When blogs hit the airwaves

I was recently on Rosetta Thurman's blog talk radio show. Rosetta is a fabulous blogger who had the recent fortune of meeting at the COF conference. The description of the show and a link is below, you can listen to the show there or download it as a podcast:

We're gonna shine the spotlight on 3 emerging leaders in philanthropy: Melissa Johnson at
NCRP, Trista Harris at the St. Paul Foundation, and Faith Bynoe mostrecently at the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. We'll discuss how they alllanded jobs at foundations and what the grantmaking experience is like.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rosettathurman/2008/05/12/How-to-Get-a-Job-in-Philanthropy

COF Conference Coverage from Chris Cardona (that's alot of C's)

Chris Cardona, from the Venture Philanthropy Fund is one of my favorite philanthropy thinkers and an all around nice guy. Chris did conference coverage for a variety of blogs and he did a great summary of the conference for the Doing Giving Differently blog.

From Chris:

The Council on Foundations is the trade association for organized philanthropy. Its annual conference generally draws about 2,000 people. Given that there are maybe 10,000 foundation staff in the whole country, this is a big number. CoF also holds sector conferences for family foundations, community foundations, and corporate foundations. This year, it combined them all into one big event. It also made a conscious, if not entirely successful, effort to attract more funders from abroad. As a result, the attendance this year was in the neighborhood of 3,500.

After a few days back home, here are some reflections:

• Institutional philanthropy is in the midst of a full-fledged identity crisis.
• The “next gen” is the place to be.
• We’re only beginning to scratch the surface of engagement with our counterparts in other countries.
• Strategic philanthropy is important, but don’t underestimate charity.
• It’s not clear to me that most foundations are ready to engage with giving circles in a meaningful way.
  

For Chris' full post go here.

'Millennials and the Moment'

Entering the 'Millennials and the Moment' session, I scanned the room and noticed a much wider and well-distributed range of generations in the crowd. After a few days milling around in the Gaylord, I realized that I now recognized many in the once-indiscernible herd of philanthropists.

The panelists Cassie, Eddie, Andrew, and Carmen maturely reflected on their leadership experiences. Particularly striking points below:

• Cassie started Campus Climate Challenge and hosted a conference of over 6,000 environmentalists featuring Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
• Eddie started an organization for improvement of public housing in Oregon - at the age of twenty.
• Andrew, a young City Councilperson from Tallahassee, wanted more opportunity to network with other young elected officials so he started an organization that now serves over 400 young elected officials.
• Carmen is the Vice President of USSA a student-led and -run organization that advocates for educational equality.

Other than talking about their specific experiences, the students made the salient point that ours is the most diverse generation in US history and that it is up to us to reverse the polarization perpetuated by past generations.

THANK YOU

A gigantic thank you to all of New Voices of Philanthropies guest bloggers at the COF Conference. Your varied perspectives created a great picture of what was happening at the conference and is much appreciated.

A big hello to all of the new readers of the blog that were introduced to the site at the conference, there are new posts every Monday and Thursday and you can find some background on the blog here and you can subscribe to our RSS feed here.

There will be continuing coverage of the conference by me and our fabulous guest bloggers. I would also like to hear your perspectives of the conference in the comments section below. What was a highlight of the conference for you? What did you learn? What lessons will you use? What ticked you off? (Hint: the thing that ticked me off happened at the diversity plenary...more to come on that later)

Philanthropy 2.0

I'm blogging live from the philathropy 2.0 event sponsored by the Case Foundation, EPIP, and 3rd Wave. Packed, hot, techie. About to break a sweat hot.

Just a quick observation. In today's session on faith and feminism, the director of the Women's Funding Network, Chris, pushed me to present my small group's discussion points. Although the rest of the group urged her to speak, she clearly indicated that she wanted me to present because I am an emerging voice in the feminist movement.

This is not the only time this has happened. Today, in the session I co-designed, Luz gave way to Charles and Trista to allow them airtime. This level of collegiality and respect for the voices of young people in philanthropy is new to me. Just by creating it as a focus area of the summit and by hearing leadership frame the conference on Sunday, people are already taking action.

We are not just here to learn, existing leadership is not just here to teach. It is an exchange.

