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2019 Forum Annual Conference

2019 Forum Annual Conference - July 15-17 in Cleveland, OH

It's a wrap!

It was great to see many of our members and partners in Cleveland last week at the Forum's 2019 Annual Conference! Over 325 attendees joined us for two and half days that featured a full roster of engaging and inspiring keynote speakers and concurrent sessions focused on skills-building and deep-dives into issues affecting our field. Check out our hashtag, #ForumCon19, to see what was shared on social media. We have compiled a list of highlights below in case if you want to revisit something or check out things that you may have missed. See you next year!

Highlights

 

Sunday, July 14, 2019

2:00 - 5:00 pm
Pre-Conference Outing: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Details

11150 East Blvd (Shuttles Available)

The Cleveland Museum of Art consistently ranks as one of the best and most comprehensive art museums in the United States and one of the most-visited in the world. It is home to more than 45,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years.

A complimentary shuttle will be provided from the conference hotel to the museum for attendees who are interested in exploring the collection. Admission to the museum is free. The shuttle will leave from the hotel at 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. The shuttle will carry guests back to the hotel at 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm.

2:30 - 5:00 pm
Registration Open
Details

6th Floor Foyer near Orchid Ballroom

Come pick up your name badge, program and other conference materials at the registration desk.

3:00 - 5:00 pm
Informal CEO Hub
Details

Calypso (6th Floor)

For CEOs arriving early to Cleveland, you can use this open space to catch up with your CEO colleagues prior to the start of the conference.

5:00 - 6:00 pm
First Timer Welcome Reception
Details

Provenance Restaurant, Lobby Level, The Cleveland Museum of Art (11150 East Blvd)

Is this your first time at a Forum conference? Please join us for this special reception for YOU. It’s a great opportunity to connect with the Forum’s board and staff, who will all be on hand to ensure you have a great conference experience. This reception will be hosted by the Forum’s CEO Peer Community and the 2019 Conference Planning Committee.

6:00 - 9:00 pm
CEO Reception and Dinner (Sponsored by Blackbaud)
Details

Blackbaud LogoProvenance Restaurant, Lobby Level, The Cleveland Museum of Art (11150 East Blvd)

All PSO chief executives (presidents, CEOs, executive directors, etc.) are invited to attend this pre-conference social reception and dinner to connect with your peers in a fun, casual setting. The reception and dinner is included with your CEO Summit registration. Transportation will be provided to and from The Cleveland Museum of Art.

6:30 pm
Casual Dinner for Conference Attendees
Details

Urban Farmer (Lobby Level of Westin)

Will you be in town early for the conference? Join us at a popular local Cleveland restaurant to start your Forum conference experience off the best way possible—with food and your colleagues in a relaxing atmosphere. This dinner is not included in your registration fee.

 

Monday, July 15, 2019

7:30 am
Registration Open
Details

6th Floor Foyer near Orchid Ballroom

Come pick up your name badge, program and other conference materials at the registration desk.

8:00 am - 12:00 pm
CEO Summit: Part I
Details

Calypso (6th Floor)

The CEO Summit is a rare opportunity for the chief executives of regional and national PSOs to come together with your peers for in-depth learning, sharing and reflection. The Summit will feature a number of engaging and interactive elements being planned by colleagues and will be facilitated by an expert team from The Giving Practice. Key Summit sessions will include:

  • Looking to the Future of Philanthropy & Our Work: PSO leaders are often mired in the day-to-day details of keeping their organizations running smoothly. Being able to take some time to look out into the future is a luxury that many CEOs are not often able to afford. In this opening summit session, Lucy Bernholz will share her thoughts about critical future trends for philanthropy that PSO leaders should be thinking about right now, and what it could mean for the work of PSOs. She’ll encourage PSO leaders to look ahead and think about how their work and their leadership can or should change.

  • Micro-Talks:Four CEO leaders will offer brief five-minute presentations on four critical challenges for PSO leaders today, focusing on a key challenge they faced and their solution to that challenge.

  • PSO Partnership & Collaboration Working Session: This session will be an opportunity for PSO leaders to do a deep-dive into understanding and discussing how PSOs can be effective partners with each other and to help PSOs identify potential new partnership opportunities with other PSOs, with a focus on the CEO’s role in creating and successfully engaging in PSO partnerships and collaborations.

Guest Presenter: Lucy Bernholz @p2173), Director, Digital Civil Society Lab & Senior Research Scholar, Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society

Facilitators: Tina Gridiron, Senior Advisor; Sindhu Knotz, Manager Partner; and Mark Sedway, Senior Partner, The Giving Practice

There is an additional $195 pre-conference fee for the CEO Summit, which includes Sunday night’s reception and dinner.

8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Mid-Level Practitioners Workshop (Pre-registration is required)
Details

Vanda North (6th Floor)

This session is designed for mid-level leaders who are required to manage up, down and out every day. We’ll focus on providing tips, tools and strategies for how to effectively facilitate in person meetings and conversations—something we all find ourselves doing in our PSO work. Attendees will learn how to engage participants and maximize the energy in a room. This skill-building session is perfect for polishing up your skills or building new ones that help you focus on gathering your members to maintain vibrant learning communities and opportunities for action that increase philanthropy’s impact.

Facilitator: Erin Gordon, Associate, Lizard Brain Solutions

There is an additional $35 pre-conference fee for the Mid-Level Practitioners Workshop.

9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Emerging Practitioners Workshop (Pre-registration is required)
Details

Cattleya (6th Floor)

Join your emerging practitioner colleagues to kick off the conference with the Emerging Practitioners Conversation. This year’s session will expose attendees to the history of Indigenous peoples and how it connects to conversations about racial equity and diversity through the Blanket Exercise, which is a “unique, participatory history lesson – developed in collaboration with Indigenous elders, knowledge keepers and educators – that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.” There will be a circle time following the exercise and additional conversation about the acknowledgment that the equity conversation extends to all people and how we expand this conversation as part of the equity journey for ourselves and our members. This session is being presented in partnership with Forum member Native Americans in Philanthropy. Emerging practitioners are those who are new to philanthropy or have less than 10 years' experience.

Facilitators: Gina Jackson, Program Director and Vance Blackfox @VanceBlackfox), Communications Director, Native Americans in Philanthropy

There is an additional $35 pre-conference fee for the Emerging Practitioners Workshop.

