GMN 2016 Conference Sessions

GMN 2016 Conference Sessions March 14-16, 2016 New Orleans

GMN 2016 Conference Sessions

Another Perspective on Evaluating Grantees

Learning Track: Effective Practices | Level: General

o Ana E. Akhtar, Development and Exempt Organizations (DEO), KPMG LLP

o Susan Hairston, Director, Office of Program Services, Ford Foundation

An assessment of a grantee does not need to be exhaustive nor grant budget focused. Come and discuss

the key areas of an organization that should be explored and why. Grantees must have the institutional

capacity and infrastructure to support the initiatives/areas that a grantmaker wants to advance. Looking

at grantees from key areas - leadership, strategy, communication, financial health will allow a grantmaker

to assess and address grantees organizational and operational issues. By strengthening grantmaker skills

to understand the capacity of a grantee and subsequently work with those grantees to build more effective

organizations, grantees will have greater capacity to implement and show results.

Session Participants will:

o Identify key areas of organizational operations to assess during the due diligence process.

o Discuss how grantmakers can use these assessments to help build the capacity of their grantees

during the course of a grant.

Best Practices for Managing Donor Advised Funds


o Lara Kalwinski, Director of National Standards and Counsel, Council on Foundations

The rules and laws for grantmaking for Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) differ from those for discretionary

grantmaking and may seem unduly onerous. The IRS guidance, especially after the Pension Protection Act

of 2006, can be confusing, but having good procedures in place can help you avoid some common pitfalls.

In this session, experienced professionals in the field of DAFs will review what makes DAFs unique and

provide best practices and helpful hints for grantmaking.

Session participants will:

o Gain a better understanding of the rules for Donor Advised Funds.

o Explore common pitfalls for Donor Advised Funds.


o Receive examples of best practices and tips for improving grantmaking.

Collaborating with Corporate Partners: Lessons Learned from United Way of Southeast Louisiana


o Leigh Thorpe, Vice President Resource Development/Marketing, United Way of Southeast

Louisiana

The United Way of Southeast Louisiana has played a major role in revitalizing the lives and wellbeing of

neighborhoods in the New Orleans area. With the help of its community partners, United Way SELA is

working to: raise families out of poverty through financial education; uplift the spirits of cancer patients

through support systems; and give children a brighter future by raising early learning standards. In this

session, representatives from United Way SELA will discuss their organization’s many corporate partners,

the critical role these partners have played in the organization’s success, and the benefits and challenges

of collaboration.


o Become familiar with the different ways funders can build partnerships within the community.

o Learn how to identify reasons corporate philanthropy might want to align with your

organization’s mission.

o Find out ways to overcome challenges in collaboration.

Comparing the New Options in Grants Management Systems

Learning Track: Technology | Level: General

o Laura Quinn, Director of Partnerships and Knowledge, Idealware

There's been an explosion of new grants management systems, but how do all these options compare?

Based on Idealware’s newly updated report with detailed reviews of 30 different systems, this session will

summarize the available systems and how they compare, and also look at the strengths and features of

each based on area of need.


o Become familiar with the overall direction of the grants management system market and how it is

evolving.

o Be able to identify the features of the 30 most commonly used systems and how they compare.


o Understand the strengths and weaknesses of each system and which are better-suited to

particular needs or types of grantmakers.

o Learn how to assess whether your existing system is meeting your needs sufficiently or whether it

is time to consider a new solution.

Connecting and Influencing: Become Part of the Big Picture

Learning Track: Hot Topics | Level: Intermediate

o Sara Davis, Director of Grants Management, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

o Daniel Weinzveg, Organization Development Consultant,

Grants management is a dynamic field that is at the center of philanthropic activity and ideas. As grants

managers, we have the opportunity to influence and drive change in a variety of ways, including being

part of the big themes and questions impacting philanthropy today. In this interactive session, we will

explore the hot issues in philanthropy and discuss how you can become part of the important

conversations at your organization, and across the sector. We will share strategies for how you can

connect with the bigger picture, influence the conversation, and impact the philanthropic field.


o Gain an understanding of the hot issues in philanthropy and how grants managers can influence

these themes.

o Learn how to become part of the important conversations at your organization and across the

sector.

o Take home strategies to help you connect to the bigger picture and impact the philanthropic

sector.

Cross-Border Philanthropy: Why the Time is Now

Learning Track: Hot Topics | Level: Advanced

o Regan Ralph, President & CEO, Fund for Global Human Rights

o Nancy Herzog, Senior Director, Grants Administration, National Endowment for Democracy

Governments around the world are increasingly restricting civil society via limitations on cross-border

philanthropy, restrictions on freedom of speech/peaceful assembly, and constraints on the organizational

life cycles of NGOs. The fundamental value and role of our current civil society and philanthropy are

being challenged. This session will provide an update on the current landscape and the intensified closing


space around civil society. Additionally, it will provide an overview of what funders should consider and

the roles they can play when encountering restrictive government-imposed NGO laws and other barriers

to civil society support. Creating dialogue among grantmakers will allow us to work together to respond

collectively and encourage us to find solutions despite the toughest challenges in cross-border

philanthropy.


o Obtain a broader understanding of the rapidly changing landscape of global civil society and the

various forms of restrictions that are currently being placed on it.

o Be encouraged to find creative solutions to continue working in the toughest environments of

cross-border philanthropy.

o Understand how grants managers can work around various obstacles in today’s civil society

landscape.

