GEO learning 2015 comp

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations presents

boston Hyatt Regency

June 10–11

#GEOLearn • bit.ly/geolearn held in partnership with Associated Grant Makers

About GEO Grantmakers for Effective Organizations is a community of 3,700 individuals representing more than 425 grantmakers that are challenging the status quo in philanthropy to help nonprofits achieve more. Understanding that grantmakers are successful only to the extent that their grantees achieve meaningful results, GEO promotes strategies and practices that contribute to grantee success. We help grantmakers improve practices in areas which, through years of work in philanthropy, have been identified by innovators in the field as critical to nonprofit success: Learning for Improvement, Collaborative Problem-Solving, Funding Outcomes, Stakeholder Engagement and Scaling What Works. For more about GEO, visit www.geofunders.org.

Our Partner Florida Philanthropic Network is a statewide association of more than 100 grantmakers working to build philanthropy to build a better Florida. FPN’s members are private independent, corporate and family foundations, community foundations, public charity grantmakers and corporate giving programs — from Miami to Jacksonville; Naples to Pensacola — who hold over $6.5 billion in assets and invest over $430 million annually (excluding members located outside Florida) to improve the quality of life for our citizens. Our members share a commitment to promoting philanthropy, fostering collaboration and advancing public policy by Florida, in Florida. For more information, visit www.fpnetwork.org.

Conference Planning Committee Members • Rebekah Levin, Robert R. McCormick Foundation (chair) • Cory Anderson, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation • Chantell Johnson, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation • Ify Mora, Barr Foundation • Maggie Osborn, formerly with the Florida Philanthropic Network • Lance Potter, New Profit Inc. • Paul Putman, The Cleveland Foundation • Ehren Reed, Skoll Foundation • Diana Scearce, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation • Jonathan Sotsky, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

GEO Board of Directors • Albert Ruesga, Greater New Orleans Foundation (chair) • Mae Hong, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (vice chair) • Mary Mountcastle, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (treasurer/secretary) • LaTida Smith, Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland, Ohio (governance committee chair) • Gregg Behr, The Grable Foundation • Sidney Hargro, Community Foundation for South Jersey • Tom Kelly, Hawai’i Community Foundation • Valerie S. Lies, Donors Forum • Kathy Reich, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation • Suzanne Walsh, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • Susan Zepeda, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky • Kathleen P. Enright, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (ex officio)

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Resources Guide

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Schedule at a Glance

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Monday Program

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Tuesday Program

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Questions for Reflection

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GEO Membership

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Contents

Welcome

Notes Pages Floor Plan

Ambassador Program GEO conferences create lasting connections that strengthen grantmakers’ work and build community. GEO’s Ambassador Program facilitates and deepens both first-time and seasoned participants’ networking experiences. Those who are new to GEO are making the most of this year’s Learning Conference by tapping the knowledge of a seasoned GEO member. If you’re new to GEO and have questions, feel free to ask anyone with an Ambassador ribbon on their name tag — they, along with any GEO staff member, are happy to help!

GEO’s Conferences Are Paper-Lite As part of our conference sustainability plan, GEO does not provide printed copies of session handouts or presentations, speaker bios or the participant roster. GEO has made session resources available electronically for download through our website at www.bit.ly/geolearn.

Welcome to Miami and to Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ The Learning Conference 2015, held in partnership with the Florida Philanthropic Network. As a community of grantmakers committed to supporting strong and effective nonprofits, GEO has long worked to lift up evaluation in philanthropy as a powerful tool for both learning and improvement.

At this year’s event we’ll hear about the role data, learning and continuous improvement play in building resilient organizations and communities. We’ll also explore how learning done in real time with a clear focus can better equip us to make meaningful adjustments to our work.

Over the next two days, you will be exposed to new perspectives, ideas and tools to help improve your learning practice. More importantly, you will have the opportunity to make connections with colleagues who can support your own learning journey in the years ahead.

The Learning Conference is filled with interactive sessions, peer-to-peer networking and time for reflection to help you successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with making learning a priority.

We are grateful for the contributions of all of our speakers, financial supporters, and planning committee members and, of course, our partner, the Florida Philanthropic Network. We hope the conference will equip and empower you to support a culture of learning within your own organization and to learn in partnership with others who share your purpose.

Sincerely,

Kathleen P. Enright President and CEO Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

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Wednesday June 10

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SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Thursday June 11

Wednesday June 10, 2015 8:30 A.M. – 11:30 A.M. PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS Advanced registration and an additional fee are required for workshops.

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Evaluation Basics for the Impact Eager, Resource Meager Concerto A Co-presenters: Sara Beggs, Association of Small Foundations, and Catherine A. Gura, The Children’s Guild Foundation Once your foundation decides where it’s headed, evaluation can be a powerful way to assess progress toward your goals, improve your work and obtain results more quickly. Join this introductory evaluation session to learn about a simple, five-step framework to start your foundation on a path to implementing its own evaluation plan and incorporating learning into your everyday work — even if you’re short on time, staff or money. Explore the framework and its uses, engage in round table discussion with peers and apply the concepts to your own foundation’s work.

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Change Agents for Learning Concerto B Facilitator: Jessica Bearman, Bearman Consulting Most grantmakers would agree that learning is important to effectiveness in philanthropy. And many funders are experimenting with a host of approaches to building a learning agenda — including specific learning objectives and activities — into the weekly, monthly or annual work of their organizations. For those staff members charged with making it happen, this task can feel daunting as you try to squeeze reflection, mentoring and skills-building into colleagues’ packed schedules. This practice-based session is designed for individuals who are charged with creating their organization’s learning agenda. As a group, peers will explore their roles and the specific structures, systems, meeting designs and other techniques and technologies they employ to spark learning at the individual, team and organizational levels. Participants will leave with concrete action plans and a network of colleagues interested in continuing to share strategies, successes and challenges.

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11:30 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. OPENING PLENARY LUNCHEON

Symphony Ballroom It’s the question that many grantmakers are striving to answer: in an age of increasing volatility, how can we bolster the capacity of people, communities and systems to recover, persist, or even thrive amid disruption?

For four years, PopTech’s Andrew Zolli and his collaborators traveled the globe exploring the dynamics of resilience, the ability to adapt and successfully respond to a wide variety of unforeseen challenges and disruptive change. It brought them into contact with innovators, change agents and leaders who are transforming at-risk ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean, reforming financial systems in Iceland and strengthening communities besieged by Superstorm Sandy.

Grantmakers have an opportunity to be at the nexus of resilient systems, people and places. Zolli will explore new approaches to building capacity and enhancing community efficacy and self-reliance and highlight the role of learning and continuous improvement in constructing a more vibrant, healthy and sustainable future.

Speakers: Andrew Zolli, PopTech

Kathleen Enright, GEO (emcee)

Sidney Hargro, Community Foundation for South Jersey (respondent)

Connie Yowell,

John D. and Catherine T.

MacArthur Foundation (respondent)

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Wednesday June 10, 2015

Toward Resilience