Here’s what you missed at the Summer Institute

“Take your shift at the loom.”

“Be the duct tape.”

“Chess or jigsaw puzzles?”

“Collaboration moves at the speed of trust.”

These are just few of the “Ah Ha’s” I heard from the 125 people who attended our first Summer Institute last week. I saw staff and trustees from all over the state and from very different forms of philanthropy – community and private foundations, corporate giving programs, government grantmakers and more – all engaged in deep learning through engaging authentic conversations led by national experts who pushed participants to ask hard questions about the way they work.

An active Twitter stream via #POHinstitute spread information and attendees shared insight about the Institute throughout the day. Check out our Facebook page to see all the photos.

Feedback offered at the end of the day demonstrate the value of the new format and approach to learning; people loved the deep dive approach, where we spent two hours on each topic:

“The deep dive content was awesome! More than just general overview of the topic. Worth the trip.”

 

Participants also loved the networking:

“The networking opportunity with peers is absolutely invaluable!”

Given the positive experiences and feedback, our plan is to offer the Institute every other year, with our Philanthropy Forward three-day conference in the intervening years. We’re looking forward to being in Cincinnati for Philanthropy Forward ’15, so stay tuned for upcoming announcements about its timing.

The Summer Institute wouldn’t have been possible without the active involvement of many people and organizations. Our thanks to Philanthropy Ohio’s Member Services Committee who helped develop and deliver the Institute:

Bob Jaquay, Chair  The George Gund Foundation
Nelson Beckford  Saint Luke’s Foundation
Dawn Tyler Lee  United Way of Central Ohio
JenniRoer  Tait Foundation
LaTida Smith   Saint Luke’s Foundation
Lori Kuhn  Morgan Family Foundation
Meghan Cummings  The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Shiloh Turner  The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

And our thanks to our sponsors:

Benefactor Group
The Cleveland Foundation
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Fifth Third Foundation
FirstEnergy Foundation
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The George Gund Foundation
Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
BakerHostetler
KeyBank Foundation
Interact for Health
The Lubrizol Foundation
Morgan Family Foundation
The Nord Family Foundation
William J. and Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation
Saint Luke’s Foundation
SC Ministry Foundation
The Sherwin-Williams Foundation

Suzanne T. Allen, Ph. D.

Three reasons the Summer Institute is this year’s must-attend event!

The Summer Institute is just five short weeks away. With space filling up, here are three reasons you should clear your calendar on July 9 and attend the Institute:

It’s your chance to hear and talk with Dr. Manuel Pastor, researcher, author and activist who has been honored for his work in racial equity and economic development. Recognized as a leading demographer, Dr. Pastor will talk about what Ohio’s demographics mean for innovation, racial diversity and philanthropy.

What others say about Dr. Pastor: “With his deep commitments to both activism and academic rigor, he has become a critical translator between philanthropy and social movements.”

It’s your once-a-year chance to learn with other smart Ohio philanthropy colleagues. At this year’s Summer Institute, every session is a deep dive that has you exploring concepts and then putting them into practice. In each interactive session you will gather insights into strategies and how to implement them when you return to your office.

What others say about the learning: “It’s been less than a week back at work and I’ve already used and shared some of the insight and knowledge that I gained through engaged sessions.”

It’s your chance to network, network, network! Whether it’s at the reception on The Blackwell’s Terrace, during meals or in between sessions, you’ll have plenty of time to build your connections with philanthropy peers from across the state.

What others say about the networking: “A great opportunity for us to mingle with colleagues and friends who perform the same type of work and have the same desire to help those in need and build a stronger community base.”

Read about our other expert-led sessions at the Institute. (10 sessions led by 24 national experts!)

I hope to see you at the Summer Institute! For more information and to register, please visit https://www.philanthropyohio.org/summerinstitute

Claudia Y.W. Herrold

23 Philanthropy Experts All in One Day

Philanthropy Ohio is trying a grand experiment this year: in place of our usual annual fall conference, we’re heading to The Ohio State University campus on July 9 for our inaugural Summer Institute that will provide deep learning experiences for all types of philanthropy: community and private foundations, individuals, corporate giving programs, United Ways, giving circles and government agencies.

Designed for both staff and trustees, we’ve secured 23 national experts and thought leaders to lead sessions that will dig deeply into content and practice, with something for everyone, regardless of years on the job, whether you’re located in an urban or rural area, have hundreds or millions to invest in your community.

The Institute differs from the conference in a couple of ways. First, it’s been developed to provide deep learning; rather than our typical conference breakout sessions where you skim the surface of a topic or issue in an hour, our Institute sessions are two hours in length. This will allow you to learn, ask questions and practice: it’s a focus on depth, not necessarily breadth.

Dr. Manuel Pastor, University of Southern California

Second, the sessions are led by nationally-recognized experts in their fields. We’re bringing in presenters from Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and BoardSource, from the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and the Kirwan Institute at OSU, to highlight just a few. So you can be sure that what you learn is really going to help you in your philanthropy practice. Dr. Manuel Pastor, a leading researcher and author on diversity at the University of Southern California, will give the keynote address at lunch.

Third, the Summer Institute is one day instead of three, allowing us to keep your costs down while maintaining the level of excellence you expect from Philanthropy Ohio learning events.

You can find out much more about the schedule and presenters and register online now. Whether you are new to philanthropy or a seasoned veteran, there is much that you can learn at this Summer Institute. Hope to see you there!

Claudia Y.W. Herrold