Led by the Council on Foundations Legal Team and Brad Ward, Lead Straegist of Community Philanthropy, this workshop is flexibly organized to ensure that your broad legal questions for administering funds, grants, and community foundation activities are addressed. The legal team will provide technical and practical understanding of complex rules and regulations, while Brad will deliver on the most pressing issues and topics in the community foundation field.
Throughout the workshop, sessions will be curated with the help of insight gleaned from the Council's top-notch legal team that interacts with nearly 2,000 foundation leaders each year, as well as trends spotted by our broader team, including the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, a supporting organization of the Council. It will be timely, relevant, and a deeper dive than the basics, surfacing critical insights and expertise to advance your knowledge of the community foundation inner workings--from administration to governance, donor stewardship to grantmaking.
With each session, there will be time for questions and a deep exploration of the answers. This workshop is open to any board or staff member from any community foundation that is eager to dive into the legalities of our business model and unlock the truth to effective management and leadership of a community foundation.
Sample Agenda
(2 Day Virtual Series with Optional Day 3 Open Session)
Specific topics will be defined in advance of the workshop as attendees begin to submit ideas, pressing issues, and assist with the defining of sessions. This event is designed to be time sensitive and relevant to current issues. The format will be discussion-oriented, question and answer-based learning alongside peer sharing.
DAY 1: September 23 — 1:00-4:00 p.m. ET
- General Overview of new rules, regulations, and developments for CFs – Discuss latest new rules and regulations affecting community foundations.
- Small Group: Most common legal complexities facing community foundations – Assessing the most common inquiries from the field nationally, Council attorney Suzanne Friday will delve into pressing subjects and issues such as DAFs, scholarships, giving circles and agency funds.
- Deep Dive: Most common legal complexities facing community foundations – Assessing the most common inquiries from the field nationally, Council attorney Suzanne Friday will delve into pressing subjects and issues such as DAFs, scholarships, giving circles and agency funds.
DAY 2: September 24 — 1:00-4:00 p.m. ET
- Trends and Challenges from the Field – Led by Council Lead Strategist for community philanthropy, Brad Ward, hear the trending narratives shaping conversations in board rooms as well as the most common challenges shared among community foundations.
- Small Group: Most common legal complexities facing community foundations – Assessing the most common inquiries from the field nationally, Council attorney Suzanne Friday will delve into pressing subjects and issues such as DAFs, scholarships, giving circles and agency funds.
- Deep Dive: Most common legal complexities facing community foundations – Assessing the most common inquiries from the field nationally, Council attorney Suzanne Friday will delve into pressing subjects and issues such as DAFs, scholarships, giving circles and agency funds.
DAY 3: September 25 (Optional) — 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET
- Hot Topics for the Field – Issues can range from staff and administrative, technical, or general or board governance. Previous topics addressed include fund types, administration fees, corporate donors and grantmaking in economic development. Your questions will help guide this discussion.
- Happy Hour: Your Questions Answered – An open time to explore any lingering questions, discuss peer experiences with more depth, or any remaining unique challenges that were not fully explored or covered in previous sessions.
