INDIANAPOLIS -The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and eTapestry.com have signed an agreement to create a mutually beneficial relationship. The new alliance is aimed at providing both entities with additional resources to assist in achieving their missions and enabling them to offer expanded services to their constituents.

The arrangement will provide substantial benefits for fund raisers and others working in nonprofits and in the philanthropic world. It will offer them access to the latest research about philanthropy and nonprofit management conducted by the Center on Philanthropy and will make them aware of professional development opportunities offered through The Fund Raising School at the Center. It will also educate more nonprofit professionals about developments in fund raising technology and provide them with information on fund raising software offered by fund raising applications service provider eTapestry.com.

"The Center on Philanthropy strives to provide top-quality training, information and services that help improve professional practice for nonprofits. Information technology is rapidly increasing in its importance to these groups. As a leader in providing technology for nonprofits, eTapestry.com offers a wealth of knowledge on this subject that is valuable to our students, faculty and staff," said Patrick M. Rooney, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Research for the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. "We are proud to join forces with eTapestry.com to help nonprofits learn more about both technology and best practices as they relate to fund raising."

"Our clients are seeking not only excellent, reliable fund raising software, but also ideas, information and training that will help them improve and increase their fund raising. The Center on Philanthropy and The Fund Raising School at the Center offer an unparalleled breadth and depth of expertise in all areas of fund raising, philanthropy and nonprofit management. eTapestry.com is pleased to be able to share that expertise with our members," said Jay Love, President and CEO of eTapestry.com.

Under the agreement, the Center on Philanthropy and eTapestry.com will undertake a number of collaborative efforts. These may include:

• The Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy will make information about eTapestry.com available to participants in courses taught by The Fund Raising School. eTapestry.com will offer an optional free, one-month membership to all graduates of those courses.

• eTapestry.com will make information about The Fund Raising School's courses and the Center on Philanthropy's academic degree and certificate programs available to its members.

• The Center on Philanthropy will provide eTapestry.com with research and information developed for Center white papers and symposia, which will be posted to the eTapestry.com Web site.

• Key staff members from each organization will participate in presentations and speaking engagements for constituents of the other organization.

• Various sponsorship and advertising opportunities will be offered to each organization by the other as appropriate.

• The two organizations will provide links to each other's Web sites from their own sites to inform their constituents about services available to them through the other organization.

The agreement does not constitute an endorsement of either organization by the other, and it is not an exclusive arrangement.

Founded in September 1999, Indianapolis-based eTapestry.com is the first fundraising applications service provider (ASP) that rents its software to customers who access it through the Internet. Nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes using eTapestry.com do not pay the large upfront purchasing costs or the ongoing maintenance and support contracts typically paid in the purchase of more traditional software. eTapestry.com customers also have the luxury of accessing their fundraising data wherever they are, as long as they have an Internet connection and a Web browser.

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University is the largest and most comprehensive academic center dedicated to the study of philanthropy and nonprofit management. It was created in 1987 to increase understanding of philanthropy and improve its practice in the United States and internationally. More than 60 Philanthropic Studies faculty members in 21 disciplines conduct research and teach about philanthropy and nonprofit management. The Center on Philanthropy funds and engages in basic and applied research, and seeks to build a closer relationship between research and professional practice in the nonprofit sector. Through research, teaching, professional development and training, public service and public affairs initiatives, the Center on Philanthropy is increasing knowledge about philanthropy and developing the next generation of nonprofit professionals, scholars and philanthropists.

For an interview or for more information, please contact Adriene Davis at The Center on Philanthropy at (317) 236-4912 or Lori Pugh at eTapestry.com at (317) 423-1912.