12:00 - 12:30 pm
Break
12:30 - 2:15 pm
Conference Opening Luncheon
Details

Orchid Ballroom (6th Floor)

Tyehimba Jess HeadshotTyehimba Jess (@TyehimbaJess), Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, will begin our time together with excerpts from his award-winning work Olio. Jess's purpose behind writing Olio was to put together the work of first generation freed slaves to share their story and their suffering, as well as to create a piece of work that each reader will experience differently. Recognizing the power of art and storytelling as tools to open our hearts and minds to the issues of racial equity, there is also a dissonance in this work that echoes the dissonance in philanthropy between the heart of philanthropy and the cultural reality of inequity. Following Jess’s readings, he’ll sit down for a conversation with Kiran Ahuja (@KiranAhuja_NW), CEO of Philanthropy Northwest.

With ambitious manipulations of poetic forms, Tyehimba Jess presents the sweat and story behind America’s blues, worksongs and church hymns. Part fact, part fiction, Jess's much anticipated second book weaves sonnet, song, and narrative to examine the lives of mostly unrecorded African American performers directly before and after the Civil War up to World War I. Olio is an effort to understand how they met, resisted, complicated, co-opted, and sometimes defeated attempts to minstrelize them. --from the publisher

2:15 - 2:30 pm
Transition
2:30 - 5:00 pm
PSO Board Member Convening
Details

Stelis (7th Floor)

PSO board members will come together for a facilitated session to focus on their role in an evolving field of practice, which will include an exploration of how PSOs can play leadership roles in public policy, philanthropic practice, programming and other areas that are either unique to their organization or commonly practiced by PSOs. This is the ONLY place where PSO board members come together with their peers to explore how to be effective in this unique governance role to help a PSO advance its goals and strategies.

Facilitator: Mark Sedway, Senior Partner, The Giving Practice

2:30 - 5:00 pm
CEO Summit: Part 2
Details

Calypso (6th Floor)

The CEO Summit will continue with an afternoon session.

2:30 - 5:00 pm
Peer Community Sessions & Open Space
Details
Peer Communities

Join your colleagues in peer community sessions to take a deep dive into your work and to connect with those who share your job responsibilities—the only people in the country who understand exactly what you do! Discuss collaboration, partnerships, trends and ideas of how to strengthen your work.

Communications Peer Community

Vanda North (6th Floor)

As the PSO field continues to expand our work, how can we ensure that our communications are following best practices? How can we align our communications as a field and what tools can we share with each other to build our practice? We’ll also have time for candid conversations with each other on the topics we are struggling with in our communications work. Whether you wear many hats at your organization, dedicate the majority of your time to communications, or anything in between, you’ll come out of this session with best practices, tips and tricks for being more efficient and with new connections that will extend your network of PSO communications colleagues. The session will be hosted by the Communications Peer Community chair, Kristina ("Yna") C. Moore, Senior Director of Communications, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.

Finance and Administration Peer Community

Stanhopea (7th Floor)

Join your PSO colleagues working in finance and administration for an in-person session where you can spend time together learning and networking. You'll talk about some of your successes from the year, identify opportunities for growth and build connections to grow your professional network.

Membership Peer Community

Cattleya (6th Floor)

Membership structures, benefits, value propositions, etc. differ at each PSO, but we can still help each other deliver the best value to our members. What are the best practices for how we can handle the recruitment, retention and non-renewal processes at our organizations? What has worked well and not so well? How can we improve our interactions with our prospective and current members? We’ll take advantage of each person’s expertise and experiences to create recommendations for PSOs in each area of practice. No matter where you are on your membership journey, you’ll come away from this session with new ideas to try, new connections to foster, and best practices to implement in your work. The session will be hosted by the Membership Peer Community co-chairs, Emily Alber Chase, Program Manager, NY Funders Alliance and Stephanie Martinez, California Programs Associate, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees.

Program Peer Community

Vanda South (6th Floor)

Join your peers who plan programming for their PSO for an interactive session to help grow your practice. You'll spend time learning from each other, sharing best practices and networking with like-minded colleagues. This year's session will have a focus on racial equity, diversity and inclusion programming and the alignment or disconnect between your organization’s external REDI programming and internal REDI journey. Part of your time together will be facilitated by Jara Dean-Coffey, Founder + Principal, Luminare Group and Director, Equitable Evaluation Initiative. This session will be hosted by the Program Peer Community co-chairs, Yi-Ching Lin, Director of Learning Services, Philanthropy New York and Melissa Sines, Programs and Knowledge Director, PEAK Grantmaking.

Public Policy Peer Community

Caladenia (7th Floor)

The Public Policy Peer Community session will be highly interactive and an opportunity for those working on public policy, advocacy, and government relations to engage and learn from their PSO peers. A focus of our time together will be spent exploring how we use the principles of equity and inclusion to guide our policy work and how to shift philanthropic culture to recognize the value of public policy and advocacy in achieving our racial equity goals. The session will be hosted by the Public Policy Peer Community co-chairs, Seyron Foo, Vice President, Public Policy and Government Relations, Southern California Grantmakers and Meredith Higashi, Director, Public Policy and Advocacy, Philanthropy Northwest. During this session, we’ll hear from: Anthony Simmons, Manager for the Racial Equity Grantmaking Program at ABFE; Lori Villarosa, Executive Director, Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity; and Lauren Bennett, Director of Communications, Funders Together to End Homelessness.

Open Space

Eria (7th Floor)

Take advantage of this open space to arrange meetings with colleagues or vendors.

5:00 - 5:30 pm
Break
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Welcome Reception: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Details

Offsite: 1100 E 9th St

Celebrate the opening night of the conference with your colleagues over refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres at our welcome reception at the world–renowned Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Located on the shores of Lake Erie, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, recognizes and archives the history of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers, and other notable figures who have had a major influence on the development of rock and roll.

Conference attendees will have the museum all to themselves and be able to explore the museum during and after the reception—the museum will stay open for us until 9:00 pm.

Getting There:

Walking- .4 mile walk (directions will be available in the conference app).

Shuttle Bus- A shuttle bus will depart from the Westin starting at 5:15 pm. Please meet in the hotel lobby and Forum staff will direct you to the shuttle. The shuttle will loop between the Westin and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the last shuttle departing the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at 9:00 pm.

