Newsletters

Community Philanthropy Update—January 2019

Friday, January 11, 2019 - 2:48 pm

Brad Ward

I recently heard one community foundation leader state, “How you do your work is just as important as what you do.” For me, this concept is what provides community foundations their competitive edge—how we do our work is rooted in knowing our communities; we are versatile and can pivot quickly; and we deeply care about creating a shared ownership of community among the people who reside in the places we call home. Plus, there is a whole lot of love and compassion for others at the root of why and how we approach our work.

This is what community foundations have as our collective differentiator from other philanthropic providers—whether comparing our services to commercial fund providers or online giving platforms. We are accountable to the communities we serve, and this means we’re layered in trust by donors, grantees, community leaders, and legislators. Because of where we sit, we can and should do bigger things than others might consider possible.

As community foundations, we are connectors. And in that spirit, I turn in 2019 to build even greater opportunities for community foundations to enhance their abilities to connect not only to the communities they serve, but also to one another as a field of community foundations.

I know that 2019 holds tremendous opportunities for you to connect—with the Council, across the philanthropic sector, and with one another. I welcome your questions and thoughts about the calendar of events we have in store for this year, and hope I see you or hear from you soon.

Brad Ward
Director, Community Philanthropy
Ph.: 703-879-0640
Brad.Ward@cof.org

Where to Find Brad

This month, I’ll be attending the Council’s Racial Equity Forum in Louisville, Kentucky (Jan 14) and visiting members in San Francisco, California (Jan 23-24), before joining our legal counsel, Suzanne Friday, at the Legal Matters Workshop at the Arizona Community Foundation in Phoenix (Feb 12).

If you are in any of these areas and able to carve out time for an in-person visit to discuss the Council or community philanthropy, please let me know.

In-person events

Community Foundation Executive Roundtables

The Council is hosting a series of executives-only roundtables that bring together leaders of community foundations of various sizes, scope, and locations to glean understanding from diverse viewpoints about our collective field and the current landscape in which we operate.

Watch the livestream from the DC Roundtable and share your interest in attending a future event.

March 28 | Community Foundation of Southern Arizona | Tucson, AZ
April 28 | 2019 Leading Together Conference | Miami, FL
Coming soon — Summer Date | Seattle Foundation | Seattle, WA

Legal Matters for Community Foundations

From technical and practical understandings of legal rules to pressing topics of the community foundation field, Legal Matters provides you a comprehensive and applicable understanding of how to navigate community philanthropy in today’s environment. Join us as the following foundations host the Council’s 2019 legal workshops for community foundations:

February 12 | Arizona Community Foundation | Phoenix, AZ
June 19 | The Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond | Richmond, VA
November 7 | Oklahoma City Community Foundation | Oklahoma City, OK

Community Foundations ExcelLENCE (CFE) Course

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) courses are premier professional development opportunities for community foundation professionals. All courses are created and led by experienced community foundation practitioners with input from Council legal staff and National Standards.

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course
Miama, FL | April 28 -29

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course
Los Angeles, CA | July 9-10

Community Foundation Excellence (CFE) Fundamentals Course
Online Learning Module

ALSO COMING THIS FALL – CFE Finance Course and an additional CFE Fundamentals Course

Leading Together 2019
Miami, Florida | April 29 – May 1, 2019

What’s in store for community foundations?

Networking events for community foundations to connect with peers.
A Community Foundation Executive Roundtable hosted in conjunction with the conference on Monday April 28^th, prior to the start of pre-conferences.
Learn from peers—like the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Cleveland Foundation, Miami Foundation, San Francisco Community Foundation, Croix Foundation, Seattle Foundation, and Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands —serving as panelists, case studies, and speakers throughout the conference.
Visionary plenaries, fireside chats and a Leadership in Action series to inspire how you lead your own community.
Meet our bold and visionary new President & CEO, Kathleen Enright, who envisions a Council that leads with generosity and its members best interests in mind. Hear how she plans to strengthen and grow the Council as we celebrate our 70^th anniversary in Miami!