Leading Locally 2023 - Information and Updates
Information and Updates
Thank you for registering for Leading Locally 2023! Here is the schedule. Everything else you need to know (and do) to have the best conference experience is below.
Host Hotel
All programming and activities for Leading Locally will be located at the host hotel:
Sheraton Hotel Downtown Denver
1550 Court Place
Denver, CO 80202
Most conference activities will take place on the Tower Side.
Adjacent to the Hotel is the 16th Street Mall, a mile-long pedestrian promenade brimming with shopping, dining, nightlife and entertainment. There are many amenities at the Sheraton that include a fitness center, outdoor pool, community tables for gatherings in the lobby and work and rentable studios for private meetings. If you’d like to plan meet-ups in advance, reserve your spot now for the lobby meeting rooms. You will find more information on Sheraton’s website.
Upon Arrival
When you arrive at the Sheraton Hotel Denver Downtown, check-in is located in the lobby on the Plaza side.
Check-in: 4:00 p.m. MT
Check-out: 11:00 a.m. MT
Hotel Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is provided throughout the conference hotel.
Network Name: MarriottBonvoy_Conference
Password: LL2023
Getting to the Hotel and around Denver
There are several ways to get to the Sheraton Hotel Denver Downtown from the Denver International Airport which is 26 miles away. Below are some options and additional information can be found on the Sheraton Hotel’s website.
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Denver Airport Rail
At a cost of $10.50, travelers can use the A Line to get from the airport to downtown Denver and vice versa, courtesy of the Regional Transportation District (RTD), metro Denver's public transit provider. The A-Line will take you to Union Station which is about 1.3 miles away from the Sheraton Hotel. From Union Station, you can take a cab, rideshare, bus or walk to the Hotel.
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Public Transportation
You can download the city’s transportation app to use on rail and buses, RTD Denver, in advance and use this to navigate public transportation. A Regional/Airport day pass is $10.50 and a local day pass is $6.00.
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Rideshare
Uber, Lyft, etc. are available from Denver International Airport.
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Taxi
Estimated taxi fare from the Airport to the Hotel is 60 USD (one way).
Conference Registration
Registration is required for Leading Locally 2023. Registered guests can pick up their credentials at the Registration Desk starting on Monday, June 12 at 8:00 am MT. The Leading Locally Registration Desk is located on the street level of the Tower side of the Hotel. You will need your badge to access any conference events, so be sure to make the registration desk your first stop.
Registration Desk Hours
Monday, June 12 - 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 13 - 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 14 - 6:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Conference App
The Council Events app will help you navigate Leading Locally. Schedules, networking, maps, and local activities can all be found on the app.
Instructions to download the Council Events app:
If you're reading this on your mobile device, simply click one of the links below:
If you wish to download the Council Events app on a different device, navigate to cof.org/app in that device's browser to find the download links.
You may also search Council on Foundations or Council Events in the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store.
Login to the Leading Locally 2023 App:
- Download and open the “Council Events” app
- Under Upcoming Events, you will see Leading Locally 2023. Select the blue arrow to enter our Leading Locally 2023 Conference App.
- To login to the app, please enter your first name, last name and the email address used to complete your Leading Locally 2023 registration.
- An email will be sent to the email address entered with a verification code to access the app. If you do not receive this email, check your spam or junk folder.
- Enter this verification code into the app to complete log in.
- Enjoy the Leading Locally 2023 Conference App!
If you have any problems or questions, please reach out to webteam@cof.org for assistance.
Special Programming
To help open Leading Locally on Tuesday, June 13, Colorado Governor Jared Polis will personally welcome Leading Locally attendees to Denver and highlight the things he loves most about the state!
Pop-up Sessions
On Tuesday, June 13 from 2:00 - 3:15 p.m., we have a pop-up conversation, Intentional LGBTQ Funding. This session includes April Bethea, Director of External Affairs at Funders for LGBTQ Issues and Shaena Johnson, Interim Project Director of Out in The South, who will discuss the intersections of queer and trans identities that support local organizing.