7:00 - 9:00 pm
Dine Arounds
Details
Continue your conversations over dinner at one of Cleveland’s many great dining options. Sign-up at the registration desk and meet your dinner leader at the main entrance of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at the close of the reception.

 

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

7:30 am
Registration Open
Details

6th Floor Foyer near Orchid Ballroom

Come pick up your name badge, program and other conference materials at the registration desk.

8:00 - 9:45 am
Breakfast Plenary: Revolution, Evolution and Devolution of Philanthropy and Philanthropy Practice
Details

Orchid Ballroom (6th Floor)

Join three leading authors, speakers and thinkers who will share new perspectives and thinking about our work in philanthropy. After you hear the speakers’ introductory talks in this session, you can choose to engage in a deeper presentation and discussion with one of the three speakers in the concurrent sessions that follow.

Speakers:

  • David Callahan (@DavidCallahanIP), founder and editor of Inside Philanthropy. David has written extensively on trends in philanthropy, as well as American culture, public policy and business. He is the author, most recently, of The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age.
  • Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt is the author of the 2019 book Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think and Do; Professor, Department of Psychology at Stanford University; and recipient of a 2014 MacArthur “genius” grant.
  • Edgar Villanueva (@VillanuevaEdgar) is the author of the 2018 book Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance and Vice President of Programs and Advocacy of the Schott Foundation for Public Education.

David Callahan, Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt & Edgar Villanueva Headshots

9:45 - 10:00 am
Transition
10:00 - 11:15 am
Concurrent Sessions: Deep Dive Conversations with Breakfast Plenary Speakers
  • A Conversation with David Callahan (@DavidCallahanIP) (Cattleya, 6th Floor)
  • A Conversation with Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt (Vanda North and South, 6th Floor)
  • A Conversation with Edgar Villanueva (@VillanuevaEdgar) (Calypso, 6th Floor)
Details
Deep Dive Conversations with Breakfast Plenary Speakers

After hearing initial comments from our three stellar breakfast plenary speakers, you’ll have a unique opportunity to engage in a deeper conversation with one of the three speakers of your choice. Each speaker will share some additional thoughts as a follow-up to their breakfast presentation, and then engage in Q&A and conversation with participants.

11:15 - 11:45 am
Networking Break & Bookstore
Details

6th Floor Foyer near Orchid Ballroom

We are partnering with a local bookseller, Appletree Books, to bring a selection of books from our speakers and other topics of interest. Stop by the store from 9:45 am to 4 pm and add to your TBR! A full list of books for sale is available in the conference app.

11:45 am - 1:30 pm
United Philanthropy Forum Annual Meeting: “The Power of PSO Partnership”
Details

Orchid Ballroom (6th Floor)

The Forum’s 2019 Annual Meeting will be an opportunity for Forum members to vote on renewing the terms of some current Forum Directors, celebrate our volunteer leaders and their contributions, look back on Forum highlights of the past year and look ahead to the future.

United Philanthropy Forum launched officially at the Forum’s annual conference two years ago, and the organization and the network have transformed significantly since then. One of the key goals for the new Forum network was to foster more and better PSO partnerships and collaborations, and our members tell us that this happening in bigger and better ways thanks to the Forum. In this session, a panel of PSO leaders will look back on the last 2.5 years of the new Forum network and discuss how PSOs have strengthened their partnerships with each other; engage in honest discussion of the opportunities and challenges of PSO partnerships; highlight the range of PSO partnership possibilities across the spectrum; and explore the possibilities for the future. Using a case-study panel format, the session will focus on how one national PSO, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, has deepened trust and relationships with existing PSO partners; begun new PSO partnerships; become stronger allies with some PSOs; and built credibility with others.

Panelists: Susan Taylor Batten (@sbatten), President & CEO, ABFE; Ellen LaPointe, President & CEO, Northern California Grantmakers; Janine Lee, President & CEO, Southeastern Council of Foundations; Ben Francisco Maulbeck, President, Funders for LGBTQ Issues (@BenFranciscoM; and Daranee Petsod (@DaraneeGCIR), President, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants & Refugees

Moderator: David Biemesderfer, President & CEO, United Philanthropy Forum

Susan Batten, Ellen LaPointe, Janine Lee, Ben Francisco Maulbeck & Daranee Petsod Headshots

1:30 - 1:45 pm
Transition
1:45 - 3:15 pm

Concurrent Sessions

  • Session 1: Time-Limited Philanthropy: What the Research Tells Us About This Growing Trend
  • Session 2: Engaging in Effective Meeting Facilitation
  • Session 3: Rural Philanthropy: What Do We Need to Do to Support Rural Communities?
  • Session 4: Advancing Racial Equity in Philanthropy Workshop Part 1

Think Tank: Trust-Based Philanthropy

Details
Time-Limited Philanthropy: What the Research Tells Us About This Growing Trend

Cattleya (6th Floor)

Join representatives from Forum member the National Center for Family Philanthropy and Forum partner Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to examine recent national and international research to help us better understand time-limited philanthropy and how donors view and approach philanthropic time horizons. Participants will also discuss how the research might impact the work of PSOs.

Speakers: Jason Born, Vice President for Programs, National Center for Family Philanthropy; Barbara Kibbe, Director, S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and Renee Karibi-Whyte, Vice President And Assistant Corporate Secretary, and Olga Tarasov (@OlgaTarasov), Director, Knowledge Development, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Session 2: Engaging in Effective Meeting Facilitation

Calypso (6th Floor)

PSO staff facilitate virtual and in-person meetings all the time, from committee meetings to member convenings, yet many of us have never been trained on how to be effective facilitators. This session will provide tips, tools and strategies for effective meeting facilitation that can help increase member engagement. Attendees will learn about how to create vibrant gatherings, conversations and webinars to engage participants and maximize the energy of their meetings. This skill-building session is perfect for PSO staff with limited previous training in this area or for those just looking for a quick refresher or new ideas.

Speakers: Erin Gordon, Associate, Lizard Brain Solutions

Session 3: Rural Philanthropy: What Do We Need to Do to Support Rural Communities?

Stanhopea (7th Floor)

Rural communities have suffered from a lack of serious attention and understanding from philanthropy. What can PSOs do to change this dynamic and engage more of our members to work in rural regions and with rural populations that often have been unseen and unheard?

