Friday, September 19, 2008

Check out select ASF resources related to Friday's sessions.


7:30 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast Plenary
For the past two decades, as President of Mediators Foundation, Mark Gerzon has helped leaders and their organizations learn skills that are critical for dealing with conflict and leading across difficult social divides. He has worked extensively in the public and private sector, domestically and abroad, and his mission remains constant: to foster the emergence of leaders who know how to build bridges across differences, rather than walls that reinforce them. His most recent book, Leading Through Conflict: How Successful Leaders Transform Differences into Opportunities, was named one of the best business books of 2006 by stragegy+business magazine.

9:00 a.m. – noon Next Generation Retreat
For young people (ages 18-35) serving on the foundation board or preparing for future involvement, this retreat offers a comfortable space to discuss the joys, challenges, and realities of participation in family philanthropy. Explore your family’s history and your values in a relaxed environment with other young people who can relate. The Next Generation Retreat was developed by Resource Generation and 21/64 for the Council on Foundations.
Agenda and more info >>

FACILITATORS

• Janice Simsohn Shaw, Senior Program Manager, Association of Small Foundations, Washington, DC
• Scott Strode, Board Member, "The Woods" Charitable Foundation, Boulder, CO
  

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9:15 - 10:45 a.m. Early Morning Sessions

301 Practical Bridge-Building Tools for Small Foundations
Deepen the conversation with Mark Gerzon through case studies from your own foundation's experience. Mark will apply the tools for bridge-building to the specific challenges you and your organization are facing.
SPEAKER
• Mark Gerzon, Founder and President, Mediators Foundation, Boulder, CO

101 Dynamics in the Board Room
Like all groups, foundation boards face conflict, power struggles, and more. In this session, learn how to identify the group dynamics at play on your foundation board and gain the skills to put these dynamics to work for you.
SPEAKER
• Jan Jaffe, Founder & Project Leader, GrantCraft, New York, NY

201 Optimizing Family and Foundation Wealth
Today's complex investment environment and tax laws place philanthropic families in a quandary. How much can the senior generation transfer to a foundation without jeopardizing its own lifestyle? How do the timing and mechanism of charitable transfers affect the family's and the foundation's wealth over time? This session will look at the intersection of estate planning, investment management, and charitable giving, and will review techniques and strategies to maximize both family and foundation wealth.
SPEAKERS
• Christopher Clarkson, AllianceBernstein LP, New York, NY
• David Weinreb, AllianceBernstein LP, New York, NY

301 Governance with Integrity: Legal & Ethical Issues
Integrity and ethics – doing the right thing even when no one is watching. But how do you know if your board is doing the right thing? Where is the intersection between law and conscience? What are the rewards to governing with integrity, and what are the sanctions when you fall short?
SPEAKER
• John E. Tyler III, General Counsel, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City, MO
• Tim Walter, President & CEO, Association of Small Foundations, Washington, DC

101 Be a Financial Detective
Financial statements provide insight into a grantee’s financial stability. With your grantmaker’s lens, learn where to look for clues of financial health and how to engage in a dialogue with grantees that will improve your understanding of their ability to make an impact.
SPEAKER
• Anne Gunsteens, Executive Director, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Washington, DC

201 Evaluating Your Foundation's Impact
Any evaluation includes five key steps: planning, asking, tracking, learning, and using. Learn more about each of the steps and how to use them to evaluate the impact of your foundation. The session will focus on asking and learning from questions relevant to your foundation and its goals.
SPEAKER
• Marianne Philbin, Consultant, Foundation & Nonprofit Consulting, Chicago, IL

201 Considering Alternative Investments
Many foundations allocate a portion of their assets to "alternative investments" such as commodities, real estate, hedge funds and private equity. We will review what these asset classes represent, why some foundations have chosen to add them, and some of the important factors to evaluate when considering such an investment.
SPEAKERS
• Michael J. Merola, Financial Advisor, UBS Financial Services, Inc., New York, NY
• Linda Modico, Senior Vice President – Investments, UBS Financial Services, Inc., New York, NY
• Hal Tabb, Assciate Director, UBS Financial Services, Inc., New Orleans, LA

101 Funding General Operating Support NEW!
Nonprofit organizations need foundation support to run programs: to buy shelves for the new food pantry or replace computers for a neighborhood technology center. But they also need general operating support to cover the costs of day-to-day business: for rent, office supplies and staff salaries. If your foundation supports general operations, how do you know your grant is making a difference? What criteria can you use to select grantees? Learn the issues and join in a lively discussion about general operating support.
SPEAKER
• Sister David Ann Niski, Executive Director, Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Foundation, Newport News, VA
• Kathleen Odne, Executive Director, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, Walnut Creek, CA