Leadership for the Next Generation

Next generation, emerging practioner, 'newbie'. Many of us who read and contribute to this blog fit under one of those categories, either because we're young or we're not so young but new to the field. So what can we do to fit in the category of LEADER? What are the strategies of getting to the corner office with (as one of my grad school professors would say) "the big leather chair"?

This was the topic of the session Cultivating the Next Generation of Foundation Professionals. Moderated by Yolanda Alindor from the San Francisco Foundation, panelists Luz Vega-Marquis (Pres/CEO, Marguerite Casey Foundation), Charles Fields (Program Officer, Marguerite Casey Foundation) and our own Trista Harris discussed the strategies and philosophies for young philanthropists who are cultivating their careers.

Rusty started out with some informal polling of the room, asking questions about how many generations were represented in the various foundations attendees worked for and how many agreed with the current issue of the leadership gap. He also gave some historical content that demonstrated how foundations are often the last to see how important tit is to recognize talent in hiring considerations.

Luz provided a lot of insight from the perspective of a CEO who truly believes in hiring young people and helping to develop their careers in philanthropy. She emphasized that she sees this as ensuring the "dna" of the foundation is maintained through the next wave of leaders who will carry the organization's mission over the long haul. Her passion for diversity in the field comes from when she started out in philanthropy and saw no one like her in the where organization she worked. She discussed the reality of distrust between the generations and encouraged young philanthropists to seek out opportunities to get to know the senior staff and Board members by reaching out to the best in these individuals--in turn they will be willing to share.

Charles described his experience as a fellow through the San Francisco Foundation's Multicultural Fellowship Program. He encouraged CEOs to be thoughtful about creating a "good back bench" who can move the agenda forward. He also noted that institutions need to have value around diversity, not only ethnic but also generational. When asked about the importance of life experience for those trying to become leaders in philanthropy, he said that working on the ground gives insight and credibility in one's foundation work. He encouraged attendees to find mentors in their institutions who they connect with.

Trista also encouraged finding a mentor, in addition to seeking activities outside of one's comfort zone. She advised more experienced foundation staff to tell young staff about the unwritten rules of the foundation and helping them navigate the landscape. She also encouraged young staff to write down goals and recognize that the older generation want to leave a legacy and begin to learn from them.

All three presenters emphasized branching out and seeking the opportunities to grow and learn within the field, both through experience and from those who came before us. The big leather chair awaits all of us, but it's up to us to take the initiative to begin the path to occupy it.

A New Generation of Foundation CEO's

Personal journey? Professional mission? How do new CEO's find their paths?

This session focused on the personal journeys of three young and/or new CEO's. Jamie Merisotis talked about his move to Lumina instantly making him smarter, taller, and prettier... something everyone new to the field experiences. He went on to discuss how he is always looking for new avenues to make scalable change. His career has been in creating educational opportunity and Lumina was the obvious next step. While not an emerging leader anymore, he is the youngest CEO of one of the 50 largest foundations, and as such, he still carries the mantle of young leadership.

Monique Mehta from the Third Wave Foundation talked about her move to CEO as part of her journey from social services and volunteering as a high school and college student to moving into the corporate sector, becoming a volunteer, then a law student, finally coming full circle to Third Wave. While hers was a personal journey, it sounded like her turning point was her volunteer work after college. She found a personally compelling mission which put her on the CEO path. Now she works with her colleagues to make sure that she and her foundation have a seat at the table.

Perhaps the most compelling story was Nathanial Williams. He talked about his five year plan to become a foundation CEO, which happened a couple of years ago, but more importantly he talked about his background, both his family background and his educational experiences informing what he brought to his job. Because of his focus, I think he gave the most concrete path to executive leadership.--becoming part of national networks, taking on board work and taking leadership roles in everything he did. His career is clearly personal, but like Jaime he has had a relatively narrow focus area-- in youth leadership development and organizing.

Other key learnings from this session include: taking advantage of the fact that as a young person, you will be underestimated--excel when you can, marshall your resources when you can't. Create a "kitchen cabinet," that is, smart, accomplished colleagues and friends that will give you good, sometimes tough, feedback. No one climbs the executive mountain alone. And lastly, reclaim philanthropy. It doesn't mean rich, it doesn't mean old and it doesn't mean white. it means "love of mankind," we can embrace the term and redefine it.