Speakers: John Feather, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Grantmakers in Aging; Lyn Hunter (@LynHunter98118), Director, Regional Strategies and Networks, Philanthropy Northwest; Janine Lee, President & CEO, Southeastern Council of Foundations; Rachel Leon, Executive Director, Environmental Grantmakers Association and Allan Smart, Project Director, Rural Philanthropic Analysis Project at Campbell University

Session 4: Advancing Racial Equity in Philanthropy Workshop Part 1

Vanda North and South (6th Floor)

Join us for a two-part workshop where you will apply an equity framework to your work in order to advance your awareness and understanding and strengthen your engagement in equity-based approaches and practices.

This workshop will consist of a mix of learning, peer reflection and discussion for participants to share approaches, challenges and goals around equity, particularly within the context of racial equity. The workshop will provide breakout activities so that participants have an opportunity to connect with others at similar and different places in their equity journey. (*Please note that attendance in the first section is necessary for attendance in the second part after the break.)

Facilitators: Aja Couchois Duncan, Senior Consultant and Sheryl Petty, Senior Consultant, Change Elemental

Please note this workshop is a two-part session that will continue through the next round of concurrent sessions and close at 5:15. Participants must attend both sessions.

Think Tank: Trust-Based Philanthropy

Calendia (7th Floor)

The Whitman Institute, a leader in the field of trust-based philanthropy, describes trust-based philanthropy this way: trust-based philanthropy is informed by a decade of experience that funder-grantee relationships are stronger when they are built on the foundation of trust. The idea is simple: philanthropy can be more effective when funders approach their grantee relationships from a place of trust rather than suspicion. We believe efforts to create social, political, and economic equity will be more successful if philanthropy embeds trust, dialogue, and relationship-building in its practices with grantees. Join Forum board member Phil Li in a conversation about how to bring these practices to your foundation members.

Conversationalist: Philip Li (@phipster), President & CEO, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation

3:15 - 3:45 pm
Networking Break & Bookstore
Details

6th Floor Foyer near Orchid Ballroom

We are partnering with a local bookseller, Appletree Books, to bring a selection of books from our speakers and other topics of interest. Stop by the store from 9:45 am to 4 pm and add to your TBR! A full list of books for sale is available in the conference app.

3:45 - 5:15 pm

Concurrent Sessions

  • Session 1: Advancing Racial Equity in Philanthropy Workshop Part 2
  • Session 2: REDI Consultants: How to Find Them, Engage Them and Manage the Relationship
  • Session 3: Opportunity Zones, Impact Investing and Loan Guarantees: What is the Role for PSOs?
  • Session 4: The PSO Field Guide to Partnership and Collaboration

Think Tank: Philanthropy in the Digital Age

Details
Session 1: Advancing Racial Equity in Philanthropy Workshop Part 2

Vanda North and South (6th Floor)

This will be reserved for those who attended Part I of this workshop.

Facilitators: Aja Couchois Duncan, Senior Consultant and Sheryl Petty, Senior Consultant, Change Elemental

Session 2: REDI Consultants: How to Find Them, Engage Them and Manage the Relationship

Stanhopea (7th Floor)

Join representatives from the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers, Equity in the Center and The Giving Practice in a conversation about the challenge of finding and engaging the right consultants for your PSO’s work to advance racial equity, diversity and inclusion (REDI) in philanthropy. How do you know that a consultant is right for your culture and place in the work? What is the difference between a workshop, presentation or a longer-term arrangement and does it matter when it comes to REDI work?

Speakers: Tina Gridiron, Senior Advisor, The Giving Practice; David Maurrasse, Ph.D., Founder and President, Marga Incorporated and REDI Committee Member of National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers; Kerrien Suarez, Executive Director, Equity in the Center (moderator)

Session 3: Opportunity Zones, Impact Investing and Loan Guarantees: What is the Role for PSOs?

Caladenia (7th Floor)

Join your colleagues and experts from the field to talk about Opportunity Zones, impact investing and loan guarantee strategies. We’ll explore the role for PSOs in ensuring that communities are ready, willing and able to be places for the investments and that there is equity and community preservation at the center of any of these investments.

Speakers: Melanie Audette (@melaudette), Senior Vice President and Partner Engagement, Mission Investors Exchange; Lyn Hunter (@LynHunter98118), Director, Regional Strategies and Networks, Philanthropy Northwest; Adam Northrup, Financial Strategist, and Teri Lovelace, President, Locus Impact Investing

Session 4: The PSO Field Guide to Partnership and Collaboration

Calypso (6th Floor)

Join us on the trail to discuss the release of the long-awaited PSO Field Guide that provides the stories of victory and defeat and provides details on the equipment necessary for successful partnerships and collaboration among PSOs and our partners. This guide has been developed by the Forum network for the Forum network, in response to our network’s growth in regional and national PSO members—all of whom operate in different ways and have unique cultures. Come navigate the trail using the Field Guide and provide your feedback to constantly improve this exciting new tool for PSOs.

Speakers: Mark Sedway, Senior Partner, The Giving Practice and Dave Sheldon, Vice President of Collaboration and Community Building, Southern California Grantmakers

Think Tank: Philanthropy in the Digital Age

Cattleya (6th Floor)

Join Lucy Bernholz for a discussion on what philanthropy should be watching for and engaging about in the digital age. How is data and technology changing our work? What should we know and why should we care? What is the role for PSOs to educate and inform the broader philanthropy sector about key digital policy issues to help ensure a well-functioning civil society in the future?

Speaker: Lucy Bernholz, Director, Digital Civil Society Lab & Senior Research Scholar, Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society

This session will conclude at 5:00 pm

5:30 - 7:00 pm
Clips, Conversation & Cocktails
Details

Orchid Ballroom (6th Floor)

Before heading out to dine in Cleveland, join us for Clips, Conversation & Cocktails with Family Pictures USA. It’s a new three-part series premiering on Aug. 12 on PBS. Producer and host Thomas Allen Harris travels across the country, meeting people whose family photos reveal our nation’s history, diversity and common values. Family photos of everyday milestones—marriage, childhood, a new car, a growing business—provide a visual portal through which to examine the roots, surprising connections and provocative parallels that shed light on our collective past and our shared future. Each episode of Family Pictures USA begins at a community photo-sharing event, where people present images long stored in photo albums or stashed away in dusty boxes. Using these pictures as a starting point, Thomas engages participants in conversation, guiding them through stories of hardship, perseverance and love. During our session, we’ll talk to Thomas about his project and watch a few clips from the series. He’ll also engage in a special photo-sharing event with all participants. Don’t miss this incredibly moving experience.