Data Visualization in Excel - A Crash Course

Learning Track: Data Intelligence | Level: General

o Ann Emery, Consultant

Visualizing data through charts, tables, and diagrams helps you deliver bite-sized information that

viewers will understand at a glance and retain for the long run. This session is truly a crash course in data

visualization. You'll learn what data visualization is, how it works, and key players and trends in the field.

We'll walk through a step-by-step design process so you can apply the critical thinking skills to your own

projects, including how to match your visualization to your viewers' information needs and interests and

which dissemination format is best for your project.


o Understand what data visualization is and how it works.

o Explore different dissemination formats and find out how to choose the most effective format for

your project.

o Learn big-picture strategies to create effective data visualization techniques in Excel.

Debating Transparency in Foundations: Can There Be Too Much?

Learning Track: Effective Practices | Level: Intermediate

o Janet Camarena, Director of Transparency Initiatives, Foundation Center


o John Tyler, General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Ethics Officer, Ewing Marion Kauffman

Foundation

o Dan Gaff, Grants Manager, May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust

The trend towards greater transparency in grantmaking is an important and essential development in

philanthropy today…or is it? Is transparency merely a matter of legal compliance, or do funders have a

responsibility towards greater openness? And what does transparency mean to philanthropy in an age of

open data? Weighing the costs and benefits of transparency can be complicated, especially when the risks

and rewards may be hard to define. Join an interesting and thought-provoking debate by two thought

leaders in philanthropy today as they discuss how much transparency is too much (or not enough), ways

to determine the right balance, tools to help your foundation foster transparency, and how grants

managers can play an active role in shaping and implementing their organization’s transparency strategy

in a way that also contributes to field-wide knowledge building. Be prepared to join the dialogue!


o Gain a deeper understanding of the meaning, rationale, and necessity of grantmaker

transparency.

o Learn when transparency is essential and when limits may be sensible.

o Discover the important role grants managers can play in an organization’s transparency strategy.

o Learn about field-wide knowledge building efforts.

Five Ways Grants Managers Can Dig Into Data to Make a Difference

Learning Track: Data Intelligence | Level: Intermediate

o Jennifer H. Pedroni, Vice President of Administration, HealthSpark Foundation

o Jessica Hickok, Grants Manager, The James Irvine Foundation

o Hannah Kahn, Grants Officer, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

o Larry McGill, Vice President of Research, Foundation Center

o Rebecca Van Sickle, Managing Partner, 1892 consulting

We all agree that grants management is no longer about putting data into the system. Increasingly it’s

about leveraging the information we have at our disposal to inform strategies and decisions both inside

and outside the organization. Join this interactive session where we will dive into five practical things

grants managers can do today to create wisdom for their organizations.



o Obtain practical skills and approaches for evolving the grants management role within their

organizations toward analysis and strategy.

o Learn how to help build learning organizations.

Giving Back is Good for Business


o Gail Graeve, Executive Director, Mutual of Omaha Foundation

o Lynn Heimbruch, Foundation Operations Manager, Northwestern Mutual Foundation

Now, more than ever before, companies are striving to find meaningful community-based activities to

help employees give back, build teams, develop professionally and support one another. Hear from a

panel of corporate grantmakers how highlight how charitable activities can increase employee

engagement in the workplace. We will review effective volunteer and employee giving program practices,

and we will also provide tips for finding opportunities for corporate representatives to serve on nonprofit

boards.


o Gain a clear understanding of how charitable activities can increase employee engagement.

o Receive examples of strategies and tactics for managing a comprehensive volunteer program,

implementing employee giving activities, and utilizing board service as a professional

development opportunity.

Going It Alone: Running a One-Person Grants Office


o Kim Armstrong, Community Programs Manager, Mutual of Omaha Foundation

o Sue Fulton, CFO, Endowment for Health

o Representative from a Family Foundation

Grants managers working for small staff organizations, often managed by working boards, commonly

balance multiple roles. This session will focus on the unique challenges faced in small offices, especially

when all demands are perceived as equally important. Panelists (representing small private, family, and

corporate philanthropies) and participants will discuss their experiences with expectations and work

prioritization. This session is very interactive and will provide great networking opportunities.



o Improve work performance by identifying solutions for managing workflow efficiently.

o Learn to manage expectations using tips for prioritizing and communicating effectively.

Grantmaking Trends in Disaster Philanthropy


o Liza Cowan, South Region Executive, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

o Stephanie Powers, Senior Director for Policy & Partnerships, Council on Foundations

o Michael Tipton, President, The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation

o Regine A. Webster, Vice President, Center for Disaster Philanthropy

Disaster philanthropy can be very rewarding, but it has its own unique challenges. In this session,

participants will hear about trends in disaster philanthropy from the perspectives of corporate and

community grantmakers. Participants will receive tools and tips for being successfully proactive and

reactive in their grantmaking efforts.


o Learn about the successes and challenges of disaster grantmaking.

o Receive tips and resources on how to respond to disasters in order to have the most impact.

o Understand how to prepare a strategy for disaster grantmaking.

Grants Manager: Moving from the Back Room to the Executive Team

Learning Track: Skill Building | Level: Intermediate

o Danette Peters, Owner/Founder, Onyx Consulting

o Wendy Watson-Hallowell, The Belief Coach, Belief Works

Grants managers are more than database managers. You are the keepers of knowledge, data, information,

and impact. You are data stewards, and you facilitate the performance management practices required to

achieve and improve giving impact. So, as a grants manager, how can you get a consistent voice at the

leadership table? How can you make leadership better understand the value and importance of your

integral role in getting to impact and change the perspective of this critical role in giving organizations?

