Dine-Arounds

Gather with fellow conference participants for informal learning and great conversation around a specific topic or theme. Attendees pay their way at most dine-arounds. Limited seating; pre-registration required. Contact us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to reserve your spot.

Back-office Services: A Roundtable Discussion (Hosted)

Kuleto’s, 221 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Do you find that your staff gets sidetracked with administrative tasks and that there is not enough time in the day? Have you ever considered or do you now outsource administrative work to professional firms? Come join us for a roundtable discussion regarding the benefits and pitfalls of working with outside administrative service firms. Hosted by Wilmington Trust.

Both Sides of the Rollercoaster Ride: A Conversation between Funders and Social Entrepreneurs (Hosted)

RallyPad, 144 2nd Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
You are cordially invited to a conversation about how funders find the most promising social entrepreneurs, and what’s going well and isn’t. Social entrepreneurs and the foundations betting on their success in scaling social change will discuss the good intentions on both sides – and the triumphs and challenges along the way. We’ll share dinner, drinks, and reality checks at the RallyPad (a social entrepreneur hub and shared office space). Sponsored by the Skees Family Foundation and Third Plateau Social Impact Strategies.

Considering Online Grant Making? Meet Foundant Clients and Staff (Hosted)

Le Colonial, 20 Cosmo Place, San Francisco, CA 94109
If you are considering moving your grantmaking online and would like to spend an informal evening asking your questions to peers who have already made the move, you are welcome to join us for a casual dinner at the excellent French-Vietnamese restaurant Le Colonial. Hosted by Foundant Technologies.

Disaster Philanthropy (Hosted)

Postrio, 545 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
When a disaster strikes, donors are moved to act but struggle to find comprehensive information about how to support communities affected beyond immediate relief. Join us to discuss ways to increase donor effectiveness, help communities recover quickly, and increase resiliency for future disasters. Sponsored by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

Ending Global Slavery (Hosted)

Kuleto’s, 221 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
As part of its violence prevention focus, “The Woods” supports work to end modern day slavery and human trafficking. Jane Covey, Free the Slaves’ Executive Director, will help us understand the magnitude of the issue. Woods’ director Scott Strode will discuss the roots of the Foundation’s interest in funding this issue, and director Mark Strode will report on his recent visit to Nepal to see the work on the ground.

Family Foundation Executives Unite (Self-Pay)

Daily Grill, 347 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
If you function as the executive of a family foundation (whether salaried or a volunteer), consider signing up for this dine-around session. Family Foundation executives will discuss topics of interest about the daily operations of the Foundation with a focus on how you, as the executive, manage the wearing of many hats. The session will be co-hosted by Joyce A. Heptner, salaried, non-family, executive director of the Ausherman Family Foundation and Celeste Land, volunteer, family member, executive of the Land Family Foundation. This program is full; registration is closed.

Funder Support of Collaboration (Self-Pay)

Lulu, 816 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Join the Lodestar Foundation, creators of The Collaboration Prize, to discuss the innovative ways to support collaboration as a smart capacity-building strategy to increase impact, among both nonprofits and among funders.

Getting Started with Mission-Related Investing (Hosted)

Scala’s Bistro, 432 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 395-8555
Come along for dinner and an informal Q&A session with Laura Kind McKenna from The Patricia Kind Family Foundation and Patricia Farrar-Rivas and Steve Fahrer from Veris Wealth Partners. Topical questions will include what decisions led their organizations to embrace mission-related investing, challenges faced, identifying managers, and recommendations to others looking to begin incorporating a mission-related investing strategy. We will also open the Q&A to all participants. Sponsored by Community Capital Management, Inc.

How to Make a Small Foundation Perform like a Large Foundation: A Case for Delegation (Hosted)

Zingari Ristorante, 501 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Market volatility and the velocity of change in the markets have driven many foundations to take a fresh look at how they define and manage both financial and non-financial risks within their investment portfolio.  Over dinner we’ll discuss how many foundations have used delegated solutions to improve their governance structure, investment opportunity set, and risk-adjusted performance. Sponsored by Mercer Hammond.

