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| Forum Resource Spotlight |
Membership Directory
The directory provides a quick way to find your colleagues contact information, explore their areas of interest, and connect on social media.
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Be Sure to Read
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Learn what is happening within nonprofit boardrooms today in this comprehensive review and analysis of the Leading with Intent survey data; includes insights into trends, strengths, and challenges across the sector.
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| Network Hires | |
Rhiannon Orizaga has joined Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington as its new Administrative Assistant.
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| Newsletter Archive | |
Miss an issue of Forum Bits?
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How Can Funders Work Together To Have An Impact On Public Policy?
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Public policy work is hard. Collaborative work is hard. Add the two together and you get a complex enterprise. There have been no magic formulas or can't-miss strategies. Determining why and how to take on policy work requires steady inquiry, analysis, strategy, openness, and horsepower. But the results can be significant.
We've taken what we've learned so far and turned it into a draft toolkit. There are two kinds of tools, both designed for structured group reflection. The first is a self-assessment tool that can help affinity groups engaging in policy work determine how well they're set up for success (download a copy). The second is a set of planning checklists that affinity groups can use to do policy work and regional associations can use to support that work (download a copy).
We will be hosting a conference call on Wednesday, February 25 at 1 pm to further discuss these new tools. Join us for an overview of how your RA staff and funders groups can utilize the attached tools to further your policy work with speaker, Mark Sedway, Senior Partner at The Giving Practice.
Register now to participate
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Find Your Next 2015 Program in the Grantmaker Education Programming Directory
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 As you continue to build your program offerings for 2015, we hope you'll take a few minutes to search the Grantmaker Education Programming Directory.
The directory has been called "fantastic," "amazing, and "user-friendly" by RA staff members.
Recent Addition
- How to End Poverty in 90 Minutes: A Dress Rehearsal and Conversation with the Creator- an on-site workshop to explore how art/theater can be used to create a "different" type of community dialogue around an issue and develop a deeper understanding of thoughtful community engagement and collaboration strategies. "How to End Poverty in 90 Minutes" creator Michael Rohd provided a sneak peek of the show and engaged attendees in a post-show discussion. Submitted by Robyn Shuey, Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington
Have a program to include? Submitting is easy through our web form.
If you have any questions about the directory, please feel free to contact Dan Brady.
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Don't Miss Out on Foundations on the Hill
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This year's Foundations on the Hill (FOTH) is less than two months away and we look forward to seeing many of you and your members in Washington, DC.
FOTH is a two-day event that brings foundation leaders to DC for meetings with Congress about key issues of importance to foundations and philanthropy. It is hosted by the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, in partnership with the Council on Foundations.
Registration
Registration for FOTH is open and available here. The registration fee remains $100.
Hotel
A room block has been secured at the Washington Court Hotel.
Single rooms are available at $319/night and double rooms at $339/night. All reservations must be made through the hotel's Reservations Department by calling 1-800-321-3010. Please reference the "Council on Foundations" to get the preferred rate. The cut-off date is Friday, February 20, 2015 but the room block typically sells out early so make your reservations as soon as possible.
Philanthropy Week in Washington
Foundations on the Hill will be held during Philanthropy Week in Washington, a week-long series of events and activities that highlight the role of philanthropy in our society. See the current schedule of events. Separate registration is required for certain Philanthropy Week activities.
Pre-FOTH Programming
- Delegation Captain Call #2: Monday, March 2, 1-2 pm ET
- FOTH Participant Call: Wednesday, March 11, 2-3 pm ET
Resources for RA Staff
Please contact Courtney Moore (202-888-7428) with any questions about Foundations on the Hill.
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Tri-State Community Foundation Partnership 2015 Webinar Series
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Developed by Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, Council of Michigan Foundations, and Philanthropy Ohio, this 2015 webinar series is designed for (but not exclusive to) community foundations.
Members of all regional associations are invited to attend.
Check out the 2015 schedule
Individual announcements with a registration link will be shared as they become available.
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The "Get on the Map" campaign, a partnership of the Forum Network and Foundation Center, is a new data-sharing initiative dedicated to boosting the quality and availability of fresh, detailed grantmaking data across the Forum Network.
Last week, regional associations got the scoop on how to run their own peer-led campaigns to recruit members to share grants data using Foundation Center's eReporting Standard. The data will then be centralized at Foundation Center and made freely accessible to all members in the region through the Foundation Maps platform- a highly interactive and searchable mapping tool.
On February 3rd at 2 PM ET, the "Get on the Map" campaign goes national! Join us for an official national launch webinar of the "Get on the Map" campaign as twenty regionals kick off their own campaigns to capture and harness grants data from funders in their regions.
To learn more about how to participate and download the toolkit, visit www.givingforum.org/get-map-toolkit or contact Mary O'Neill (202-457-8784) for more information.