This session will help you learn how to play an advisory role at your organization by switching leadership’s

mindset from database management to data use. Discover how to identify who your “customers” are and


what they are trying to achieve and receive tips on how to ask the right questions to get leaders to clarify

what they want and how they plan to use it. We will also discuss how refining your grantmaking systems

on an ongoing basis, according to what your “customers” need, can help improve the efficiency and

effectiveness of your organization.


o Discover how to embrace new beliefs and practices that will change how grants managers are seen

within your organization, the value you bring to the leadership table, and how you see yourself.

o Learn how to stop taking orders and start taking charge of how your organization gathers,

assesses, and uses data for decision-making that leads to the highest impact.

o Identify ways to expand your advisory role by knowing who your “customers” are, what success

means to them, and what you can provide to help them succeed.

How the Heck Can We Measure Outcomes?

Learning Track: Outcomes/Evaluation | Level: Intermediate

o Laura Deitrick, Interim Director, Institute for Nonprofit Research and Education at the

University of San Diego

o Kathy Patoff , Chief Operating Officer, Union Bank Foundation

Are you struggling to measure giving impact? If so, you are not alone. To better understand and articulate

the impact of their giving, the Union Bank Foundation enlisted the Caster Center for Nonprofit and

Philanthropic Research at the University of San Diego to analyze the foundation’s grants and grant

impact. In this session, we will share what the Union Bank Foundation learned from its analysis and how

it adapted grantmaking and reporting processes to better measure impact and communicate outcomes.

We will explore how their experience and lessons learned may be used to help other grantmaking

organizations, and we will share tips on how to operationalize useful impact measures when faced with

limited staffing, technological, and financial resources.


o Discover how the Union Bank Foundation used an analysis of its grants to better measure impact

and communicate outcomes.

o Explore ways to improve impact measurements at your organization.

o Receive tips on how to implement useful impact measures with limited staff and funding.


How to Build a Grants Manager: Training and Transferring Knowledge in Your Organization


o Jessica Halverson, Grants Officer, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

o Hannah Kahn, Grants Officer, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

o Jillian Galbete, Grants Officer, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Are you in the process of training a new grants manager or perhaps thinking about a training refresh for

your team? If so, then this session is for you. Hear about best practices in training and role transitions and

how to avoid common on-boarding pitfalls. Participants will leave the session with an understanding of

new training approaches and the knowledge to design a basic training plan.


o Learn about different training approaches and techniques.

o Be able to describe best practices of role transitions and ways to avoid on-boarding pitfalls.

o Gain the knowledge to design a basic training plan.

Improv Comedy for Grants Managers (Seriously!)

Learning Track: Skill Building | Level: General

o Jen Bokoff, Director of GrantCraft, Foundation Center

o Gretchen Schackel, Operations Manager, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation

Come ready to let loose and laugh! In this session, you'll learn some improv comedy basics that might be

the most valuable skills you take back to the office. Listening, "yes, and", teamwork, creativity, and

thinking on your feet all are at the heart of comedy, and also your jobs. Gretchen and Jen are both trained

in comedy and have worked in philanthropy long enough to have fun with it. If you want to do everything

but sit in your seat and take notes, this session is for you!


o Learn about the "yes, and" approach and find value in integrating with your daily interactions.

o Explore good listening and thinking on your feet.

o See how humor can be a valuable tool to advance your personal and organizational goals.


International Grantmaking: Beyond the Checklist

Learning Track: Compliance | Level: Intermediate

o Deb Anderson, Grants Administrator, The Medtronic Foundation

o Jeanmarie Collens, Associate Director, International Operations, American Jewish World Service

o Val Bush, Grants Specialist, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

o Ericka Novotny, Director, Grants Management, Arcus Foundation

Do you make international grants and want to dive deeper into understanding legal procedures? Would

you like to start making international grants but need some practical guidance on due diligence for foreign

grantees? In this session, you will engage with a panel of grantmakers from private foundations, public

charities, and corporate givers to explore not only the “whats” of international grantmaking, but also the

“whys.” Checklists are a good starting point, but in this session you will discuss why your organization

relies on certain documents to fulfill IRS requirements and if there are any substitutes or workarounds

that could be utilized to facilitate and streamline international grantmaking. Together, the panel and

audience will explore obstacles and methodologies and arrive at good grantmaking solutions.


o Discuss the benefits and shortfalls of current organizational practices and check-box policies.

o Clarify IRS requirements for public, private, and corporate organizations and learn how to

interpret the law to ensure your organization is in compliance.

o Develop problem-solving techniques when documentation is unavailable.

o Obtain new tangible action steps, tools, and ideas to take back to your organization.

International Grantmaking: The New Narrative

Learning Track: Effective Practices | Level: Advanced

o Stephanie Duffy, Director of Grants & Information Management, The McKnight Foundation

o Jessie Krafft, Senior Director of Donor Advised and Grant Services, CAF America

o Stacey Smida, Grants Manager, Cargill

o Gawain Patterson, Operations Manager, Citi Foundation

Establishing and successfully managing an international grantmaking strategy can be challenging. In this

session, we will use case studies to discuss trends in international grantmaking along with best practices

for minimizing risk while maximizing impact. Case studies will include the corporate funder’s perspective


and opportunities around social responsibility and brand management; how private foundations employ

practices that align with organizational goals and values; and how public charity and donor advised

funding mechanisms have to grapple with meeting constituency and client expectations within the realms

of IRS regulations. Topics of discussion will include: geographic consideration of international

grantmaking; IRS and country-specific regulations; best practices for safe international grantmaking; how

to give strategically and make impact; and trends and effects of diaspora giving internationally.


o Recognize the benefits and opportunities of international giving.

o Understand the challenges and risks associated with international grantmaking for different types

of funders and how to limit them.

o Learn how to tackle the issue of reputation protection using best practices.

