A National Forum on Philanthropy
Locally Relevant: National in Scope
Monday, September 17, 2018
In June 2016, GrantStation offered our first “Innovations, A GrantStation Forum on Philanthropy” at New York University. Response to our premiere event was immediate, positive, and enthusiastic, and provided the inspiration for us to create a biennial event.
The concept for Innovations: 2018 is to stimulate a national discussion focused on the most recent innovations and trends in the field of philanthropy, and to share how these new developments affect nonprofit organizations, regardless of budget size or mission. Engaging leaders from across the third sector—foundation and corporate giving officers, Executive Directors, CEO’s, founders, and newcomers to the field—in a frank discussion around this topic will enlighten and inform adoption and adaptation to new ways of working together.
Instead of creating a full day of panels as we did for the 2016 event, GrantStation will organize three panel presentations (50 minutes each) and one keynote speaker, which will be fed to Host Sites via Live Stream. The keynote speaker will establish the big vision and will open the door to new possibilities. The panels will offer various, engaging strategies for bringing about that vision. GrantStation will engage top level speakers and presenters.
The Event Structure
The overall structure of the event acts like a waterfall from big vision through strategy and operations to local implementation and problem solving.
The Host Sites will build upon the format with their own offerings (before or after the feed as time zones dictate). Suggested Host Site activities might include:
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Local or regional keynote speaker addressing the Forum’s theme.
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Local or regional panelists addressing the topics being discussed.
The overall concept of the Forum is to create an event that provides a half-day nationally shared experience and vision combined with a half-day of local Host Site experience as a way of reaching many more participants while grounding in local specifics. The objectives are:
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To increase local engagement with key regional partners
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To balance between collective national edge practices with local needs and assets
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To create an affordable event that provides access to top level thinking for participants throughout the count