COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION of TEXAS
2014 Impact Report
Furthering Philanthropy: Cause-Minded Conversations Cause-Minded Conversations bring CFT fund holders together with authors, public sector and nonprofit leaders, and civically engaged community members to learn about and discuss issues relevant to North Texas. In 2013, the Conversations centered on education, where CFT has particular depth of experience and breadth of expertise. We presented two additional Cause-Minded Conversations – one focused on low income working families and one featuring Dallas mayors discussing 60 years of philanthropy in the city. The Education series of panel discussions included:
• Educating Dallas from Cradle to Career, covering the
arc of education from elementary school through higher education and beyond moderated by The Dallas Morning News editorial columnist, William McKenzie.
• Disruptive Innovation for K-12 Education, discussing new
approaches to public education and beyond, moderated by host of KERA’s critically acclaimed THINK program, Krys Boyd.
Brent Christopher and Krys Boyd discuss Disruptive Innovation for K-12 Education
• Transforming Higher Education, discussing the latest
innovations in higher education designed to ensure more college students graduate with a degree or certificate — also moderated by Krys Boyd.
Special presentations included:
• Generations of Generosity: To commemorate CFT’s
Panelists for the Transforming Higher Education Cause-Minded Conversation at CFT
60th Anniversary, Mayor Mike Rawlings led former mayors Tom Leppert, Laura Miller and ambassador Ron Kirk in a discussion about major Dallas milestones in the city’s growth across the arts, social services, public safety, education and healthcare.
• A Fighting Chance: Two presentations – one for
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, former Mayors Tom nonprofits and one for fund holders -- around the Center Leppert, Laura Miller and Ambassador Ron Kirk for Public Policy Priorities’ documentary A Fighting Chance: What does it take for a family to survive and thrive in Texas? The film follows the lives of five struggling Texas families and shows the tough choices they must make.
• The session for nonprofits focused on recently released online tools and data available to support struggling families.
• Fund holders heard from people addressing the issue of asset poverty in the public,
private, and nonprofit sectors and thought on ways to raise the visibility of the issue (ultimately leading to the 2014 Cause-Minded Conversation series and cooperative One Crisis Away program with KERA in Dallas).
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