Investing in Change: Foundation Support for Lobbying and Other Advocacy

Learning Track: Compliance | Level: General

o Nona Randois, Southern California Director, Alliance for Justice

Not sure how to make the case for funding advocacy? Uncertain whether you can fund grantees that

lobby? Wondering whether your public or private foundation can speak out on a particular issue? This

training answers these questions and more! This session is for both public and private foundations.


o Understand the reasons for public and private foundation support for advocacy.

o Have an overview of activities that constitute advocacy and public policy work.

o Become familiar with various advocacy roles for foundations.

o Learn which activities are exceptions to the definitions of lobbying, including those that are

permissible by private foundations.

o Understand the rules for private and public foundation grants to nonprofits that lobby, including

general support, specific project, and multi-year grants.

Is Director the Final Rung on My Career Ladder?

Learning Track: Skill Building | Level: Advanced


o Samantha Simmons, Manager, Executive Search, Koya Leadership Partners

o Melissa Madzel, Director, Executive Search, Koya Leadership Partners

Being an organization leader is not just about advancing your organization’s mission, it’s about creating

an innovative culture, managing change, and grooming a team of learners, no matter how smart and

accomplished your staff is. All bucks stop with you. Are you ready to take the steps you need to take on an

executive leadership role? If so, what are those next steps? This working session will help you identify the

concrete skills and experiences you will need to move into a C-suite role—CAO, COO, Chief of Staff, or

even CEO, if that is your vision for yourself. It will also give you insight into the sometimes grueling and

guarded vetting and recruitment process used to identify the best talent for C-suite roles. We will touch on

the value of coaching, executive leadership training, and peer networking as resources that will allow you

to stop wondering about your future and move you closer to building your future.


o Understand the skills required for a leadership, or C-suite, role and whether you are currently

qualified for such a position.

o Gain perspective on whether you are interested in a C-suite role.

o Become more knowledgeable about the vetting and recruitment process used to identify talent.

o Learn the next steps you need to take to pursue your development and transition to a step-up

position of your choice

Leading in Times of Uncertainty and Change

Learning Track: Skill Building | Level: Advanced

o Dr. Audrey J. Murrell, Associate Dean, University of Pittsburgh

Change is an opportunity for innovation and increased organizational success, but navigating times of

uncertainty and change requires effective leadership. In this session, you will learn how to increase your

awareness of key qualities of effective change leadership and how to drive successful team performance in

times of change. You will also learn strategies for developing others through mentoring, and you will gain

the tools you need to create a personal action plan.


o Understand the role of leadership in driving effective team performance.

o Increase your awareness of the key qualities of effective change leadership.

o Identify strategies for developing others through mentoring.


o Receive tips and tools to create your own personal action plan.

Learning Together

Learning Track: Outcomes/Evaluation | Level: General

o Heather Peeler, Vice President of Member and Partner Engagement, Grantmakers for Effective

Organizations

o Jonathan Goldberg, Director of Grants Management, Learning and Information Systems, Surdna

Foundation

o Jane Ward, Grants Manager, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

o Jillian Galbete, Grants Officer, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Evaluation is a great tool for real-time improvement, but most learning in the field is happening in a

foundation-centric manner—meaning that the greatest beneficiary of the learning is the grantmaker, not

those who are delivering the programs and services. Designing our learning approaches alongside our

grantees and community partners allows all of us to learn and improve better. Grants managers often play

an integral role in evaluating and adapting their organization’s learning practices. This session will

highlight how grants managers can benefit from shared learning, how they can implement and support a

collective learning approach, and how their peers are putting it into practice.


o Explore tools, strategies, and learning activities for engaging others in the process of measuring

progress and impact.

o Learn ways to create shared opportunities and understand what strategies are having an impact

and what course corrections are needed.

o Hear from other grants managers who are putting these practices to work in their grantmaking

and receive tips on how to apply their insights to your own work.

Listening to the People Who Matter Most

Learning Track: Outcomes/Evaluation | Level: Intermediate

o Lindsay Austin Louie, Program Officer, Effective Philanthropy Group, The William and Flora

Hewlett Foundation

What if there was a strategic approach to measurement and learning that incorporated the voices of those

individuals and groups being served by the grants we make—the people we ultimately seek to help? What


if we could collect and identify perceptual feedback from individuals that serve as predictors of future

outcomes for the people served by the nonprofits we fund? The Fund for Shared Insight is working with

funders and grantees to bring the voices of those they seek to help into discussions of grantmaking

strategy. Participants in this session will hear how the Fund for Shared Insight is building high quality

feedback loops. Participants will also participate in an appreciative inquiry exercise to help envision what

the future would look like if high quality feedback loops became the norm—widely used by nonprofits and

supported by funders who also use the data.


o Learn how the Fund for Shared Insight is supporting nonprofits to implement high quality

feedback loops.

o Consider how grants managers can continue to engage our organizations in bringing the voices of

those we seek to help into funding considerations and deliberations about grantmaking strategies.

o Participate in an appreciative inquiry exercise to help the Fund for Shared Insight envision what

the future would look like if high quality feedback loops became the norm.