Athena Adkins is a senior manager for community relations at Travelers and membership chair for the Minnesota chapter of EPIP

I AM NEXT GEN

EPIP is having a huge impact at this conference. The "I am next gen" and I support next gen" stickers (available at the Next Gen lounge in Resource Central) have been a big hit.

EPIP also hosted a welcome session to orient 65+ participants to the summit and the generational leadership track. I think we may have had the smallest room in the convention center for this session. It felt a little like the kids table at Thanksgiving but we are not going to let space issues cramp our style. Donna Edwards, a passionate social justice advocate, Executive Director of the Arca Foundation, and future politician provided us withgreat advice on how to get the most out of the conference including using it as an opportunity to find foundations of like mind and spirit to creat powerful funders collaboratives to meet community needs. She challenged us to leverage our connections in the field for the most community impact.

It has been fabulous meeting readers of the blog in person. I'd just like to tell the blog readers that you are the funniest, smartest, and prettiest people at the conference. Keep saying hi.

Jollification in the Caribbean

Each year ABFE hosts the James A. Joseph lecture as a tribute to ABFE's co-founder. The event highlights an emerging leader, this year the honoree was a fabulous ABFE Fellow Wendy Lewis Jackson from the Kresge Foundation.

The lecturer was Carrolle Perry Devonish, Executive Director of the Anguilla Community Foundation, the fir5st and only charitable foundation in the country. She talked about an Anguillian concept "jollification", which she defined as cheerful giving to your neighbor. An example is a whole neighborhood coming together to help someone pour a concrete floor. Through the act of helping you get to spend time with your community and you know that if you ever need something, your neighbor will be there for you. A community foundation is no more than a method to make jollification a financial resource as well.

He call to action was for more grantmakers to share their skills and talents with the African Diaspora, especially with communities that are translating their long held practices of neighbors helping neighbors into formalized philanthropy models.

Dispatches from the COF Conference

I got to the hotel on Saturday and to say that it is a large conference center would be a massive understatement. The atrium is probably 14 stories tall and has a small neighborhood of houses scattered inside the lobby for good measure. I have been joking that the Gaylord just built around homeowners that were unwilling to move and then they turned their houses into gift shops.

They are still working on signage for the massive convention center so I have decided to think of getting to sessions as more of a zen-like journey of discovery as I walk aimlessly through the center's massive hallways trying to figure out if the Maryland Ballroom is near the Woodrow Wilson ballroom. I would leave a trail of New Voices of Philanthropy promotional postcards but I am afraid (or hopeful) that the many next gen staff that are here would pick them up and I would be lost again.

A great group of current and future philanthropic powerhouses are providing conference coverage (we already have great posts from Tracey, Melissa, and Jasmine) so check back often for the latest conference dirt or relevant learnings (however you prefer to frame it).

What's in Your Mission?

Have you ever worked with someone who you swear has a mission to make your life miserable? Every time he or she walks by you they do or say something to just piss you off. Whether or not that person truly has a mission to make your life hell will never be known, but have you ever thought about your own mission?

Sherece West, President & CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, spoke at the first Emerging Leaders Salon hosted by EPIP on Sunday at COF's Leadership Summit and mission was the undercurrent running through everything she said. Her background is one that unfortunately is heard often in the Black community: poverty, alcohol and drug abuse and despairing surroundings. But even in those surroundings, she saw that everyone--from her own family to the crack-addicted mother on the streets--wants to do better for themselves or their children. Her upbringing enabled her to have the resolve to get out of her surroundings and have compassion for family, neighbors and community. She wanted to learn and be open to what others had to say and gave advice to the attendees to do the same.

When she was young she made the decision to make her mission to use her "time, talent and resources to contribute to the eradication of poverty". Everything she has done professionally has been done as a means to fulfilling her mission. She said that she pursues her mission first and her role (past, present and future) in philanthropy is secondary.

When asked how she handles the myriad of issues within poverty and community advocacy, Sherece brought it back to sticking with your mission. She said Doing what I can and how I can is how I stay focused. Focus on what you want to get accomplished and how you use your resources and time to do it. In what she does, she tries to at least leave a legacy where after she's gone from that organization, someone else can advance it further.

