Mark Gaines, who currently serves as the Indiana University Foundation’s associate vice president for development, has been appointed as the foundation’s new vice president for development, focusing on IUPUI and the university’s regional campuses. He will begin his new role Aug. 1.

Mark Gaines. Photo by Ann SchertzReporting to the executive vice president of development and in close partnership with IUPUI leadership, Gaines will provide strategic leadership for advancement services and constituency-based development programs to increase philanthropic support and inspire a vision for success and growth.

“We are pleased Mark has accepted this role as vice president for development,” said Joyce Rogers, executive vice president for development at the IU Foundation. “His breadth of fundraising experience combined with his passion to help donors fulfill their philanthropic legacy makes him the ideal candidate for this role. He is a strong addition to our development leadership team as we continue to support Indiana University.”

In this position, Gaines will support fundraising leaders across schools and units on the IUPUI and regional campuses. He will be responsible for philanthropic goal setting for the overall IUPUI campus, while also individualizing goals for specific schools and units, with a focus on growing philanthropic support and community engagement across the board.

He will serve on the Chancellor’s Cabinet as a strategic advisor to the IUPUI chancellor. He will also proactively identify opportunities to align regional and community partners and businesses with institutional priorities and philanthropic interests of donors in the Indianapolis community and beyond.

“We are pleased to have Mark join our team as we take historic steps forward in growing the Indianapolis campus,” IUPUI Interim Chancellor Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch said. “Philanthropy will play an integral role in helping us accomplish our ambitious goals that will advance student success, transformative research and statewide impact. Mark’s creative energy, drive and deep expertise will be instrumental in building collaborations to propel innovation and impact at this pivotal moment in our campus’s history.”

Gaines joined the IU Foundation in September 2022 as the associate vice president for development, where he focused on direct management and strategic oversight of non-academic programs on the Bloomington campus and central IU Foundation fundraising programs. In this role, he implemented key business reviews that enhanced collaboration, planning, visioning and accountability across the development team supporting the Bloomington campus. He also led the reorganization of three major non-degree granting divisions to align with the university’s strategic priorities while reducing costs to the IU Foundation.

Before joining the IU Foundation, Gaines held multiple development positions at Purdue University, including the chief development officer for diversity, inclusion and belonging, and director of development at the Krannert School of Management. Gaines previously worked in development roles at both Miami University and Earlham College, helping those institutions solicit major gifts.

Gaines holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts from Earlham College, and he has extensive corporate, entrepreneurial and fundraising experience.

“Indiana University’s presence in Indianapolis has been groundbreaking and forward-thinking,” Gaines said. “As the Indianapolis campus continues to evolve as a major urban research institution, I am humbled, honored and excited to be entrusted to lead the development efforts. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”