Managing Corporate Philanthropy in Today's World


o Joanna Amos, Foundation Operations Coordinator, Northwestern Mutual Foundation

o Kim Armstrong, Community Programs Manager, Mutual of Omaha Foundation

o Stacey Smida, Grants Manager, Cargill

What does corporate philanthropy look like in today's ever-changing marketplace? This session will

provide an overview of various levels of corporate philanthropic support and how you can connect your

charitable efforts to your brand. During the session, you'll receive tips about how to communicate your

program’s goals to your employees, senior leadership, customers, and the communities you serve. The

session will also feature how to manage a corporate foundation and oversee additional corporate

community-based programs that are not part of the foundation's grantmaking activities. Whether you are

new to the field or an expert in corporate philanthropy, this session is sure to be informative.


o Gain a clear understanding of the various forms of corporate philanthropy.

o Receive tips for identifying and communicating philanthropic objectives to employees, senior

leadership, customers, and community stakeholders.


o Learn the difference between corporate foundations and additional corporate community-based

programs and how to manage and separate these efforts.

Measuring Equity: The Challenges of Collecting and Using Demographic Data

Learning Track: Data Intelligence | Level: General

o Larry McGill, Vice President of Research, Foundation Center

o Hannah Kahn, Grant Manager, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

o Anh Thang Dao-Shah, Policy and Evaluation Manager, San Francisco Arts Commission

This session discusses the challenges in using demographic data to assess the outcomes of equity grants.

Through a PechaCucha presentation and interactive discussion with the audience, we will explore lessons

learned by the panelists and the audience's own experiences with demographic data. The goal is to create

a toolkit to measure equity and an interest group to share outcomes after the conference.


o Be able to construct a definition of equity within the context of grantmaking.

o Learn how to design a demographic survey for their grantees.

o Understand how demographic data can be used to measure grants outcomes.

o Receive information on existing resources on demographic data in philanthropy.

Migrating to a New Grants Management System? It’s Not the Product or the Vendor You Should Worry About

Learning Track: Technology | Level: Advanced

o Jen Bokoff, Director of GrantCraft, Foundation Center

o Suki O'Kane, Director of Administration, Walter & Elise Haas Fund

o Allison Gister, Director, Grants & Knowledge Management, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

o Khrystyna Olenchuk, Grants and Communications Associate, The Tow Foundation

Here’s a little secret for those looking to migrate to a new grants management system: Considering which

product or vendor to migrate to is not the first and most important step of the migration process. Phase

one should focus on the planning process, and it is vital to ensuring a smooth migration. This advanced


session will walk you through the questions you should ask and the steps you should take long before you

evaluate or select a vendor.


o Learn how to determine when is the best time to migrate to a new grants management system and

what needs to be done before you even consider moving.

o Be able to define why you should migrate to a new system and receive best practices on how to

make the case for migrating to your executive staff.

o Know how to develop a plan for migrating your system and understand how the migration

process is one of the first steps to getting buy-in and user adoption from your team.

Philanthro-Ethics and Social Justice - Case Studies in Grantmaking Ethics

Learning Track: Hot Topics | Level: General

o Richard A. Marker, Co-Principal, Wise Philanthropy + Professor, NYU Academy for Grantmaking

& Funder Education

This popular interactive workshop is built around a series of case-vignettes to help grantmakers explore

the elusive space between law, ethics, and best practices. Even with the best of intentions, funders often

cross the power boundaries in their relations with their grantees and among their fellow trustees. In this

session, we will explore how appropriate policies and self-awareness can guarantee that you meet the

highest standards and help create relationships that allow the most effective practice with your grantees

and among your trustees.


o Understand applied philanthropy law and the intersection between law, ethics, and best practice.

o Comprehend the unique role and power of funders vis-à-vis potential grantees.

o Know how to develop conflict of interest policies appropriate to your grantmaking organization.

Preparing for a Grants Management Systems Implementation

Learning Track: Technology | Level: General

o Poney Carpenter, Consultant, XTON

This session is aimed at helping organizations prepare for the implementation of a Grants Management

System. The focus is NOT on the evaluation of vendors, but rather on how prepare for the process as a


Business Analyst would. Being well prepared with this type of information can help reduce the cost, time,

and hassle associated with a GMS implementation. Some of the topic areas discussed will include:

gathering and documenting information about your existing grants data; identifying and documenting

business processes and workflows; how to deal with and what to document around coding; looking at

important decisions that will need to be made and what priorities will need to be set; addressing

analytics/dashboard needs; considering integrations with other systems; building a comprehensive

checklist to track all the areas you need to consider for vendor selection. The session will be accompanied

by a comprehensive fill-in-the-blank style document you can use as a starting template for your own

efforts.


o Understand the scope and approach for gathering information and preparing documentation in

advance of your GMS implementation.

o Learn which areas to explore and document, including stakeholders, grants data, business

processes and workflows, coding, dashboards, integrations, and others.

o Gain an understanding of what questions to ask and what information to capture for each area

you address.

Public Charity Grantmaking


o Patrick Taylor, Grants Coordinator, Energy Foundation

o Kathy Tryce, Grants and Contracts Manger, ClimateWorks Foundation

o Marc McDonald, Director of Grants Management, AARP

Public charity grantmakers are in a unique position. On the one hand, they have fewer restrictions than

private foundations regarding who can be grant recipients and what types of grants they can give. On the

other hand, they have to answer to their donors as well as to their board while balancing fundraising and

grantmaking. This session will explore how different organizations handle the complexities of

grantmaking as a public charity. Be prepared to join the discussion as we share different perspectives on

being both a grantor and a grantee.


o Gain a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of public charity grantmaking.


o Be able to list at least three ways in which IRS regulates public charities differently from private

foundations.

o Learn three different ways public charity grantmakers approach lobbying, grants to non-charities,

and managing donor restrictions.

Ready to Be a Thought Leader?