Speakers: Thomas Allen Harris (@ObaOxum), Filmmaker and Executive Producer and Vincent Stehle, Executive Director, Media Impact Funders (@VinceDaily), featuring musical accompaniment by Nick Deychakiwsky, Program Officer, Civil Society, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

Times Vary

Outings and Activities (Pre-registration is required)

  • Corner Alley Bowling (6:00 - 9:00 pm)
  • Brewery Tour (6:00 - 9:00 pm)
  • Cleveland Creameries Tour (6:00 - 8:00 pm)
  • Walking History Tour (6:00 - 9:00 pm)
Details
Corner Alley Bowling (6:00 - 9:00 pm)

Join your colleagues for a fun night of bowling at Corner Alley Bowling! This activity includes three hours of bowling, shoe rental, food and fountain drinks. This activity is a short walk from the hotel.

Cost: $45. Advance registration is required and limited to 18 guests.

Brewery Tour (6:00 - 9:00 pm)

Great Lakes Brewing Company is Ohio’s first brewpub and microbrewery and has been brewing in Cleveland since 1988, making it one of the first to start the brew craze in the city. Here guests will take a private tour and then come back to the tasting area to enjoy five samples of their choice. We’ll then take a short ride to Platform Brewery and enjoy a flight of their beers along with WAFL sandwiches—a local specialty—and a sweet treat ending.

Cost: $60. Advance registration is required and is limited to 30 guests.

Cleveland Creameries Tour (6:00 - 8:00 pm)

Mitchell’s Ice Cream in Ohio City opened 20 years ago and has been utilizing only the best locally sourced ingredients ever since! We will enjoy a private talk in the Rialto Room to find out what is behind the success of this creamery; and then sample the goods as you tour the ice cream kitchen. From there we’ll visit the Cleveland Arcade, America’s first Indoor Shopping Center, which opened in 1890. Here we’ll savor the tasty treats of Cathy’s Creamery with a custom-made ice cream sandwich, as we marvel at the architecture of this beautiful building.

Cost: $45. Advance registration is required and limited to 25 guests.

Walking History Tour (6:00 - 9:00 pm)

In 2018, The American Planning Association (APA) named Public Square in Cleveland one of the five Great Public Spaces on APA’s annual Great Places in America list. We’ll tour some of the historic gems of Public Square including Soldiers and Sailors Monument, which will be celebrating its 150th anniversary; Old Stone Church, which is the oldest structure on Public Square; and the first electric street light that first flickered to light on April 29, 1879 and led to Public Square becoming the first outdoor public space in America fully illuminated by electrical light. Learn about Ohio’s first “modern skyscraper” and Cleveland’s iconic Terminal Tower. Then enjoy a light bite at Heinen’s downtown and hear how this grocery store chain and historic building have melded into a popular tourist destination.

Cost: $30. Advance registration is required and is limited to 25 guests.

 

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

7:30 am
Registration Opens
Details

6th Floor Foyer near Orchid Ballroom

Come pick up your name badge, program and other conference materials at the registration desk.

8:00 - 9:30 am
Breakfast Plenary Session: "Giving Done Right"
Details

Orchid Ballroom (6th Floor)

Phil Buchanan HeadshotJoin our colleague Phil Buchanan as he discusses his new book Giving Done Right and what it says to the PSO field in how we frame and also celebrate good philanthropy in an era when it is necessary to hold philanthropy accountable for its mistakes, foibles and inequity. How can we honor and serve the field that holds so much generosity and love while also fighting against its harmful practices and participants?

"Phil Buchanan knows and celebrates the diversity of the nonprofit sector, from the smallest community-based organization to the largest university or museum; from the individual donor making small annual gifts to her favorite charities to the largest private foundation awarding hundreds of millions in grants. Giving Done Right is full of data, insights and helpful suggestions for us all."—Carol Larson, President and CEO, David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Speaker: Phil Buchanan (@philxbuchanan), President, Center for Effective Philanthropy and Janine Lee, President & CEO, Southeastern Council of Foundations (moderator)

9:30 - 9:45 am
Transition
9:45 - 11:00 am

Concurrent Sessions

  • Session 1: The Blanket Exercise: A Participatory Experience of Native American History (9:45 am - 12 pm)
  • Session 2: The PSO Business Model
  • Session 3: Anchor Institution, Community Revitalization and the Role of Philanthropic Leadership
  • Session 4: After the Census: What’s Next for PSOs in Strengthening Democracy and Civic Engagement?

Think Tank: Sustaining Strong Partnerships

Details
Session 1: The Blanket Exercise: A Participatory Experience of Native American History (9:45 am - 12 pm)

Cattleya (6th Floor)

Join Native Americans in Philanthropy for this powerful experience exposing attendees to the history of Indigenous peoples through the Blanket Exercise. A “unique, participatory history lesson – developed in collaboration with Indigenous elders, knowledge keepers and educators – that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.”

This session will run from 9:45 am to 12 pm. There will not be a break from 11-11:30 am.

Facilitators: Gina Jackson, Program Director and Vance Blackfox (@VanceBlackfox), Communications Director, Native Americans in Philanthropy

Session 2: The PSO Business Model

Vanda South (6th Floor)

How do PSOs fashion their business models and ensure stability and growth in an ever-changing field of philanthropy? What have we learned from colleagues who have created business models that work and set them on a sustainable course into the future? Come hear from representatives from PSOs that contributed to the recently released DIY Guide to Adaptive Business Modeling for PSOs created by The Giving Practice in partnership with United Philanthropy Forum.

