INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 13, 2020) – Indianapolis benefits and compensation advisory firm First Person has launched the First Person Advisors Foundation to drive its philanthropic efforts and match employees’ charitable giving. The firm had intended to launch the Foundation – which will be managed and advised by the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) and will leverage the Selfless.ly platform – later this year, but accelerated its development in response to the pandemic and calls for racial justice.

First Person will fund the Foundation through its annual revenues, with the goal of contributing 1% annually.

A key component of the Foundation’s giving will come in the form of matching individual employees’ gifts up to $1,000 a year each.

“A matching gift not only allows employees to double their personal charitable impact, but it also gives them a voice in how the Foundation contributes to the community,” said Mark Minner, First Person president.

A recent study found that nationally, as much as $4 billion to 7 billion a year in matching gifts offered to employees goes unclaimed each year. “Those charitable dollars left on the table represent a lot of missed opportunities,” Minner said. “We’re encouraging 100% participation in our matching program, and we’re hoping other employers will do the same.”

One employee already has taken advantage of the First Person Foundation match to increase support of a cause she’s passionate about.

For nearly five years, Crystal Haffner, director of hospitality and events, has led Be The Bridge groups in her church and local community. Recent events in Indianapolis prompted her to make a financial gift to the Indianapolis Urban League. The First Person Foundation matched her gift.

“It’s incredibly encouraging to work for a company that supports my passions,” Haffner said. “By matching my gift, First Person allows me to double my impact at a time when the nation is more openly confronting racial inequities.”

Non-match funds distributed by the Foundation will focus on health and wellness, the underserved and fighting racial injustice.

“In these challenging times, many nonprofits are struggling to keep up with needs and the loss of earned revenue, so giving has never been more important,” said CICF Executive Vice President and CFO Jennifer Bartenbach. “First Person is showing how businesses can get involved and leverage their resources to get individuals to give as well.”

About First Person
First Person is an Indianapolis-based benefits, compensation and organizational health advisory firm with decades of experience helping clients navigate the changing workforce. Building partnerships by discovering and understanding each client’s unique challenges, First Person delivers holistic solutions that allow employers to take care of their people and anticipate future needs in a workplace where people can fulfill their potential. For more information, please visit firstpersonadvisors.com.

About Central Indiana Community Foundation
Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) is an $850 million public foundation working to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make this a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential–no matter place, race or identity. CICF was established in 1997 as a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, serving Marion County since 1916, and Hamilton County Community Foundation, serving Hamilton County since 1991. For more information, go to cicf.org.

About Selflessly
Selflessly provides a virtual foundation platform for companies of all sizes to demonstrate their social responsibility through channels of volunteering, monetary donations and contributed in-kind products/services. Selfless.ly is a certified LGBT Business Enterprise and Indiana’s first dual-certified domestic benefit corporation and B Corp. Our mission is to reshape corporate culture through technology that helps companies contribute to making their communities a better place. Learn more at Selflessly.