Save the date!
Date: Nov. 21-22, 2010
Location: Sheraton
Springfield Monarch
Place Hotel
We hope to see you there!
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Welcome  by Eric Phelps, Director
 This summer I had the pleasure of visiting 16 camps throughout the country, both with Harold and with Institute mentors. I was struck by the considerable improvements to the facilities and operations of these organizations and delighted that the Grinspoon Institute has played a role in making these changes possible. Many thanks to all of the staff and lay leaders who so graciously welcomed me, Harold and all of our staff to their camps - sometimes in the middle of "challenging" days.
This year the Grinspoon Institute is launching several new projects and continuing others. First, we are delighted to announce that we will be offering Institute services to five new camps beginning December 2010. The application (RFP) will be issued in the coming weeks. Secondly, we are pleased to be working with the JCCA on a pilot program with day camps throughout the US. The program is designed to apply Grinspoon Institute consulting to day camps in order to increase their organizational capacity and fundraising. Special thanks to Natasha Dresner and Aaron Selkow for their outstanding work on this project.
Finally, we are thrilled to announce that Larry Moses, President of the Wexner Foundation, will be the keynote speaker for our conference November 21 - 22 in Springfield, MA. Many of you know Larry for his extraordinary work in leadership development and Jewish communal service. We all look forward to hearing his thoughts on how we can tell the success story of Jewish overnight camping more effectively and to a broader audience.
I wish all of you L'shanah Tovah and look forward to seeing you in November!
Eric
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Conference Registration Process 
 This year we are pleased to be able to accommodate more Camp Lay Leaders and professionals at our upcoming 2010 Grinspoon Institute Conference at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel in Springfield, MA on November 21-22, 2010. We welcome Board members, Camp leaders, and supporters of Jewish Overnight Camps to attend.
To ensure priority conference registration for each camp, we have changed the registration process this year. We are pleased to announce that, as of September 1st, 2010, early registration for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy's 9th Camp Conference is open to special guests and participating Grinspoon Camps and programs. Early registration is provided on an invitation-only basis. Open registration will begin on October 7th, on a first-come, first-served basis until October 18th or until the conference is full. If you are a member of a Jewish Overnight Camp and would like to participate in the conference, please check with your Camp's Director for further information about registration. A link for open registration will be posted on our Conference website on October 7th.
Thanks to the generosity of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, we are pleased to continue to ensure that the conference remains free to all participants.
We are especially excited about some changes to this year's conference, implemented based on your feedback. The larger venue will both allow us to increase participation and accommodate all participants under one roof for both conference workshops and lodging. In addition, we will be offering more workshops by outside presenters. Guest speakers include Amy Sales (Brandeis University), Clay Ballantine (Hampshire College), Rob Peck (Zestworks), Gail Littman (Jewish Community Foundation - San Diego), Lou Cove (Reboot), John Porcino (Family Camp at Farm & Wilderness), and Pam Hess (Appalachian Mountain Club). You can find more information about our upcoming conference, including travel information, workshop descriptions, and information on hotel accommodations at our Conference website. |
Reflections on the Grinspoon Conference
by Julia Riseman, Mentor
 As we enter this new year in the Jewish calendar, we both look back at the previous year and forward to the future. Recently, I was speaking with a camp Director and Board Chair about the successes of the past summer up at camp, their vision for the future of camp and their current struggles working towards that vision given camp's current reality. Over the phone we strategized ways to more powerfully engage volunteers in support of the vision and identified the critical information the Board Lay Leaders would need for making decisions to overcome the obstacles.
I noted to myself that our conversation over that one hour was focused and filled with energy. It is truly a pleasure to be in a position to help guide them (and other camp leaders) in identifying the key actions and next steps.
I was also reminded of how far we've come since we first sat down together to talk two years ago at the 2008 Grinspoon Institute Conference evening reception. At that time, we discussed the workshops and learning that was taking place over those two days. A "Aha!" moment struck me as I realized that the learning from the conference two years ago was being put into practice today. That is the power of the Grinspoon Institute's conferences. I hope you will plan on joining us at this year's conference and enjoy your own "Aha!" moments in the future. |
Telling Our Stories
This year's conference theme is "Telling Our Stories." Storytelling is a tradition as old as the Jewish people, and at the heart of the camp experience. Through the lens of our dual storytelling traditions, this year's conference will focus on the continued growth and success of the Jewish overnight camping movement. The future we envision lives in the stories we tell. This year's conference - "Telling Our Stories" - aims to enliven our stories, hone the talents of the people who tell them, improve the tools we use to deliver them, and meet the needs of the many, varied audiences who are listening to them. Join us to discover the transformative power of storytelling. |
2010 Jewish Overnight Camp Fair
The 2010 Jewish Overnight Camp Fair will be held at the Lander-Grinspoon Academy in Northampton, Massachusetts from 9:30-11:30 am on November 21st. This is a wonderful opportunity for your camp to reach their target audience and help parents find the perfect summer camp for their children. Highlights include:
- Meeting potential campers and parents at a local Jewish Day school, which serves a diverse Jewish community.
- Learning about the non-need based Harold Grinspoon Foundation Campership Incentive Program
- A chance to network with other local and national camp staff and lay leaders.
For more information about the 2010 Jewish Overnight Camp Fair please contact Jenna Parzivand at jenna@hgf.org. |
Year-End Reporting Tip - LYBUNT
As we approach the end of the calendar year, it's time to think about reaching out to your donors who haven't given yet this year. Not sure how to easily segment this group of donors? The LYBUNT report is the answer. LYBUNT stands for "Last Year But Unfortunately Not This Year." A LYBUNT report is a list of all your donors who made gifts in the previous year but did not give during the current year. If you don't know how to easily run such a report from your donor database, email our Technology Team ( Kevin or Joe) right now and set up an appointment to learn how to run this and other useful reports. Learning how to quickly run reports to tap the valuable information in your donor database is invaluable.
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Next Grinspoon Webinar - Knowledge Center Launch! Where can Board Members and Camp Staff turn for useful, up to date resources? How can you quickly find the sample tools, policies and practices that can help with governance, fundraising, alumni outreach, management and planning? The Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy's Knowledge Center, part of our newly launched website, is the place to go. Join Mentors Julia Riseman and David Sharken, and Technology Program Manager Kevin Martone on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 1 PM EST as we have our "soft opening" of our brand new website. Click here for our next Grinspoon Institute Webinar: Introducing the New Grinspoon Institute Knowledge Center - The resources you want in a place you can find whenever you need it.
In this Webinar you will be introduced to our new website and its online Knowledge Center. You'll have the opportunity to take a live look around for resources to help you in your work. Plus, you will have the chance help us by giving us feedback on what's missing or how we can improve it. If you can't find it in the Grinspoon Knowledge Center, we'll track it down for you - or create it ourselves - and post it for camps to share. |
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