Learning Track: Skill Building | Level: General

o Nikki Powell, Communications Manager, Grants Managers Network

Are you the best-kept secret in your organization? What does it take to be recognized as an emerging

leader or technical expert? Do you want to take your personal brand to a higher level, to be recognized as

an expert? Learn the essential elements of becoming a thought leader and how to help shape the field of

grants management and philanthropy through your actions and ideas.


o Understand the basic principles of thought leadership and how to use them to achieve your goals.

o Know how to identify your areas of interest and expertise to grow your thought leadership.

o Learn key communications tools to become known as an expert in your field.

Software for Small Foundations

Learning Track: Technology | Level: Intermediate

o Laura Quinn, Director of Partnerships and Knowledge, Idealware

As a foundation with under 20 staff members, what software tools should you be considering for your

organization? In this session, we will take a tour through a number of different administrative needs,

including email and calendaring, grants management, board collaboration, and online communications,

and discuss software tools and solutions that have worked for other small foundations.


o Receive an overview of available software applications suitable for small foundations.

o Understand how a small foundation's current way of doing things can be improved upon through

a new or different software application.

o Learn how to determine what type of applications your foundation needs.


Successful Structures: Grants Management and the Foundation of the Future

Learning Track: Hot Topics | Level: General

o Jessica Bearman, Principal, Bearman Consulting

Grants management professionals’ work has become increasingly vital as funders seek to grow the impact

of philanthropic investments, increase transparency, and ensure that internal processes are efficient and

effective. Grantmakers are experimenting with new organizational structures and patterns of work to

support real-time learning and feedback about effective grantmaking—putting grants management at the

center. In this session, we’ll discuss promising structures and behaviors and explore how you can move

toward this exciting future in your own organization.


o Review findings from the GMN Member Survey and Field Survey about attitudes and perceptions

of grants management in the philanthropic sector.

o Hear case stories of how funders have structured their staff and work for best coordination,

communication, and effectiveness.

o Consider specific strategies to build more “successful structures” in your own organization.

The Accidental Grants Management Techie

Learning Track: Technology | Level: Intermediate

o John Mohr, Chief Information Officer, The MacArthur Foundation

o Lisa Pool, Consultant, Lisa Pool Consulting

o Ursula Stewart, Senior Grants Associate and System Administrator, New York State Health

Foundation

Grants managers are being asked to take on many new responsibilities in the areas of knowledge and data

management, business analytics, database management, and emerging technologies. Most grants

managers, however, do not join an organization with the skills needed for these increasingly important

business functions. How do grants managers learn the skills needed to operate current systems and make

informed choices about new technology options? This session will provide an overview of the current

technology landscape and outline the skills needed to become the grants manager of the future.

Participants will work together to develop a tool kit of resources, classes, training, and peer-to-peer

learning opportunities to help grants managers succeed now and in the future.



o Become familiar with the current landscape of existing and emergent technologies.

o Understand the skills needed to become the grants manager of the future.

o Help design a tech toolkit of resources, training, classes, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities

to help grants managers be successful operating and managing technology now and in the future.

The Building Blocks for Data Sharing: An Update

Learning Track: Data Intelligence | Level: Intermediate

o Kyle Reis, Senior Director of Global Data Services, TechSoup

o C. Davis Parchment, Manager, Electronic Reporting Program, Foundation Center

o Bunkie Righter, Senior Director of National Sales, GuideStar

o Rachelle Seger, Community Health Research Officer, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

Access to data will revolutionize how grants get made. It has the potential to help funders make better

grant decisions and understand grant results in new ways, and it can help the field communicate its

impact to the broader public. Hear from those working in the trenches to make the possibilities of data a

reality. Learn what is available to you now to enhance your grant data and what you can actively do to

help move the field forward.


o Learn about current, cutting edge tools to help capture, interpret, and disseminate data to

improve grantmaking.

o Understand how to use reports to their full potential.

o Know what data is important and with whom you should share it.

The Evolution of Grants Management and YOU

Learning Track: Hot Topics | Level: Intermediate

o Sara Davis, Director of Grants Management, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

o Daniel Weinzveg, Organization Development Consultant,

The role and function of grants management continues to evolve in organizations across the philanthropic

sector. We are performing new roles, taking on new responsibilities, and expanding our impact within the

sector. This dynamic time of change requires us to develop new skills, communicate differently, and look


ahead to the future in order to be ready. In this interactive session, we will discuss the evolution of grants

management and explore the change we are all experiencing. Session participants will leave with new

strategies to increase your value to your organization and further your career.


o Understand how the grants management role has changed and evolved.

o Gain strategies to increase your value to your organization and further your career.

The Healthy Goodbye: How to Close Out Grants with Integrity and Transparency


o Kaya Tith, Program Officer, First 5 LA

o Tara Ficek, Director, Grants Management, First 5 LA

The grantmaking field has become increasingly focused on transparency. As a steward of public dollars,

First 5 LA has learned it is important to include transparency practices when ramping down funding

and/or closing out a grant, especially when faced with public will and mounting political and board

pressure. In the past few years, First 5 LA has refined its grant close-out process through multiple lessons

learned and has identified best practices related to the following areas: (1) Creating governance guidelines

that clearly define when a grant ends; (2) Establishing an annual organization-wide process that includes

an assessment of each grantee through the lens of sustainability, impact/outcomes, etc.; (3) Developing

communication strategies regarding the close-out process to grantees; and (4) Reporting back to the

governing board.


o Gain an understanding of how First 5 LA incorporated transparency practices into its grant close-

out process.

o Receive examples of lessons learned by First 5 LA when refining its grant close-out process.

o Collect other best practices and lessons learned on grant close-out processes.