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Resources from Recent Programming
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 Getting Ready to "Get on the Map!"January 21
The Foundation Center and the Forum hosted a webinar for Get on the Map campaign point people and other interested regional staff to walk-through the "Get on the Map" campaign kits. The kits contain everything you need to launch your regional's campaign and start harnessing the timely, high-quality and high-quantity grants data available for your region - resulting in a custom version of Foundation Maps for your members.
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Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Programming
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Public Policy Round Robin
Tuesday, February 10, 2-3 pm ET
These monthly calls are an opportunity for regional association staff to exchange information on policy work, both legislative and administrative. Pre-registration is not required.
Hot Topics in Washington (Grantmakers Welcome) Wednesday, February 11, 1-2 pm ET
As Foundations on the Hill nears, now is the time to learn what's happening in Washington. Join colleagues from across the country to hear about hot policy topics impacting foundations and philanthropy. Confirmed speakers include: Rob Collier, Council of Michigan Foundations; Jayne Fitzgerald, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; and Ben Pershing, National Journal.
Register online to participate
Fund the People! Strengthen Your Region's Social Sector: Educate Funders about Investing in Nonprofit Talent
Tuesday, February 17, 2-3 pm ET
It's widely accepted that people, not programs, drive the performance and impact of nonprofits. Yet Foundation Center data shows that only 1% of grant dollars have gone toward leadership or staff development over the past 20 years. A new initiative supported by the Packard, Kresge, and Annie E. Casey foundations and American Express Philanthropy, Talent Philanthropy Project, aims to increase funding for people from 1% to 10% by 2025. Talent Philanthropy have begun this work by producing research, ideas, practical tools and events that are making "talent philanthropy" a new norm across in the funding and nonprofit community.
Now, in partnership with the Forum, Talent Philanthropy seeks to offer more Regional Associations a unique value proposition by enabling you to deliver cutting-edge new content, interesting educational events, and practical tools to your members on this essential but rarely addressed issue. They have presented at Council of Michigan Foundations, Philanthropy Southwest and Northern California Grantmakers in the past.
Join Talent Philanthropy for an interactive webinar to learn about the latest data on the nonprofit workforce, the benefits of talent-focused grantmaking from the funders' perspective, and practical new resources that they will produce in 2015.
Talent Philanthropy is founded and led by President and CEO Rusty Stahl, who previously led the funder network Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP). Experienced philanthropy consultants including Jessica Bearman, Mark Sedway and Jara Dean-Coffey are working on the project team as well.
Register online to participate
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Registration Open for Catalyzing Large Scale Change: The Funder's Role in Collective Impact
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 From our colleagues at the Collective Impact Forum. Please consider sharing with your own networks.
The Collective Impact Forum, an initiative of FSG and the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for "Catalyzing Large Scale Change: The Funder's Role in Collective Impact." This three-day funder convening scheduled for May 4-6 at the InterContinental New Orleans, is targeted to those who are funding, or interested in funding, collective impact initiatives.
This second annual three-day funder meeting builds on the success of last year's sold-out convening in Aspen, Colorado. It is designed to meet the needs of the funder community, and will provide opportunities for learning and peer-exchange on a range of important topics. In addition to the funders attending the New Orleans convening, leaders from mature backbone organizations will also be joining for part of the meeting on May 6th to engage in a deep dialogue across perspectives.
Visit the convening website for a summary agenda and additional details on eligibility, fees, lodging, and travel. Early bird registration ends on February 17, 2015.
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Forum Network in the News
|  Recent media mentions of regional associations around the country:
Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia: Public, private, philanthropic: We're all in it together (guest column by Incoming Executive Director, Maari Porter)
Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers: The region needs a call to action, and philanthropy can play a part (letter to the editor by President, Tamara Copeland) and What's next for philanthropy? More investment and more cooperation. (features President, Tamara Copeland)
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Highlights from RA Blogging
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Upcoming Events
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Forum Office Contacts
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 Dan Brady, Communications Manager (202-521-9161)
- Contact Dan with questions about the Knowledgebase, content management, listservs, social networking, and online content strategy.
Courtney Moore, Member Services and Operations Manager (202-888-7428)
- Contact Courtney for general information about Forum membership and services, regional association contact information, conference and teleconference logistics, member surveys, and orientation for new regional association staff. Courtney is also the main contact for regional association staff updates.
- Contact Mary with questions about grantmaker education, public policy, organizational partnerships, and special projects such as the Essential Skills and Strategies for New Grantmakers.
Val Rozansky, Director of Knowledge Services (202-888-7430)
- Contact Val with questions about the Forum's Knowledge Management Initiative, KM system partnerships, membership databases, and all issues relating to technology and electronic communications.
- Contact Erin with questions about the Forum's public policy work including protecting the charitable deduction, building capacity of regional associations to engage in policy, and the PolicyWorks for Philanthropy initiative.
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Courtney Moore, Member Services and Operations Manager  Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers |
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