On Tuesday, June 13 from 3:45 - 5:00 p.m., we offer a second pop-up conversation: Could the Supreme Court’s Decision on Affirmative Action Impact Foundations? This pop-up is designed to provide participants with an understanding of how the Supreme Court cases on affirmative action could impact their work. Join Susan Taylor Batten, President, ABFE, Kathleen Enright, President & CEO, Council on Foundations, Ben McDearmon, Director of Legal Resources, Council on Foundations and Ginger Anders, a complex litigation and appellate partner at Munger, Tolles, and Olson, LLP as they share potential consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision on foundations and nonprofit organizations.
Dine Arounds
Meet up with new and old friends to enjoy dinner at a great restaurant within walking distance of the Sheraton. Each dine around is coordinated for 8 to 10 attendees, and each participant will be expected to pay for their own portion.
To sign up, open the Leading Locally 2023 app and navigate to the Schedule page. The dine arounds will be listed under "All Sessions" -- simply find the one you would like to attend and add it to your schedule by clicking the plus sign or the "Add session" button.
Space for each dine around is limited, so if you change your mind or discover that you are unable to attend, please remove the event from your schedule so someone else can attend.
ABFE (A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities) is hosting a dine-around and invite all interested Black philanthropy colleagues to join. As with all of the dine-arounds, sign up is available through the conference app.
If you’re interested in Values Aligned Philanthropy, join the dine-around hosted by Gill Foundation.
Leading Locally Gives Back
Community is the heart of philanthropy and Leading Locally 2023 explores ways that we can strengthen, build and love our communities through place-based work.
Together, let’s put that work into action by supporting the local community that has so graciously hosted us for this year’s conference.
The Host Committee has worked with Colorado Gives Foundation to create a group giving page for Leading Locally: Leading Locally Gives Back. Please consider making a donation to Colorado nonprofits serving the unhoused population. Look for QR codes available on-site, along with donation links in the app.
Welcome to Denver
The Leading Locally Host Committee's Welcome to Denver guide will help you make plans before, during and after Leading Locally. Check it out for recommendations of things to do and places to go in Denver and around Colorado.
Accessibility
American Sign Language Interpreter and Real-Time Captioning (CART) will be available during plenary sessions and upon request for concurrent sessions.
The Leading Locally Accessibility Guide provides information about accessible transit options at the airport and around Denver, as well as accessibility information that . A special thanks to our Accessibility Sponsor, Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates.
Altitude Warning
There's a reason that Denver is known as the Mile High City. Colorado's average elevation is 6,800 feet above sea level, which is high-altitude. Because the air is not as oxygenated at high altitudes, your body has to work harder, which can cause dehydration. It is important to drink water throughout the day.
What to wear
The dress code for Leading Locally is business casual. We recommend that you bring layers, conference rooms may become chilly. Expect lots of walking, so comfortable shoes are advised.
Weather
Weather in Denver looks like it will be warm and partly cloudy throughout the conference, with the potential for some isolated thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday. Get up-to-date weather predictions before you go.
Health and Safety
Your health and safety are priorities during Leading Locally. To offer attendees safer social distancing, each session room will be set with round tables and chairs. The Grand Reception, scheduled for Tuesday, June 13, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, offers indoor and outdoor options.
Masks
In Denver, the decision to wear or require face coverings is currently at the discretion of individuals, each business or facility. Attendees aren’t required to wear protective masks during Leading Locally.
All participants should feel safe and comfortable while attending the event. We ask that all participants be respectful of the mask-wearing and social-distancing preferences of their fellow attendees. Masks will be available at the registration desk, if needed.
COVID-19 Testing
Although not required, attendees are encouraged to consider taking a COVID-19 test before traveling to Denver and if they become symptomatic at any time during Leading Locally. A limited number of tests will be available at the registration desk, if needed.
COVID Symptoms and Positive COVID-19 Protocols
Should you feel unwell and develop symptoms related to COVID-19 while attending Leading Locally, please stay masked and quarantined until you are able to test. Contact Melanie Freeman, via text message, 301-379-7977 or through the conference app, as soon as possible so your situation can be monitored and supported, as needed.
Code of Conduct
The Council on Foundations is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all conference participants and Council staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, session organizers, sponsors, vendors, philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs), Council staff members, service providers, and all others are expected to abide by the Leading Locally 2023 Conference Code of Conduct.
Questions?
If you have any issues or questions throughout the conference, you can look for Council staff who will have “STAFF” included on their Leading Locally badge. You may also go to the Leading Locally registration desk on the first floor of the Tower side of the Sheraton Hotel, or reach staff through the conference app.