201 Working with Community Foundations NEW!
No matter where your foundation is located, you're sure to have a community foundation nearby. Find out how to leverage your grant dollars through partnerships with community foundations. Hear stories from both family foundations and community foundations about how working together can help accomplish your goals.
SPEAKERS
• Rebecca Arno, Vice President of Communications, The Denver Foundation, Denver, CO
• Letty Bass, Executive Director, Chambers Family Fund, Denver, CO
• Dori Kreiger, Managing Director, Family Philanthropy Services, Council on Foundations, Arlington, VA

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11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Concurrent Conversations
We know you value discussion time with colleagues on topics that matter. This one-hour time block is just for that purpose – focused colleague conversations on topics relevant to your work and lives as grantmakers.

101 Great Boards, Great Staff: Managing the Relationship
Whether your foundation has full- or part-time staff, or you're thinking of hiring, you need to know how to manage the relationship between your board and staff. Job descriptions are just the beginning! Hear from insiders and discuss strategies to navigate this unique relationship.
SPEAKERS
• Joe Lesher, Trustee, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, CA
• Kathleen Odne, Executive Director, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, CA

201 Families, Children & Wealth
Gain insights into the challenges of raising children amid wealth and the opportunities in daily life to prepare children for responsible, purposeful lives.
FACILITATOR
• Claire Costello, National Practice Executive, Philanthropic Management, Bank of America, NY

301 You've Got It, They Want It: Working through Power Dynamics
The power imbalance in the grantee-grantor relationship is unavoidable, but you can choose how to respond to it. Learn ways to recognize and address this power dynamic.
FACILITATORS
• Heather Carroll, President & Executive Director, The Joseph Henry Edmondson Foundation, Colorado Springs, CO
• Kimberley Sherwood, Founder & Principle, Third Sector Group, Inc, Colorado Springs, CO

301 Staying Inspired for the Long Haul
A hit at past ASF events, a short reading will spark conversation around central yet often neglected questions in philanthropy: Why do we give? What should philanthropy aim to do? Does altruism really exist? Come away energized and with new insights into your grantmaking.
FACILITATORS
• Andy Carroll, Senior Program Manager, Association of Small Foundations, Washington, DC
• Jeff Weissglass, The Believer Fund, Oak Park, IL

301 The X Factor: Women & Philanthropy
Join a discussion – by women and for women – about women and giving. What are your motivations for giving? What are your obstacles? What are the gendered dynamics in your foundation and how do they affect your giving? Discover the power of your philanthropy. This session is for women only.
FACILITATOR
• Jane Justis, Trustee & Executive Director, The Leighty Foundation, Cascade, CO

201 Media Matters Film Shorts: Health Care
An image becomes a feeling, a story shares a message, a movie becomes a movement. Join a facilitator from Arts Engine’s renowned Media That Matters Film Festival to watch and discuss short films tackling tough issues in health care. The films emphasize empathy, inquiry, and action through the effective use of social-issue media, bringing you films that tell it like it is, in ways that you haven't seen before.
FACILITATOR
• Enrico Cullen, Director of Development and External Affairs, Arts Engine, Inc., New York, NY

301 Civic Engagement in Philanthropy NEW!
How can philanthropy encourage participation and engagement in community, civic, and political life? Learn and discussion strategies with your colleagues to inspire and incubate strategic collaborations with policy makers, nonprofits, business, and the media to support active citizenship.
FACILITATOR
• Chris Gates, Executive Director, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, Denver, CO

201 The Grandparent Legacy Project NEW!
The new Grandparents Tool is a catalog dozens of interviews with grandparents highlighting their messages of passing a legacy of philanthropy on to the next generation. It can help your family frame that message for your foundation. Come with thoughts and questions about communicating—and listening to—values deeply felt. 
FACILITATOR
• Holli Rivera, Director of Outreach, Association of Small Foundations, Washington, DC

101 Leadership Transitions NEW!
The success and stability of nonprofit leaders make a tremendous difference to the organizations they shepherd and the communities they serve. As such, unexpected or unplanned for leadership transitions can disrupt an organization’s programs for a period of time or even worse the organization can cease to exist. Join a discussion about funding nonprofit leadership transitions.
FACILITATOR
• Kathryn Petrillo-Smith, Managing Director, Association of Small Foundations, Washington, DC

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12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch with Topical Roundtables