Speaker: Mark Sedway, Senior Partner, The Giving Practice and Ellen LaPointe, President & CEO, Northern California Grantmakers

Session 3: Anchor Institution, Community Revitalization and the Role of Philanthropic Leadership

Vanda North (6th Floor)

The Evergreen Cooperative, Baltimore Integration Project and the Greater University Circle Neighborhood Initiatives are examples we will draw from to understand the power of collective leadership and anchor institutions to make real change in struggling communities. Hear from representatives of Cleveland and Baltimore as they discuss these strategies to systemic change. The BIP was created to advance economic inclusion in Baltimore and the GUCN and EC in Cleveland have all focused over the last several years on growing the roles and ways anchor institutions can improve opportunities for area residents, business, and communities through hiring, purchasing, and reinvestment. All speakers will discuss how equity was placed at the center of these projects necessarily and as a core value of the work.

Speakers: Celeste Amato, President, Maryland Philanthropy Network; Nelson Beckford, Program Director for Neighborhood Revitalization and Engagement, Cleveland Foundation; Ted Howard, President & Co-Founder, Democracy Collaborative; and others

After the Census: What’s Next for PSOs in Strengthening Democracy and Civic Engagement?

Calypso (6th Floor)

PSOs and foundations are leading an unprecedented effort to prepare the nation for the 2020 Census. While a significant amount of work remains to ensure a fair and accurate count, right now is also an opportunity for the Forum network to consider how we sustain the momentum of our policy and advocacy efforts after the conclusion of the 2020 Census. Philanthropy’s support of the census exemplifies the sector’s commitment to democratic practices and civic engagement, and our work affirms our understanding that philanthropy cannot stand on the sidelines of these important processes. This session will explore what is next for PSO policy and advocacy efforts after the census and how philanthropy—and the Forum network specifically—might play important roles in supporting democracy, civic engagement, and other issues going forward.

Speakers: Michael Baskin, Democracy Innovation Fellow, Foundation for Civic Leadership; Jocelyn Bissonnette, Director, Funders Census Initiative, Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation; Kristen Cambell (@kcambell), Executive Director, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE); Kevin Douglas (@douglaskev), Director of National Programs, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees; Dawn Melchiorre, Chief Operating Officer, Forefront; and Karen Narasaki (@narasakijustice), Consultant, New Venture Fund

Think Tank: Sustaining Strong Partnerships

Caladenia (7th Floor)

Forum members have been partnering on the Forum's Knowledge Management Collaborative for 15 years. As we've grown to over 30 organizations, we continue to build a successful, impactful and long-term partnership between PSOs. Join this conversation to learn more from members of the collaborative about how we've built a community of trust, used peer learning and champions to sustain the work over time, and empowered and engaged partners. This collaboration is a model for how PSOs can partner with each other but also for how you can build lasting partnerships with your own members.

Speakers: Caleb Beaudoin, Executive and Database Associate, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees; Allyson Goldhagen, Director of Member Services, Philanthropy New York; Kristen Ruff, Senior Vice President of Member Services, Philanthropy New York; Lissa Silotto, Communications and Marketing Manager, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance

11:00 - 11:30 am
Break
Details

6th Floor Foyer near Orchid Ballroom

11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions

  • Session 1: The Blanket Exercise: A Participatory Experience of Native American History (9:45 am - 12 pm)
  • Session 2: Emerging Practitioners & CEO Conversation
  • Session 3: A Conversation With Candid’s Jacob Harold
  • Session 4: Innovation & Impact of Lean, Mean, Producing Machine PSOs

Think Tank: Equitable Evaluation Initiative

Details
Session 1: The Blanket Exercise: A Participatory Experience of Native American History (9:45 am - 12 pm)

Cattleya (6th Floor)

Join Native Americans in Philanthropy for this powerful experience exposing attendees to the history of Indigenous peoples through the Blanket Exercise. A “unique, participatory history lesson – developed in collaboration with Indigenous elders, knowledge keepers and educators – that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.”

This session will run from 9:45 am to 12 pm. There will not be a break at from 11-11:30 am.

Session 2: Emerging Practitioners & CEO Conversation

Vanda South (6th Floor)

Emerging practitioners & CEOs will come together for a conversation about issues for the emerging practitioners around culture, roles, trends and changes in the field. This is a time for emerging practitioners to bend the ear of the CEOs and engage in a conversation about what is happening in the field now and how different generations can work together more effectively.

Session 3: A Conversation With Candid’s Jacob Harold

Caladenia (7th Floor)

Earlier this year, Foundation Center and GuideStar joined forces to become a new organization, Candid. Now, Candid is shaping a new strategy for data, products, and services that will serve the evolving needs of the sector. The Forum network and its members are key stakeholders in this work, and Candid wants your input.

Join Jacob Harold, Executive Vice President of Candid, for a facilitated discussion about what the field needs and your hopes for the future of sector data. We will explore questions like: What data access needs and uses do you have to be more efficient? What data do your members need? What are your biggest hopes for the field? This session will directly inform Candid’s 2030 plan. Jacob is here to listen to you!

Speaker: Jacob Harrold (@jacobharold), Executive Vice President, Candid

Facilitators: Jen Bokoff (@jenbo1), Director of Stakeholder Engagement and C. Davis Parchment, Manager, Global Projects & Partnerships, Candid

Session 4: Innovation & Impact of Lean, Mean, Producing Machine PSOs

Vanda North (6th Floor)

Innovation and impact comes in all sizes in the philanthropy-serving organization world. Join the leaders of lean, mean, & producing machine PSOs (regional and national) for an energizing discussion on innovative programs and operations that are creating great impact. The facilitated discussion for teams of 5 or fewer staff will share and highlight work such as: organizational sustainability, advancing REDI and policy impact, membership growth & engagement, strategic partnerships for programs and advancing philanthropic impact.

Facilitator: Paul D. Daugherty (@Pddy), President & CEO, Philanthropy West Virginia

Think Tank: Equitable Evaluation Initiative

Calypso (6th Floor)

Jara Dean-Coffey will update attendees on what is happening with Equitable Evaluation and what we can do to continue to move toward implementing this concept in our work. Also, learn from your colleagues about the work they are beginning to craft and their request for the PSO field to commit to bringing equitable evaluation to your foundation members.

