Awards

IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 1992

About Dan MacDonald

Dan MacDonald earned a degree in Journalism from Marquette University and a degree in Social Administration from Ohio State University. He received a Distinguished Service Award from OSU on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the University.

He served as the Chief Executive Officer of United Community Services of Omaha, Nebraska from 1955 to 1965, and of the Health and Welfare Council of St. Louis, Missouri from 1965 to 1975.

In 1975, MacDonald became co-founder and President of The Home Health Consultancy and a partner of Rubright, MacDonald and Company, both of St. Louis. Both consulting firms specialized in planning, development, marketing and communications in the human services field.

He became the Executive Director of the Community Service Council of Metropolitan Indianapolis, a broad-based community planning agency in human services and a division of United Way of Central Indiana in 1978. Subsequently, in 1979, he became the President of United Way of Central Indiana.

Throughout the years, MacDonald taught classes and conducted institutes on community organization, resource development and planning at the University of Chicago, Ohio State University, Indiana University, and Case-Western Reserve. He has published articles and books including a “Guidebook for Establishment of a New Agency for Home Health Care.” He served on numerous boards and committees at national, state and local levels. He was a member of the National Association of Social Workers, Sigma Delta Chi, professional journalism fraternity, and the Indianapolis Rotary Club.

Upon his retirement in 1992, the United Way honored him and his wife by establishing a scholarship in their names for IU School of Social Work students pursuing a concentration in leadership and who carry out their practicum in collaboration with the United Way.