Launched in 2014, The Veterans Philanthropy Exchange is a learning and sharing forum for philanthropic grantmakers, donors, and corporate giving programs supporting veterans and military family strategies.
Join your peers for discussions about funder collaboration and collective action, a review of lessons learned in veterans philanthropy and partnerships over the past few years, and an exploration of the role that sector might continue to play as a new Administration ramps up, and as the understanding of veterans needs continues to evolve.
Some of the highlights of the convening:
- Time for peer sharing of accomplishments and current priorities
- Updates on the veterans support landscape and trending issues
- Deep dives on the successes and challenges in funding collaboration and community engagement
- Deliberating a future agenda for veterans philanthropy
- Networking reception at the Bush Presidential Museum, with a special curated viewing of President Bush’s portraits exhibition, Portraits of Courage: A Commander-in-Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors
You can learn more about the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange in an update letter authored by founders Barbara Bartle, Lincoln Community Foundation; Donald A. Cooke, McCormick Foundation; Catharine Grimes, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation; and Peter Long, Blue Shield of California Foundation.
Read the Letter
Thank you to our generous sponsors Robert R. McCormick Foundation and Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation.
AGENDA
Wednesday, April 26
2-3:15 p.m.
Welcome & Kickoff
- Attendee introductions — share current grantmaking focus and one accomplishment from the past year
- Review of the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange mission and accomplishments
- Veterans Philanthropy Exchange survey highlights
Speakers: Donald Cooke, Vice President of Philanthropy, Robert R. McCormick Foundation; Sarah Peetz, Vice President of Community Outreach, Lincoln Community Foundation
3:15-5 p.m.
What Have We Learned: Collaboration and Community Engagement
To frame the discussion, a panel of funders will address these questions:
- What has been learned thus far?
- What has worked and what hasn’t worked?
- What barriers were overcome?
- What barriers continue to be problematic?
Panel Speakers: Kathy Cox, Senior Manager, Walmart Foundation; Dan Goldenberg, Executive Director, Call of Duty Endowment; Liz Willet Murchison, Senior Program Officer, Veterans, Schultz Family Foundation
Facilitated group discussion and roundtables will address:
- What aspects of philanthropic support in this arena is going well and not so well?
- What do we do about that?
- Should this be a focus for a collective impact effort across funders?
6-8 p.m.
Networking Reception at the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum
Buses will leave the hotel at 5:30 p.m. to travel to the museum.
We will participate in a curated tour of President Bush’s newest wounded warrior portraits. Guests will have access to the Presidential Museum. Refreshments will be served.
* Special Guests from Team 43 Warriors: Staff Sergeant Andrew Bachelder, United States Marine Corps, Retired; Specialist Lee Sage, United States Army (Retired)
Thursday, April 27, 2017
8-9:00 a.m.
Networking Breakfast Exchange
We'll start the day with remarks from Thomas Meyer on the top five take-aways from the Wise Givers Guide to Excellent Assistance to Veterans. Peer discussions and moderated small group sharing will then address:
- Strategic planning and priority setting
- Effective grantmaking
- Working with government and engaging the VA
- Data access and evaluation
Speaker: Thomas Meyer, Director of Veterans Services, Philanthropy Roundtable
9:00-9:30 a.m.
Data News You Can Use
Initial Findings of the Veterans Metrics Initiative
Speakers: Daniel F. Perkins, Ph.D., Director, Penn State Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness; Cynthia L. Gilman, JD, Vice President, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Center for Public-Private Partnerships (CP3)
9:30-9:45 a.m.
9:45-10:45 a.m.
Regional Philanthropy in Action
Texas funders will share the evolution and development of the state funded Texas Veterans and Family Alliance Grant Program.
Speakers: Michelle Monse, President and CEO, Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation; Phil Ritter, COO, Meadows Foundation Mental Health Policy Institute; Mary Jalonick, President and CEO, The Dallas Foundation
10:45 a.m.-12 p.m.
Understanding the Current Operating Environment: Public Policy and Future of Private Partnerships
An interactive group discussion with speakers who will talk about trending research and thought leadership regarding veterans needs. Strategic parnerships will be addressed by Veterans Administration officials.
Speakers: Phillip Carter, Director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program, CNAS; Matthew Collier, Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Dept. of Veterans Affairs; Terri Tanielian, Senior Behavioral Scientist, Rand Corporation
12-1 p.m.
1-3:30 p.m.
Future of Veterans Philanthropy: Developing a Sector Agenda
Facilitated large group and roundtable discussions will address:
- What’s next for the philanthropy sector, after Joining Forces and in response to a new political environment?
- What’s the ongoing role of philanthropic funders as the veterans landscape changes or continues?
- How can/should philanthropy influence public policy and programs?
- How can we communicate our agenda to other stakeholders?
The goal of this session is to find consensus on a sector agenda for collaboration and collective impact in 2017 and beyond. Attendees will identify a set of collective priorities in the arenas of partnerships with the public sector, relationships with veterans service providers, and desired impact of philanthropic grantmaking on veterans needs.
Facilitators: Stephanie Powers, Sr. Director for Policy and Partnerships and Jane Whitfield, Whitfield Consulting, with additional Framing Remarks by Colonel Miguel Howe (Retired), Director, Military Service Initiative, George W. Bush Institute
3:30- 4:00
Next Activities for Veterans Philanthropy Exchange
Facilitated idea generation and conversations for what happens next with the Veterans Philanthropy Exchange including:
- High value peer activities and group communications
- Approaches to engaging nonprofit providers