Sherece was also asked what her defining moment in her career thus far has been. Again, she tied the story into to working towards her mission. She described a time while she was at Annie E. Casey when a wealthy Black woman in Louisiana expressed interest in Sherece to take the helm of a local foundation. When Sherece saw the neighborhood being served by this foundation, she initially wanted to say no because the situation looked hopeless. But while driving back to Baltimore, she was suddenly reminded of the Bible story Jonah and the whale. Louisiana was God's way of telling her that this was the next step in fulfilling her mission. As life would have it, soon after she arrived, Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana and she was called to take the helm at the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Fund. The initial call to Louisiana was her "defining moment"--this was God's response to her question on how she could be used towards her mission of eradicating poverty.

So what's your mission? What compels you in what you do in life and/or work? That person at your job may have a mission in life to piss you off everyday, but at least he has a mission. What's yours?

Blogging from Philanthrapolooza: How Media Impacts Life Outcomes for Black Men and Boys

“You can’t have social justice until you have media justice” – Dori Maynard, President, Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education

Hello New Voices readers! My name is Tracey, a guest blogger from BlackGivesBack, a blog dedicated to philanthropy in the black community. As most of you know, the Council on Foundation’s Leadership Summit – the largest-ever gathering of leaders in philanthropy from the U.S. and around the world - began today at the beautiful Gaylord National Resort in Prince George’s County, Maryland, just outside of our nation’s capital. Although my schedule is jam packed this week, I wanted to definitely be a part of this unprecedented event, so I attended a couple of sessions today, one of which was the ABFE (Association for Black Foundation Executives) sponsored session titled How Media Impacts Life Outcomes for Black Men & Boys.

Moderated by veteran African American journalist Tony Brown, host of the longest running PBS show Tony Brown’s Journal, the session featured three panelists who discussed the cultural, political and social impact of the media on black communities. The panelists were: Dori J. Maynard, President of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education; Makani Themba-Nixon, Executive Director of the Praxis Project; and Steve Montiel, Director of USC’s Annenberg’s Institute for Justice and Journalism.

So why should we care about this topic?

Ms. Maynard began the discussion by giving examples on why we should care:

“The census shows us that 80% of white Americans live in segregated neighborhoods....so what that means is for the most part, that we don’t go to school together, we don’t go to church together and we don’t eat in neighborhood restaurants together – so what we learn about the black male is from the media.

People of color, and black men in particular, continue to be overrepresented in stories about crime, sports and entertainment and underrepresented in stories about business, lifestyle and everyday life.

So when you read a story that says 28% of all black men at some point spend some time behind bars and that story does not address what the other 72% of black men are doing, it makes a difference on how black men are going to be judged when they’re going out on job interviews or just walking down the street.”

She went on to say: “You can’t have social justice until you have media justice. Until we correct the images of African Americans in mainstream media, it’s going to be almost impossible to change public policy around issues of crime, education and healthcare.”

How can funders and philanthropy effect change in this area? One place to start is by supporting organizations and programs working everyday to expand the number of people of color working in the field. Ms. Maynard discussed her newest program at the Maynard Institute, the Media Academy that trains entry level journalists of color. She stated that studies show journalists of color leaving the field after five years because there’s no career advancement and they’re not feeling challenged. She shared the story of an alumnus from the program who is now the editor of the Oakland Tribune. She says he’s making a difference in the way that the paper reaches out to communities – by setting up a satellite office in West Oakland, an under reported community that needed more media coverage. Mr. Montiel shared the Justice in Journalism Fund that provides modest support to journalists who want to do in depth journalism.

Other ideas raised by the panel on ways philanthropy and funders can address this issue is for funders to look at what you’re currently supporting. Do an inventory on what your foundation is supporting related to diversity in media and compile a wish list on what you want your foundation to support. Also, create a committee comprised of philanthropic leaders and organizations to create media equity, using funders that have experience in funding media projects in relation to race and racial justice to assist. Suggestions on what funders can do in their local communities: Funders should look to their local media, get to know who the players are, form relationships, and then convene meetings in their communities with these journalists to figure out where the gaps are and how they can help facilitate them.