Toward Greater Impact: The 10-Minute Impact Assessment

Learning Track: Outcomes/Evaluation | Level: General

o Andy Carroll, Senior Program Director, Exponent Philanthropy


We all want to have impact—or, in simpler terms, make a real difference. Wanting impact, however,

doesn’t mean it can happen immediately. In this session, we will use Exponent Philanthropy’s 10-Minute

Impact Assessment & Guide as a framework for discussing five key behaviors that will increase the

likelihood that over time your organization will have an impact.: thinking about impact, focusing for

impact, planning for impact, learning about your impact, and amplifying your impact. We will share

practical guidance on how to use a framework like the impact assessment to facilitate more honest and

effective dialog around where you and your organization are on your impact journey, where you want to

go, and how you can move toward greater impact over time.


o Be able to assess your organization’s strengths and opportunities for furthering impact.

o Know how to connect with peers at a similar stage of impact work.

o Identify some general action steps for furthering your impact.

What We All Need to Know About Nonprofit Audited Financials

Learning Track: Compliance | Level: Intermediate

o Thomas Blaney, Partner, Director of Foundation Services, PKF O'Connor Davies

o Christopher Petermann, Partner, PKF O'Connor Davies

Many funders require audited financial statements as a part of a nonprofit's grant application; however,

staff often do not have the skills to review the reports. In this session, we will discuss how to dissect,

interpret, and understand the audited financial statements of the organizations you fund. Participants will

learn what to look for when reviewing the audited financials, telltale signs that the organization needs

more than just your funding support, what to do when you find something out of the ordinary, why this

review is important, and why it's becoming a responsibility of grants managers.


o Better understand how to assess the financial health of grantseeking organizations by learning to

dissect, interpret, and understand audited financial statements.

o Learn how to recognize if an organization needs more than funding support and the telltale signs

you should look for when reading and interpreting financial reports.

Working Well with Grantees



o Naomi Orensten, Manager, Assessment and Advisory Services, The Center for Effective

Philanthropy

Research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) shows that grantees perceive funders as

making more of an impact on their organizations, their local communities, and their fields when they have

stronger relationships with their funders. Relationships matter, and should be at the heart of every

grantmaker’s work. Yet a wide gap in perception persists, with many grantmakers believing they have

great relationships with grantees, and many grantees reporting mediocre experiences with funders.

In this practical and interactive session, participants will focus on the complex and achievable ways to

build excellent relationships with grantees in service of their Foundation’s mission. Participants should

expect to learn both from CEP’s research and from each other.


o Explore how strong funder-grantee relationships—high-quality interactions and clear, consistent

communication—impact the intended outcomes desired by grantors and grantees.

o Understand how research with 50,000+ grantees suggests specific practices that strengthen

funder-grantee relationships and consider the execution of those practices at foundations.

o Interactively reflect on successful & challenging experiences grants managers have with

grantees—including hearing case studies of high-performing grantmakers—to inform the

development of increasingly effective practices.

Working with the For-Profit Sector to Achieve Your Charitable Goals: Structures, Tools and Tips

Learning Track: Compliance | Level: Advanced

o Jennifer Kohler, Officer, Grants & Contracts Management

o Robin Krause, Partner and Chair of the Tax-Exempt Organizations Department, Patterson

Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

o Janine Shissler, Associate, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

o Christopher Percopo, Director of Grants Management, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley

Charitable Trust

As more grantmakers give to nonexempt organizations, it’s becoming increasingly important to evaluate

and document the charitability of proposed projects and capture the necessary terms in grant agreements

to protect charitable purpose. This session will review the questions that should be asked when faced with

a funding opportunity. We will discuss typical terms that should be negotiated in agreements to ensure


charitability and prevent private benefit. We will also consider the range of funding structures that may be

deployed when for-profits are used as tools to accomplish charitable goals.


o Understand how for-profit partnerships can be leveraged in mission-related work.

o Learn a tried and true way of working with for-profits.

o Receive an outline of how to build out for-profit partnerships.

Short Talks

Alternatives to the Fiery Furnace - Reports...What are They Good For?

o Jessica Bearman, Principal, Bearman Consulting

If a grant report falls in an inbox and no one ever talks about it, did it really make a sound? Past research

from Project Streamline and others tells us that funders often don't make good use of the reports they

receive from grantees. As one grantee speculated, "we assume they feed everything to a giant fiery

furnace." Why do you require reports and how can you make them useful to yourself and your grantees?

Come find out!

Change Your Beliefs & Increase Your Value

o Wendy Watson-Hallowell, The Belief Coach, Belief Works

How do you see your value within the organization you are part of? Do you see yourself as more than a

provider of requested information? Do you believe you could be higher up on the organizational chart?

Would you like to have decision making power or be included in programmatic, leadership or other

meetings but are not? Do you feel you could be contributing more if leadership would just give you a

chance? These experiences can drain our energy and create daily frustrations that keep us stuck and

unfulfilled, yet it doesn’t have to be that way! Come learn how to recognize and change the limiting beliefs

that create our negative experiences at work, and how to cultivate the beliefs and behaviors that increase

your contribution and role within the organization. Change your beliefs, change your results.

Five Common Misconceptions about Grants Management Implementations

o Rebecca Van Sickle, Managing Partner, 1892 consulting


Are you thinking about changing your grants management system? Or maybe you have just started and

think you have strong buy-in and everything still seems under control. Join us to learn the top five

fallacies for these complex projects and how to avoid them.

