Call for Sessions

Call for Sessions

Philanthropy Exchange, the Council on Foundations’ 2014 Annual Conference, is the premier opportunity for grantmaking organizations and foundations from across the country and around the globe to elevate issues critically important to the philanthropic sector while networking with leadership from across the field, all amid the backdrop of the nation’s capital.

This June, we will examine the Role of Philanthropy in an Increasingly Polarized Society. The type of programming Philanthropy Exchange aims to provide will not only identify the social issues that fracture our nation, but highlight solutions, models, practices and conversations that have been and continue to occur in the philanthropic sector to help bridge these divides. Philanthropy strives to conquer the most pressing issues we face and we are seeking ideas that address timely topics that are important to grantmakers of all asset sizes and giving areas. 

Though the philanthropic sector seeks to address and solve an endless variety of concerns, the 2014 Philanthropy Exchange will focus on five topical pillars that tend to have polarized view points. They include:

Democratic Practice – this pillar encompasses issues that include government, legislation, the criminal justice system, voting rights, immigration, and civic engagement, among others.
Education – this pillar includes issues related to jobs, job availability, employment readiness, educational equity and more.
Environmental Sustainability – climate change, environmental justice and sustainability efforts fall under this pillar.
Health – this pillar refers to various aspects related to physical and mental wellness, violence, safety, food security and access to affordable care.
Poverty – the subjects of income inequality, progress on the war on poverty, municipal and state solvency and economy fall under this category.