Innovations in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

Fish and Farm, 339 Taylor Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Join the AdvisorShares team to learn about innovation in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and enjoy some great local food. Fish & Farm goes above and beyond to support local farmers and fishermen by sourcing most of their fish, meat, and produce from within a 100 mile radius. They serve only sustainably harvested seafood, and naturally fed, antibiotic, hormone, and steroid free meats. When possible, all of the produce is organic. Hosted by AdvisorShares

Networking Dinner and Conversation (Hosted)

Farallon, 450 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Come for dinner in the whimsical, underwater world of Farallon. The coastal cuisine-themed menu features fresh seafood, inventive entrées, and exquisite desserts expertly crafted from locally sourced, seasonally fresh ingredients. You’ll also have the opportunity to talk in more detail with Heather Myers of Russell Investments, who will be speaking on the “Ways to Choose and Use Investment Professionals” panel earlier in the day. We hope you can join us! This program is full; registration is closed.

Policy Round-Up (Hosted)

One Market Restaurant, 1 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
The presidential election and many of the congressional races that will decide which party controls the House and the Senate will go down to the wire. Everyone knows that how the elections are decided will set the course that this country will follow for at least the next two years and likely beyond. To find out more about what these choices could mean for philanthropy and the broader charitable community, join us for an informal conversation over dinner with Andrew Schulz, who follows the ins and outs of policy discussions on the Hill and the White House for Foundation Source clients and the philanthropic sector.

Progressive Philanthropy Dine-Around (Self-Pay)

Jeanne d’Arc, 715 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
This dine-around is being offered as an opportunity for informal conversation for those attending ASF whose interests include social and economic justice, environmental justice, and encouraging greater civic participation and voting. The restaurant, Jeanne d’Arc, is a local French restaurant owned by a French immigrant family from Orléans. It is located in the basement of the Cornell Hotel on Bush Street, near the corner of Grant Street, and within walking distance of the conference hotel.  Host: Ron Rowell of Common Counsel Foundation.

Sunsetting: The Whys and Hows (Self-Pay)

Postrio, 545 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Is your foundation considering “sunsetting”? Many foundations exist in perpetuity, but a growing number are weighing the pros and cons of determining an end date and creating a plan to spend down assets. Join a group of trustees and staff from foundations who are seriously considering sunsetting and would like to have an honest conversation about the benefits and pitfalls. Hosts: Scott Gelser, Faye McBeath Foundation; Lenore Hanisch, Quixote Foundation and Lindsey Stammerjohn, John Gogian Family Foundation. This program is full; registration is closed.

Supporting Nonprofit Impact (Self-Pay)

Amber India, 25 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, CA
When you hear the word scale, you might think something like “more programs, more places.” But if we think of scale as growing *impact* rather than just programs or organizations, then we’re talking about “more progress, more quickly”—and that’s something that all grantmakers want. Join us at this dinner, where we’ll discuss how we as funders can best partner with nonprofits to grow impact. Organized by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations.

Uncovering Family History, Culture and Legacies (Hosted)

Wells Fargo Headquarters, 420 Montgomery Street (between California Street and Sacramento Street), San Francisco, CA
Wells Fargo historians Dr. Andy Anderson and Dr. Gretchen Krueger will speak about ways to help families plan for successful future generations by looking at the challenges previously overcome in their family, DNA, and cultural histories. The presentation will be based on a family history guide Andy and Gretchen use in their family legacy work at Wells Fargo.

Working Better, Together (Hosted)

Hotel Nikko, Golden Gate Room, 25th Floor, 222 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Join Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, co-founder of Our Public School, and the architects of the Environmental Education Funders Collaborative (EEFC) and Education by Nature, two groundbreaking collaborative models here in California, for storytelling and lively discussion about community engagement in education. You’ll be treated to a San Francisco-themed buffet reception amidst soaring city views from the 25th floor of the Hotel Nikko (directly across from the Hilton on Mason), with networking and conversations with colleagues about replicable models that enable existing community resources to “work better, together.” Co-hosted by the Morgan Family Foundation and the Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation, on behalf of the EEFC.