12:30 - 5:00 p.m. Service Project & Site Visits

Service Project
Denver Urban Gardens (DUG)
For more than twenty years, DUG has worked to "grow" community - one urban garden at a time.
More information & registration >>

Site Visits
See how foundations collaborate with each other, the citizens of Denver, and local and state government to address particular needs in:

• Education: Denver Public Schools
• Neighborhoods: Supporting Neighborhoods at the Grassroots Level
• Arts: Curious Theater and Scientific & Cultural Facilities District
• Direct Service: The Women's Bean Project
• Rural Philanthropy: Colorado Rural Philanthropy Days

More information & registration >>

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2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Afternoon Sessions (repeated sessions)
Some of the best, again! “There were so many sessions that I wanted to attend, but I could only be in one place at one time!” We often hear comments like this from attendees. So here’s our solution: On Friday afternoon, we’re repeating popular sessions, giving you another opportunity to enjoy them.

101 Tax & Legal Issues for Small Foundations
What is self-dealing? Who are disqualified persons? What are taxable expenditures? In this age of heightened scrutiny of private foundations, it is essential that all foundation trustees and staff are familiar with the tax code and basic laws that govern foundations.
SPEAKER
• Karen Leaffer, Special Counsel, Faegre & Benson, Denver, CO

101 Make a Plan: Develop an Investment Policy Statement
Whether your foundation manages its own assets or employs the services of outside investment professionals, an investment policy statement (IPS) provides a roadmap to guide your decision making. Learn more about this important step in achieving your long-term investment and grantmaking objectives.
SPEAKERS
• Nina L. Cohen, First Vice President & Managing Director, Philanthropic Advisory Services, The Glenmede Trust Company, N.A., Philadelphia, PA
• Dwayne Jackson, Rembert, Pendleton, & Jackson, Falls Church, VA
• Alan McKnight, Managing Director, Trusco Captial Management, Atlanta, GA
MODERATOR
• Frank Merrick, Vice President, The Merrick Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK

201 Evaluating Your Foundation's Impact
Any evaluation includes five key steps: planning, asking, tracking, learning, and using. Learn more about each of the steps and how to use them to evaluate the impact of your foundation. The session will focus on asking and learning from questions relevant to your foundation and its goals.
SPEAKER
• Susie Quern Pratt, Consultant, SQP Consulting, Chicago, IL

101 A Guide to the 990-PF & Common Mistakes to Avoid
Amost everyone, including the IRS, acknowledges that the 990-PF tax return is a complex form to file. An estimated 25% of 990-PFs are filed with errors! Familiarize yourself with this important public document and learn the mistakes to avoid.
SPEAKERS
• Tom Blaney, Partner, O'Connor, Davis, Munns & Dobbins LLC, New York, NY
• Michael Fontanello, Partner, Fontanello, Duffield & Otake, LLP, San Francisco, CA

101 Steering the Ship: Good Board Management
What are the ways to best manage the work of your board? Does your foundation have key documents, policies, and plans in place? From board orientation manuals to succession plans, hear how fellow trustees set up their boards for success.
SPEAKERS
• Rick Moore, President, CEO & Trustee, Linda Pace Foundation, San Antonio, TX
• Anne Morgan, Consultant, Norman, OK

201 Small Assets, Big Impact NEW!
Small, targeted grants at the right moments can make a huge difference. This is a chance to step back and look at your grantmaking through the lens of leverage. What are ways to be on the lookout for opportunities to leverage? What are ways to get more impact from the grants you currently make? Get ideas from ASF and your peers.
SPEAKER
• Doug Bauer, Senior Vice President, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, New York, NY

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3:45 – 5:00 p.m. Film Screening of Waste=Food with Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media
High consumption generates excessive waste, and traditional notions of reducing or recycling waste are no longer sufficient. A new theory of ecologically intelligent design argues that products, when discarded, should be completely recyclable or become biodegradable food for the biosphere. WASTE = FOOD explores this "cradle to cradle" concept through interviews with its leading proponents, American architect William McDonough and German ecological chemist Michael Braungart. Increasingly embraced by major corporations and governments worldwide, their ideas are unleashing an ecologically-inspired industrial revolution. After the screening, participate in a lively discussion with Annie Leonard from the Sustainability Funders workgroup of the Environmental Grantmakers Association to figure out what’s next.
SPEAKER
• Annie Leonard, Sustainability Funders/Story of Stuff, Berkeley, CA

4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Reception in Connections Café

6:30 p.m. Optional Dine-Arounds in Downtown Denver

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Pre-Conference>>
Thursday, September 18 >>
Friday, September 19
Saturday, September 20 >>