Five Technical (And One Non-Technical) Trends That Will Change Grants

Management Forever

o Suki O'Kane, Director of Administration, Walter & Elise Haas Fund

Armed with a stopwatch, a super computer the size of a credit card and a Magic 8 Ball, Suki O’Kane

introduces key technological trends that will influence the practice and philosophies of grants

management.

Learn Foundation Law: Free, Online Training Courses on Legal Rules in

Grantmaking

o Megan Jellinek, Attorney, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Join the creators of Learn Foundation Law to explore various online training courses designed to help

private foundations and their staff better understand the legal rules in grantmaking. Legal staff at the

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard

Foundation and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation joined together to create an instructional resource

that speaks to the variety of learning styles and organizational training needs. Each of the training

modules is animated and features “Maya,” a foundation program officer who guides participants through

topics such as advocacy and lobbying, expenditure responsibility, program-related investments and

dealing with government officials. These web-based trainings are available at learnfoundationlaw.org.

Mentoring: It’s Not What You Think

o Dr. Audrey J. Murrell, Associate Dean, University of Pittsburgh

Being a mentor is to be a wise, loyal adviser, a teacher or a coach. But becoming a mentor is an organic

process nurtured over time. This interactive session will cover the basics of mentoring and mentorships,

including how to find a mentor to help you meet your goals and how to become a mentor yourself.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Grants Managers

o Heather Peeler, Vice President of Member and Partner Engagement, Grantmakers for Effective

Organizations


When it comes to organizational learning and continuous improvement, grants managers are at the center

of the action. Based on conversations with members, GEO has identified seven habits of highly effective

grants managers who play a critical role in helping their foundations become learning

organizations. Which habits are already a part of your work? Which ones do you need to develop? This

discussion challenges conventional expectations and presents a different way of thinking that empowers

grants managers to define their roles as “Learners-in-Chief.”

What to Expect When Collecting Diversity Data

o Dolores Estrada, Director, Grant Operations, The California Endowment

It sounds so simple, collect demographic data on your grantees. The importance of diversity in

philanthropy is not new, but how to go about it and navigate the waters is not. In this short talk you will

learn why diversity data collection is valuable and how to identify resources that can help build the field

and improve your grantmaking.

Vendor Sponsored Session - CAF America: The Three Rs for Successful International Grantmaking: Regulation, Risk, and Reputation

Learning Track: Vendor Sponsored Session

o Ted Hart, CEO, CAF America

Our society is now more globally connected than ever before. It is therefore crucial that advisors begin to

understand international grantmaking and how best to navigate its complexities. This session will educate

attendees on the IRS regulations that affect international grantmaking and the various grant options

available to advisors. Attendees will also learn about the risks associated with international grantmaking

and how to limit them. Lastly, this session will tackle the issue of reputation protection and offer best

practices that are simple to implement.

Vendor Sponsored Session - Fluxx: Measuring Impact - Beyond the Numbers


o Jason Ricci, CEO, Fluxx


Reporting on impact is difficult. Progress isn’t always linear and it’s not always quantitative. Success, for

many foundations and nonprofits, is often best described through storytelling or anecdotes in addition to

hard data. In this session we will explore best practices for impact measurement.

Vendor Sponsored Session - Foundant User Group


o Daren Nordhagen, President, Foundant Technologies

During this session, Foundant clients, and those looking to learn more about Foundant GLM, will have an

opportunity to receive an overview of the last few releases, ask questions about their solution, and

network with others who are using the system.

Vendor Sponsored Session – MicroEdge - The Journey to Impact and Beyond


o Annie Rhodes, Senior Product Manager, MicroEdge

As the giving community continues the shift from traditional philanthropy to impact investing, it has

never been more crucial for funders and their grantee partners to connect, collaborate, and communicate

in the same language. The dynamic relationship between funders and nonprofits is ever evolving, and by

leveraging technology, both sides are better able to approach impact together, empowering everyone to do

more good, more effectively. Join us for this session where we will bring together funders and nonprofits

to explore their working relationships - what is working well and where are the opportunities for

improvement. Hear insights and ask questions on communication and collaboration, expectation setting,

reporting, and how you can strengthen the connection between you and your grantee partners, ensuring

greater long-term success and lasting impact.

Vendor Sponsored Session - NGO Source: Share the Work. Reap the Benefits. The Centralized ED


o Ken Tsunoda, General Manager, NGOsource

Leaders in global philanthropy are aligning. To centralize their efforts on equivalency determinations

(EDs), they’re using NGOsource, a joint project of the Council on Foundations and TechSoup. NGOsource


revolutionizes how EDs can serve not only individual foundations but the sector as a whole. As the

repository grows, members benefit by gaining access to other members’ EDs through a streamlined,

efficient process. The result: more funds directly supporting nonprofits on the ground across the globe.

Come learn from your peers about how they are using NGOsource to make international grantmaking

simpler both for grants managers and for grantees.

Vendor Sponsored Session - SmartSimple: Outcomes Based Granting - A Client Success Story on the SmartSimple Platform


o Malcolm Klotz, Owner, Business Solutions Re-Solved

o Mariana Catz, CIO and Vice-President Evaluation and Knowledge Management, Ontario Trillium

Foundation

Outcome-based granting has become a vital part of foundation management. With greater need for

transparency, grantmaking has become more results driven than ever before. Yet outcome measurement

remains a challenge because of the change management processes required as well as the technology

requirements to support the framework. In this session, we’ll discuss outcome-based granting

methodologies by taking a deep dive into a global top-10 foundation’s use of SmartSimple. We’ll show

how they successfully leveraged technology to support impact measurement around foundation processes

and management.

Documents

GMN 2016 Conference Sessions