In news related to today’s panel discussion, Tony Brown shared with the audience that advertising giant Procter & Gamble is asking America whether they should change their advertising on MTV and BET. He read from an article that appeared in the NY Daily News last month:

“The household-products monolith doesn't like its ads appearing in television or radio places that could tarnish the P&G image, and there have been complaints for years that MTV and BET traffic too heavily in videos that degrade women, glorify violence and drug dealing, overemphasize sex and portray black men primarily as thugs.

So P&G has taken the unusual step of setting up a toll-free number, 1-800-331-3774, where anyone can vote "yes" or "no" on whether the company should "change our advertising" on MTV and BET. While there's no option for an explanatory message, P&G will accept faxed comments at its consumer relations department, (513) 983-2881." Read article here.

At the conclusion of the panel session, Tony Brown announced for the first time in public that after 40 successful years, his show Tony Brown’s Journal will cease due to funding at the end of this month. He stated that he has contributed $500,000 in personal funds to the program and he can’t continue to do so. He said the show was a privilege for him and the greatest blessing he could ever have.

On the web:

The Maynard Institute: http://www.maynardije.org/
The Praxis Project: http://www.thepraxisproject.org/home.html
USC Annenberg Institute: http://www.justicejournalism.org/index.html

Social Justice Philanthropy: Where is the Movement?

On the heels of what will be one of the biggest gatherings in a long time of established foundations in the U.S., the field of philanthropy continues to be called into question. Where are philanthropic dollars going? Who are philanthropic dollars benefiting? Is change a real goal of these dollars? If so, what does that change look like?

The Council on Foundations is kicking off its annual conference in a big way on Sunday, May 4th, just a heartbeat away from America’s capital at the Gaylord National Resort on the National Harbor in Maryland. “Philanthropy’s Vision: A Leadership Summit,” is intended to attract many of the philanthropic leaders that help to shape the future of philanthropy. With new and interesting tracks on issues like diversity and inclusiveness, generational leadership, and rural philanthropy, it appears that this conference may broach the conversation and many values of social change in a way that has never been seen before.

But for those CEO’s, program officers, thought leaders in the philanthropic field who think, work, fund, and behave in ways that always embrace social justice values, they are not so sure how deep conversations may go. In an effort to maximize the seemingly prime opportunity to take advantage of issues like diversity, community change, and looking beyond to the next generation, the Social Justice Philanthropy Collaborative is holding a reception to help organize like-minded leaders in the field. This reception will help individuals NAVIGATE the conference, BUILD relationships and commitment, and STRENGHTEN the network of progressive funders and allies.

At a time where societal change is outpacing the ability to respond alone to community needs, it is imperative that every foundation and organization working within the field of philanthropy come together to network, strategize, and build collaborative action to truly achieve real change. This reception marks a pivotal moment of reinvigorating the movement.

So, in a hallway near you, COF participants, look for folks with the buttons, the stress balls, the candy, and the social justice guide to navigating this Summit so you can see where the movement is.

Go to www.changingfunding.org for more information!

Special Guest Blogger Melissa Johnson, Field Director
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP)

Philanthrapolooza is here!

The Council on Foundation's annual conference is finally here. This blog will be providing extensive coverage of the conference events, with a special focus on the Generational Leadership track. Guest bloggers include:
Jasmine Hall Ratliff, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Jen Kramer-Wine, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy
Melissa Johnson, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy
Athena Adkins, Travelers
Brittany Buckingham, Gates Foundation
Martha Shershin, William Randolph Hearst Foundations

Check back here often for the latest coverage. If you are not attending the conference, you can still participate by continuing the covnersation in the comment section. You can also post messages to our bloggers if you have specific questions about the sessions that they have attended or if you have specific sessions that you would like covered, let me know if the comments section below. If you are attending the conference feel free to email me at tristaharris (at) gmail (dot) com your own posts about the sessions that you have attended and I will post them with the rest of the conference coverage. I'll be moderating the Susan Barresford Emerging Leader Salon on Sunday and will be speaking on the Cultivating the Next Generation of Foundation Professionals panel. Stop by and say hello!