INSPIRATION MEETS COOPERATION THE TRANSFORMERS The Pittsburgh Foundation and the Jack Buncher Foundation team up to help nonprofits evolve. By Christiana Dillard CENTER FOR PHILANTHROPY JACK BUNCHER FOUNDATION VETERANS BREAKFAST CLUB VETERANS VOICES OF PITTSBURGH LUMA INSTITUTE PROGRAM TO AID CITIZEN ENTERPRISE T O D D D E PA S T I N O B E L I E V E S T H AT P O W E R F U L G R O W T H B E G I N S W I T H C H A N G E . As founder and executive director of Veterans Breakfast Club, a nonprofit thatenableslocalmilitaryveteranstosharestoriesoftheirservice,DePastino has been leading an ambitious expansion to include storytelling through digitalmediaandpodcasts.“Veteransorganizationstendtobeveryclosed; we aren’t that way,” he says. “We want to bring veterans to the public.” But, in his nine years leading the organization, DePastino has seen the Breakfast Club try to adopt more technologically advanced platforms that outpaced the expertise of his largely volunteer staff. He realized that, despitesuccesseswiththeveteransitserved,theorganization’stechnology and training needed a major jump-start. TheBreakfastClubgotthatopportunitythroughtheBuncherChange Agents Nonprofit Capacity-Building Initiative. As the newest program of the Center for Philanthropy at The Pittsburgh Foundation, it encourages nonprofitstousecapacity-buildingstrategiesandproblemsolvingtoimprove their ability to grow. The Change Agents initiative provides professional development that organizations would be hard-pressed to find and afford on their own. It also offers plenty of inspiration. Theinitiativeisaco-creationprogramwiththeJackBuncherFoundation. Asoneofthefewhubsofphilanthropicbestpracticeinthecountry,theCenterfor Philanthropy,throughco-creation,offersdonorstheopportunitytocollaborate directlywithaffectedpopulationsandtheFoundation’ssubject-matterexperts to co-develop innovative programs that nonprofit organizations want and need.ForCenterDirectorKellyUranker,co-creationensuresthatprograms are keeping up with the day-to-day needs of the nonprofits they serve. “Justasourdonorsdependonustoadvisethemoftheirbestoptionsfor giving, we look to nonprofits for ideas about how to assist the community directly,”shesays.“Co-creationallowsforbrainstormingandimplementing truly transformative programs.” 35 RE PO RT TO TH E CO MMU N ITY THE PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION