on your mission?

We convened our first Tech Fund work group meeting in early February, what now seems like a lifetime ago. Alongside my colleagues at United Way and Lilly Endowment Inc., which supports the Fund with a significant investment, we outlined a strategic plan and began making decisions about the application processes, procedures, and funding guidelines for the year. We knew this fund had potential to make a huge impact, and we were off to a great start.

Then, the coronavirus reached our Hoosier borders and on March 23, we began sheltering in place as a state in an effort to stay safe. Change quickly accelerated in our lives as we heeded the physical distancing protocols canceling events, postponing volunteer opportunities, working remotely, and conducting our lives virtually on nearly all measures.

The Technology Fund work group quickly set aside our plans and original timeline and immediately responded to this call for help. On March 25, the United Way Board of Directors approved up to $750,000 of funds available for investment for immediate, strategic investment to support costs involved with enhancing organizations’ remote/mobile work strategies as well as development of creative virtual programming. 

4. Can you share some interesting facts or anecdotes you learned from your applicants?

Today, we are pleased to have granted significant tech hardware and digital tool investments and upgrades to 48 organizations across Central Indiana. We fulfilled requests for tech hardware including laptops, iPads, MiFi’s, headsets and routers as well as digital tools like tele-conferencing platforms and conference lines. Organizations submitted funds for creative grants for everything from virtual mental health counseling and therapy sessions to free, virtual tutoring sessions for students. 

Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis was one of the 48 recipients and their President & CEO, Elyssa Campodonico-Barr, shared with our work group: “Thank you for sharing this fantastic news with us today regarding technology funding, which will allow us to significantly expand our services provided to girls throughout Indianapolis. Last week alone, we provided over 100 hours of service to girls through virtual programming, including one-on-one mentorship, as well as group activities focusing on art therapy, mindfulness, among other topics to complement our Girls Inc. research-based curricula. The girls we serve in Indianapolis are faced with inequities throughout the year, but these challenges and disparities are even more prevalent since the outbreak of COVID-19. Your support extends our reach during this critical time. Thank you.”

5. Do you have any ideas to share with Hoosiers in other parts of the state who are tackling similar problems?

What makes United Way special and unique is its positioning within our community at the epicenter amongst public, private, and philanthropic sectors. United Way is well-positioned to bridge industry, non-profit and social service resources while simultaneously lending its leadership to the ecosystem on tough and complex issues. For those individuals or organizations across the Hoosier state looking to tackle similar problems, I would encourage them to do so collectively to ensure collaboration from diverse entities to multiply impact. Learn more about the dozens of United Way’s across Indiana, here. 

6. What advice do you have for folks in the MDLF network who are looking for other ways to help out?

United Way of Central Indiana is in the business of helping people and our community thrive, and that’s what excites me most about the organization’s work. The MDLF network can visit this COVID resource page for ways to volunteer (in-person and virtually), advocate and give.