In this webinar, we learned how your foundation can complement FEMA's disaster recovery efforts in your community. To recover successfully from major natural disasters, coordination of public, private, and philanthropic resources is important to avoid duplication of effort and to deepen the array of supports available to communities. Disaster funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are declared quickly but are not necessarily the fastest available dollars for assistance to individuals for lifeline support. In this session, FEMA Philanthropic Advisors and Coordinating Officers joined three community foundations to share how they are currently working together on long-term recovery plans in communities impacted by recent wildfires in the West and tornado and flood events in Kentucky and Tennessee. Learn how and when FEMA dollars flow after disaster declarations are issued and what government funding programs are available to communities for long-term planning and future mitigation.  

Speakers

Zak Usher
Acting Deputy Director, Individual Assistance Division
FEMA

Myra M. Shird, Ph.D.
Federal Coordinating Officer, Region IV (Atlanta)
FEMA

Denise Morgan Gilliam
Philanthropic Advisor, Interagency Coordination Division, Recovery Directorate
FEMA

Chris Dockins, PhD
COO
Community Foundation of West Kentucky

Amy Fair
Vice President of Donor Services
Community Foundation of Middle Tennesee

Jovanni Tricerri
Vice President of Programs
North Valley Community Foundation

In this webinar, the Council hosted Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Christopher Coes and Department of Transportation (DOT) officials responsible for community outreach for a conversation about how foundations can collaborate with community partners to support the implementation of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November 2021. The cross-government investment can achieve unprecedented outcomes to ensure thriving communities, worker empowerment, and climate change reforms but partnerships between government, philanthropy and industry will be critical. This webinar features best practices, and insights with federal officials to aid their efforts to address historic gaps in public transportation policy and engagement of underserved communities.

U.S. Department of Transportation Speakers

Christopher Coes
Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy

Lynda Tran
Director of Public Engagement and Senior Advisor to the Secretary

Mariia Zimmerman
Strategic Advisor for Technical Assistance and Community Solutions

Funder Perspectives

Naomi Amaha
Director of Policy & Government Affairs
Denver Foundation

Crystal Bridgeman
Senior Director of Workforce Development
Siemens Foundation

Shana Bartley
Policy Officer
W.K.Kellogg Foundation

Registration now open!

The Essentials of Policy Advocacy for Grantmakers course will help foundation staff use their resources effectively to advance public policies that support the greater good. Rather than focusing on what policies foundations should address, this training will focus on how to engage in policy advocacy to advance your goals. This training is designed for private foundations staff with a basic understanding of policy, but it is also applicable for staff at all experience levels whose work touches policy advocacy.

Led by Council on Foundations staff and philanthropic leaders, this training will address policy advocacy strategies that support and effective practices. Participants will gain helpful tools and resources, network with peers developing and implementing their foundation’s advocacy strategy and create a summary action plan to guide their next steps.

Workshop Hours

• Thursday, October 6: 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET
• Friday, October 7: 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET

Participants will explore the following during the course:

The Big Picture

• Why engaging in policy advocacy is essential for foundations to achieve their goals

• A refresher on legal rules governing grantmaker funding and actions

• Inside the Foundation: Understanding staff roles and how to build internal support

Building understanding and support across the foundation for policy advocacy engagement

• How different staff roles across the foundation can support advocacy

• Characteristics of grantmaking that support effective policy advocacy

• Outside the Foundation: Working with others to advance policy

Using all a foundation’s assets to advance policy

• Funding vehicles that support effective policy advocacy

• Building an effective relationship with nonprofit partners and grantees to advance advocacy

• Appropriate evaluations of partner contributions

• Real-life Challenges and Action Planning

Explore current challenges with fellow participants in peer breakout groups

• Discussion of initial action planning and next steps

• Additional support available from the Council on Foundation

Who should take this training?

• Private foundation staff with a basic understanding of policy work.

• Foundation staff of all experience levels that incorporate policy advocacy into their work - such as those in leadership, communications, grants management or strategic planning.

Please note, this course is limited to foundation staff and Board members only.