Conversationalist: Jara Dean-Coffey (@jdeancoffey), Founder + Principal, Luminare Group and Director, Equitable Evaluation Initiative

12:30 - 12:45 pm
Transition
12:45 - 2:15 pm
Conference Closing Luncheon- Revolution, Evolution, Devolution: Moving the Energy to Action
Details

Orchid Ballroom (6th Floor)

All around us the country is changing and philanthropy is changing with it. The role PSOs play in this change can be significant and calls for our courage and tenacity in pushing philanthropy to greater impact and accountability. A key component of this is engagement is the support and strengthening of civil society through philanthropy. In this closing conference session, we’ll engage two speakers in a conversation about the case for why working in the arena of advocacy and policy is not optional in the work of philanthropy but rather central to the impact the field hopes to make in fulfilling its role in our democracy. How can we be disruptive and innovative in our work and help philanthropy continue to evolve to better serve our communities and country by moving the energy to action?

Speakers: LaTosha Brown (@MsLaToshaBrown), award-winning organizer, philanthropic consultant, political strategist, jazz singer and co-founder of the Black Votes Matter Fund and Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR), President and CEO, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in conversation with Ana Marie Argilagos, President and CEO, Hispanics in Philanthropy

LaTosha Brown and Vanita Gupta Headshots

2:15 pm
Conference Adjourns
July 17, 2:00 - 4:30pm
Airport Shuttle
Details

A shuttle from the Westin to the Cleveland airport is available for attendees. The shuttle will depart from the Westin at 2:00 pm, 3:15 pm and 4:30 pm.

Cost: $25. Advance registration is required.

 

Post-Conference

July 17, 2:30 - 6:00pm
Knowledge Management Collaborative Users Group
Details

Vanda North and South (6th Floor)

Day 1 of the annual in-person meeting of current users of the Forum's Knowledge Management Collaborative Users Group. Attendance is limited to users of the Forum's Drupal-Salesforce Platform.

July 17, 3:00 - 5:00pm
Racial Equity in Philanthropy Fund Grantee Roundtable
Details

Calypso (6th Floor)

Grantees of Borealis Philanthropy’s Racial Equity in Philanthropy (REP) Fund, which includes the Forum and many Forum members, will use this space for some informal sharing and updating on the work they are doing with their REP Fund support to advance racial equity in philanthropy. If you are not a REP Fund grantee, you are welcome to join the roundtable to listen in on the grantee updates.

July 18, 9:00 am - 5:00pm
Knowledge Management Collaborative Users Group
Details

Vanda North and South (6th Floor)

Day 2 of the annual in-person meeting of current users of the Forum's Knowledge Management Collaborative Users Group. Attendance is limited to users of the Forum's Drupal-Salesforce Platform.

Plenary Session Speakers


Kiran Ahuja

Philanthropy Northwest

Ana Marie Argilagos

Hispanics in Philanthropy

Susan Taylor Batten

ABFE

LaTosha Brown

Black Voters Matter

Phil Buchanan

Center for Effective Philanthropy

David Callahan

Inside Philanthropy

Jennifer L. Eberhardt

Stanford University

Vanita Gupta

Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Thomas Allen Harris

Family Pictures USA

Tyehimba Jess

Poet

Ellen LaPointe

Northern California Grantmakers

Janine Lee

Southeastern Council of Foundations

Ben Francisco Maulbeck

Funders for LGBTQ Issues

Vincent Stehle

Media Impact Funders

Daranee Petsod

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees

Edgar Villanueva

Schott Foundation for Public Education

Concurrent Session Speakers


Celeste Amato

Maryland Philanthropy Network

Melanie Audette

Mission Investors Exchange

Michael Baskin

Foundation for Civic Leadership

Caleb Beaudoin

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees

Nelson Beckford

Cleveland Foundation

Lauren Bennett

Funders Together to End Homelessness

Lucy Bernholz

Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society

Jocelyn Bissonnette

Funders' Committee for Civic Participation

Vance Blackfox (Cherokee Nation)

Native Americans in Philanthropy

Jen Bokoff

Candid

Jason C. Born

National Center for Family Philanthropy

Kristen Cambell

Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement

Jara Dean-Coffey

Luminare Group

Paul D. Daugherty

Philanthropy West Virginia

Kevin Douglas

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees

Aja Couchois Duncan

Change Elemental

John Feather

Grantmakers in Aging

Allyson Goldhagen

Philanthropy New York

Erin Gordon

Lizard Brain Solutions

Tina Gridiron

The Giving Practice

Jacob Harold

Candid

Ted Howard

Democracy Collaborative

Lyn Hunter

Philanthropy Northwest

Gina Jackson (Te-Moak Western Shoshone)

Native Americans in Philanthropy

Renee Karibi-Whyte

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Barbara Kibbe

S.D Bechtel, Jr. Foundation

Sindhu Knotz

The Giving Practice

Rachel Leon

Environmental Grantmakers Association

Philip Li

Robert Sterling Clark Foundation

Teri Lovelace

LOCUS Impact Investing

David Maurrasse

Marga Inc.

Dawn Melchiorre

Forefront

Karen K. Narasaki

New Venture Fund

Adam Northup

LOCUS Impact Investing

C. Davis Parchment

Candid

Sheryl Petty

Change Elemental

Kristen Ruff

Philanthropy New York

Mark Sedway

The Giving Practice

Dave Sheldon

Southern California Grantmakers

Lissa Silotto

Indiana Philanthropy Alliance

Anthony Simmons

ABFE

Allen Smart

Campbell University

Kerrien Suarez

Equity in the Center

Olga Tarasov

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Lori Villarosa

Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity

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Dispatch from #ForumCon19: Supporting the Moral Imperative of Philanthropy with Learning and Networking

Renee Brooks Catacalos, Member and Strategic Partnerships Director at Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders
Release Date: 
08/09/2019

In a guest post, Renee Brooks Catacalos, Member and Strategic Partnerships Director at Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders shares her reflections of the 2019 Forum annual conference and feeling the power of being part of a forward-thinking and supportive community as she grows as a PSO professional.

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Clips, Conversation & Cocktails

Publication date: 
10/2019

Thomas Allen Harris, Executive Producer of Family Picture USA and Vince Stehle, Executive Director of Media Impact Funders discuss the stories behind family photos for the Clips, Conversation & Cocktail plenary session at United Philanthropy Forum's 2019 Annual Conference in Cleveland on July 16.

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Breakfast Plenary: David Callahan

Publication date: 
09/2019

David Callahan, founder and editor of Inside Philanthropy, presented as a part of a breakfast plenary session at United Philanthropy Forum's 2019 Annual Conference in Cleveland on July 16, where he shared his thoughts on critical trends in philanthropy.

