Muslim Philanthropy Initiative

Expanding the Muslim philanthropic sector

Muslims give to organizations at the local, national and international level in the hopes to make the world better as it aligns with their faith. However, a consistent complaint is that more must be done, more resources are needed, and the resources that are available must be used more efficiently. The Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy seeks to make the Muslim philanthropic sector larger and more effective.

The Muslim Philanthropy Initiative (MPI) will organize symposiums and seminars, convene philanthropic leaders, hold training programs, conduct research and recruit Muslim Americans in the field, and train and empower a new generation of philanthropic and nonprofit leaders. Furthermore, MPI seeks to collaborate with the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy to foster a greater understanding of the ways in which underrepresented people are both inspired and informed donors by providing knowledge, education, and training.

More about the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative

The Muslim American community is growing at an incredible pace as both active members in the nonprofit sector, civic leaders and philanthropists. Yet, the Muslim American nonprofit sector is still facing internal and external challenges.

Internally, it is dealing with diversity issues leading to disunity, dysfunction, division, and a lack of a cohesive strategic vision. Externally, Muslim Americans are facing twin issues of Islamophobia and Islamophilia. Islamophobia seeks to delegitimize Muslim Americans and their faith; Islamophilia embraces Muslim Americans and Islam, but seeks to place them in a defined box.

Both seek to force Muslim Americans to choose between who they are and an imposed external narrative. This is further exacerbated by lack of trained professionals to manage and lead the sector's key organizations.

The next generation of Muslim American philanthropic leaders will require the capacity to understand, predict, and influence these trends. These leaders must have the skills and credentials to upgrade the Muslim American nonprofit sector while also being critical bridges to the mainstream philanthropic sector.

Muslim American nonprofit organizations are seeking trained nonprofit professionals that understand not only the Muslim American nonprofit sector but the broader philanthropic landscape. Furthermore, mainstream traditional foundations and nonprofits seek to engage the Muslim American sector because of concern over bigotry and civil liberties, but this requires key individuals to guide their engagement.

Research

Book series

The Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society Book Series will be launched in partnership with nationally recognized Indiana University Press. The book series will publish books in this field with the aim of developing a framework and broader understanding of the Muslim philanthropic, nonprofit, and voluntary sector.

Journal of Muslim Philanthropy & Civil Society

The Journal of Muslim Philanthropy & Civil Society (JMPCS), is a bi-annual, peer reviewed, open access journal published by the Center on Muslim Philanthropy in partnership with Indiana University Press, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists, International Institute of Islamic Thought, and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.

JMPCS seeks original academic research examining the broad scope of Muslim philanthropy and civil society. This peer reviewed online academic journal will publish research related to Muslim nonprofit, philanthropic and voluntary action. The terms “Muslim” and “philanthropy” are defined broadly to be inclusive of cutting-edge research from across the world and disciplines. JMPCS is intended to shed light on the dynamic practice and understanding of Muslim Philanthropy.

Symposium

The 2nd Symposium on Muslim Philanthropy and Civil Society will take in Indianapolis, IN on October 2 and 3, 2018. It is held in partnership with the Center on Muslim Philanthropy, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving and the International Institute of Islamic Thought.

Articles from the Symposium that will successfully undergo double-blind-peer review will be published in a future issue of the Journal of Muslim Philanthropy & Civil Society. The research symposium invites scholars to present papers based upon academic research to further this disciplinary sub-field.

RSVP to the symposium See the program of the inaugural symposium

Muslim Philanthropy, Nonprofit, and Civic Archives

The Muslim Philanthropy, Nonprofit, and Civic Archives will be established at the IUPUI University Library in Indianapolis Special Collections. The Special Collections are home to the archives of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), the Foundation Center, and other important collections.

Five Muslim organizations have committed to house their archives in the collections, including the Islamic Society of North America and World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists. The archives will become a focal point for research of the important contributions Muslims are making through philanthropy, nonprofit and voluntary action.

IUPUI University Library Special Collections

Education

The Muslim Philanthropy Initiative seeks to establish five fellowships in Muslim Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Each fellowship will allow a Muslim student to be recruited annually into the Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies program. The fellowship will cover tuition for the master’s program, which can be completed in a traditional in-class format in Indianapolis, online, or in the executive format.

The MPI seeks to offer partial scholarships for Muslim students interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Philanthropic Studies.

The MPI will assist Muslim nonprofit and philanthropic institutions to recruit student interns from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Training

Lake Institute on Faith & Giving

Through Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF), a four-day intensive program with a practical application project, provides the research, tools, and customized training to meet the growing needs of leaders in religious communities and fundraisers of faith-based organizations.

The focus of the ECRF is on the cultural, organizational, and philanthropic practices unique to religious institutions that in turn enable donors motivated by spiritual and religious values to experience the joy of generous giving. This training has been customized for a Muslim audience.

The Fund Raising School

The Fund Raising School has been dedicated to the advancement of ethical fundraising for more than 40 years. The school offers 17 courses that will be offered to Muslim nonprofits through specially trained faculty who understand the Muslim nonprofit context and the course materials.

Customized trainings

In partnership with the other units at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (including the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, and The Fund Raising School) the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative will develop customized trainings for Muslim nonprofit and philanthropic institutions based upon need. The Initiative will also develop trainings that will assist non-Muslim nonprofit and philanthropic institutions to better understand the Muslim context.

Council of Advisors

Junaid Ahmed
CEO, SAKS Technologies

Rasheed Ahmed
Executive Director, Center on Muslim Philanthropy

Samar Ali
Bass Berry & Sims

Dr. Abed Ayoub
CEO and President, United Muslim Relief

Dr. Zahid Cheema
Neurologist

Halil Demir
Founder and Executive Director, Zakat Foundation of America

Dr. Mahmood Hai
Urologist

Dr. Iltefat Hamzavi
Dermatologist

Anwar Khan
President, Islamic Relief USA

Noorain Khan
Program Officer, Ford Foundation

Farhan Latif
President, El-Hibri Foundation

Dr. M. Yaqub Mirza
President and CEO, Sterling Management Group

Zeyba Rahman
Senior Program Officer, Building Bridges Program at the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art

Kashif Shaikh
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Pillars Fund

Javaid Siddiqi
President, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)

Tayyab Yunus
Founder and CEO, Intuitive Solutions

Shireen Zaman
Director, Security & Rights Collaborative at the Proteus Fund

Staff

Shariq Siddiqui, J.D., Ph.D. ‘14

Director of the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative; Visiting Assistant Professor of Philanthropic Studies; Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Muslim Philanthropy & Civil Society

317-716-0744
ssiddiqui@iupui.edu

Rafia Khader, M.A. ‘15

Program Manager; Managing Editor of the Journal of Muslim Philanthropy & Civil Society

317-278-8913
rhkader@iupui.edu

Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy: Ann Boyd-Stewart

Ann Boyd-Stewart, M.A. ‘10

Assistant Dean of Development & Alumni Relations

317-278-8920
ajboydst@iupui.edu