This is a critical time for nonprofit innovation.

“They don’t need perfect solutions, but they do need support.”

As we begin to come out of the current pandemic, we know first-hand it has spurred a high level of innovation by nonprofits who needed to adapt quickly to meet community needs while staying connected with their clients. We want these new awards to shine a light on nonprofit program innovation and reduce risk while making innovation more replicable.  

The Arago Honors is a new award for central Indiana nonprofits.  This award builds on previous work of the Indiana Achievement Awards (2000-2005) and Impact 100 (2006-ongoing) by the founder of the Meridian Foundation, Donna Oklak.

The Arago Honors will seek to answer these questions for the nonprofit sector in our community.  

• Can these awards improve and accelerate the culture of program innovation and make it a driving ethic of the social sector in central Indiana? 

• Will funders invest more in the best quick-paced innovation ideas that are highlighted? 

• Can nonprofits cite improved outcomes to validate program success? 

• Can collaborations that were built as a result of the pandemic be further strengthened? 

The founder of The Lead Change Project, Jamal Smith, says,

“There is a tendency amongst many organizations to ‘pause’ as they explore strategies for supporting those in need.”  We agree with Jamal’s thinking “that Covid has shined a light on the pre-existing conditions of inequity in our community. “  “The families struggling with subpar educational opportunities, health care disparities, housing, and antiquated food distribution methods don’t get to pause while we figure it out,” says Jamal Smith. “They don’t need perfect solutions, but they do need support.”