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Breakfast Plenary: Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt

Publication date: 
09/2019

Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt, author of Biased, presented as a part of a breakfast plenary session at United Philanthropy Forum's 2019 Annual Conference in Cleveland on July 16. Dr. Eberhardt opened with a story about her son making a biased statement and she emphasized the different ways in which implicit bias can have an impact on our decision-making without us even knowing it.

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Breakfast Plenary: Edgar Villanueva

Publication date: 
09/2019

Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth, spoke about the role of philanthropy in today’s society as a part of a breakfast plenary session at United Philanthropy Forum's 2019 Annual Conference in Cleveland on July 16. Edgar emphasized the importance of understanding the dynamics and impact of colonization on our country and our field, and beginning the process of healing, if we are ever going to make philanthropy as effective, powerful and equitable as it has the potential to be.

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United Philanthropy Forum Annual Meeting: “The Power of PSO Partnership”

Publication date: 
09/2019

David Biemesderfer, President & CEO of United Philanthropy Forum, moderates a conversation on the power of PSO partnerships with a panel of philanthropy leaders to discuss the range of PSO partnerships possibilities for the luncheon plenary session at United Philanthropy Forum's 2019 Annual Conference in Cleveland on July 16.

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Breakfast Plenary Session: "Giving Done Right"

Publication date: 
09/2019

Phil Buchanan, President of Center for Effective Philanthropy, is interviewed by Janine Lee, President & CEO of Southeastern Council of Foundations discussed Phil’s new book Giving Done Right for the breakfast plenary session at United Philanthropy Forum's 2019 Annual Conference in Cleveland on July 17. During the discussion, Phil emphasized his viewpoint about the PSO field in how we frame and also celebrate good philanthropy in an era when it is necessary to hold philanthropy accountable for its mistakes, foibles and inequity.

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Conference Closing Luncheon- Revolution, Evolution, Devolution: Moving the Energy to Action

Publication date: 
09/2019

Ana Marie Argilagos, President and CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy facilitates the closing conversation for lucheon plenary session at United Philanthropy Forum's 2019 Annual Conference in Cleveland on July 17 with LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter, and Vanita Gupta, President and CEO of Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights about the role of philanthropy in our democracy.

Anchor Institution, Community Revitalization and the Role of Philanthropic Leadership

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured representatives of Cleveland and Baltimore discussing the Evergreen Cooperative, Baltimore Integration Project and the Greater University Circle Neighborhood Initiatives as examples of collective leadership and anchor institutions that have made real change in struggling communities.

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Opportunity Zones, Impact Investing and Loan Guarantees: What is the Role for PSOs?

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured representatives of Mission Investors Exchange, Philanthropy Northwest, and Locus Impact Investing who discussed about the importance of opportunity zones, impact investing and loan guarantee strategies. This session focused on the role of PSOs in ensuring that communities are prepared to ensure that investments are done through an equity lens. 

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Time-Limited Philanthropy: What the Research Tells Us About This Growing Trend

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured representatives of National Center for Family Philanthropy, S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors who discussed research that helps develop a better understanding of time-limited philanthropy. Throughout this session, they shared examples of time-limited philanthropy and the strategies used by different foundations to wrap up their work.

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Rural Philanthropy: What Do We Need to Do to Support Rural Communities?

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured representatives of Grantmakers in Aging, Philanthropy Northwest,  Southeastern Council of Foundations, Environmental Grantmakers Association, and Rural Philanthropic Analysis Project at Campbell University who discussed disparities that rural philanthropy is experiencing from lack of attention and understanding from philanthropy.

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Think Tank: Equitable Evaluation Initiative

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured Jara Dean-Coffey of Luminare Group and Equitable Evaluation Initiative who discussed what is happening with Equitable Evaluation and what can be done to continue to move toward implementing it into our work. This session highlighted strategies to implement, and encourage foundation members to make use of equitable evaluations. 

Mid-Level Practitioners Workshop

Resources from a pre-conference workshop during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured Erin Gordon of Lizard Brain Solutions who discussed tips, tools and strategies for how to effectively facilitate in person meetings and conversations. This session was focused on polishing up your skills or building new ones that help with gathering your members to maintain vibrant learning communities and opportunities to increase philanthropy’s impact.

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CEO Summit

Resources from a pre-conference session at the 2019 Forum Annual Conference that was moderated by The Giving Practice and featured Lucy Bernholz of Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society who discussed thinking about the future of their work and how leadership can or should change. A few PSO leaders shared challenges that they faced and solutions that discovered to combat that challenge, do deep-dives into understanding and discussing how PSOs can be effective partners to maximize impact.

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Communications Peer Community

Resources from the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH where attendees engaged in conversation about communications and following best practices. Attendees formed groups and discussed a series of questions to learn alternative ways of sharing information, best platforms to share news and more. Attendees collected best practices, tips and tricks for being more efficient and foraging new connections that will extend your network of PSO communications colleagues.

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Engaging in Effective Meeting Facilitation

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured Erin Gordon of Lizard Brain Solutions who discussed the importance of being trained to be effective facilitators. This session provided tips, tools, and strategies for effective meeting facilitation that can help increase member engagement. 

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Innovation & Impact of Lean, Mean, Producing Machine PSOs

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured Paul D. Daugherty of Philanthropy West Virginia who discussed the innovation and impact of teams of 5 or fewer staff within the philanthropic sector. In this session, attendees shared the highlights of their work, tools for membership growth & engagement, strategic partnerships, and the furthering advancement of REDI and policy impact. 

Public Policy Peer Community 2019 Conference Session Materials

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured representatives of ABFE, Funders Together to End Homelessness, and Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity who engaged in dialogue about the principles of equity and inclusion to guide policy work and shifting philanthropic culture to recognize the value of public policy and advocacy in achieving racial equity goals. 

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The PSO Field Guide to Partnership and Collaboration

Resources from a concurrent session during the 2019 Forum Annual Conference in Cleveland, OH that featured representatives from The Giving Practice and Southern California Grantmakers who discussed the release of the long-awaited PSO Field Guide that provides stories of victory and defeat and details on the equipment necessary for successful partnerships and collaborations among PSOs and partners.

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