Created in partnership with our friends at PNC Bank.
What is the intersection of the banking world and community-driven organizations? After a conversation with Rebecca Jacklin of PNC, Director of Nonprofit Strategy for the Midwest, the answer is clear: Intention.
As the Director of Nonprofit Strategy, Jacklin works with nonprofits, including public charities and private foundations, to assist them in securing their endowments and by providing specific nonprofit insights and education on topics like fundraising, board governance, and philanthropy. Her role also enables her to be a strategic member of the regional leadership team that directs local philanthropic investments funded through the PNC Foundation. This support helps improve the quality of life in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods through affordable housing, community development lending, economic development, financial education, and other community-focused solutions.
With support from her team, including Jacklin’s colleagues Pat Gamble-Moore, Community Development Banking Manager for Indiana, and Regional President Jason Eckerle, PNC is bringing together influential Black nonprofit leaders from across the region for “In the Same Room.”
Through this series, they are hosting thought-provoking conversations and providing financial education as well as opportunities to network and exchange best practices between a diverse set of organizations serving a wide range of communities.
“We serve as a convener of nonprofits, bringing people together to learn, share, and simply benefit from being in the same room,” said Jacklin.
In the Community
Through incubators of conversation, like the ones that Jacklin hosts, nonprofits have the opportunity to build their network by leveraging PNC’s network.
Jacklin helps nonprofits find reliable partners to help them achieve their mission. She works as part of their team, immersed and committed, but notes the work is not one-size-fits-all. “When you’ve seen one nonprofit, you’ve really only seen one,” she said.
In her role, Jacklin also works with PNC’s Endowment and Foundation National Practice Group, building on the brand’s commitment to philanthropy, focusing on endowments, private and public foundations, and nonprofit organizations in the Midwest region.
Her exemplified leadership roles allow her to assist philanthropic and civic-minded organizations further as they build their legacies and impact. It’s a role that allows Jacklin to combine her tenure and passion for collaboration in the community to create a positive impact.
Working from within
In addition to the “In the Same Room” series, Jacklin is a committed volunteer with PNC Grow Up Great®, PNC’s signature philanthropic program designed to positively impact educators, young learners, and caregivers around Indianapolis.
In recent years, Jacklin has been an active leader with AMG Forward, an early career program for women who work within PNC Asset Management Group. As a mentor, she helps guide other women in finance about career advice, relationship-building, navigating performance and compensation conversations, and other topics critical to career success. Jacklin is also an active PNC Women’s Leadership Development Program Alumni Association (WLPAA) member. She launched “PNC Networking Connections,” an internal WLPAA forum dedicated to providing networking and educational opportunities and discussions for female leaders at PNC. She served as Engagement Chair of the WLPAA, helping facilitate networking opportunities for over 600 key female leaders each year.
On a Personal Mission
Jacklin’s volunteer service began with the Junior League of Indianapolis, where she connected her passion to working with women and children at The Women’s Prison through the Family Preservation Program. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana and The Board of the Ayres Foundation, though her connectivity and impact in the community extend far beyond.
For nearly a decade, Jacklin served on the Board of Directors for Bosma Enterprises and the inaugural Bosma Visionary Opportunities Foundation, where she helped amplify its influence. She is particularly proud of her hand in launching their investment strategy early on. Since then, the organization has grown its assets from zero to over $10 million.
Jacklin often asks her clients, “Do you have a strategic plan?” Though the plan needn’t be complicated, she asks upfront to help map the path to success and identify gaps in the vision.
“I am very intentional about bringing up ‘failure’ because that’s where organizations learn and subsequently grow. Recognizing challenges, gaps, and failures has more often than not become a stepping stone to growth and opportunities,” she said.
With her early career in education, she honed her relationship-building skills and strengthened her leadership. Through these developed tools, she’s breaking down complex financial topics for boardrooms and introducing new strategies for investment committees with a collaborative approach.
“I carry a collaborative mindset when I bring clients together with critical partners and stakeholders. And when we work together, the impact is really powerful,” she said.
Jacklin’s desire to work with others is clear. She sees potential in organizations and their impact on communities surrounding each of us — no matter where we reside. Through her years of volunteering, committing her time, and advising nonprofit organizations, it’s clear that to go far, we’re better off going hand-in-hand.
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