NNCG Masthead
September 2015
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 From the Executive Director...  
During a recent conversation with an NNCG member, we talked about how technology has changed how many of us are working in ways unimaginable just ten or fifteen years ago. Technology enables a national organization like NNCG to operate virtually while enabling the member I spoke with to continue her work after relocating from New York to a rural part
of North Carolina.

At the same time, we agreed that technology cannot fully replicate the conditions that build relationships face-to-face. The energy, synergy and connection when people are in the same space often lead to a depth of understanding and trust beyond what electronic communications can create.
 
This is part of why I'm especially excited about many of the programs NNCG has been planning. As you'll see below, we'll be in Chicago, Washington D.C. and Portland, Oregon over the next month. Each program's content promises to be timely, thought-provoking and relevant to philanthropy consulting. Moreover, they'll all provide an opportunity for NNCG members, partners and others to connect face-to face around our shared passion for the work that is strengthening philanthropy.
 
I look forward to being with many of you soon.
NNCG Webinars on Philanthropy Consulting 
Our series resumes September 29 at 2 ET with the webinar How to Implement a Funder-Supported Advocacy Effort and the Integral Role of Policy Consultants presented by NNCG members Deena Margolis and Leah Ersoylu.

Additional webinars diving deeper into the content of NNCG's co-edited groundbreaking issue of The Foundation Review are scheduled monthly through January. Registration is free for NNCG members; non-members receive a multi-webinar discount. To learn more and register, visit our events page

NNCG's Philanthropy Consulting Webinar Series is co-sponsored by
the Council on Foundations, Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, The Foundation Center, Learn Philanthropy, Exponent Philanthropy, Northern California Grantmakers, and
The Foundation Review
.
NNCG in Chicago: September 25
If you're in the Chicago area on September 25, join NNCG at the Donors Forum for a breakfast presentation and discussion on The State of Philanthropy Consulting: Data from the Domain. Speaking will be Steven Lawrence, Director of Research at The Foundation Center, NNCG member Betsy Brill, Co-founder and President, Strategic Philanthropy, Ltd. and Tom Fuechtmann, Program Officer, Community Memorial Foundation. NNCG Steering Committee Chair Kris Putnam-Walkerly will moderate what promises to be an informative and thought-provoking program.
 
Visit this page for more information; RSVP by September 23 to [email protected].
NNCG at the Alliance for Nonprofit Management Conference: October 6-8
As part of our partnership with the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, initiated by NNCG member and Alliance Chair John Brothers, NNCG will be presenting a session on Philanthropy Consulting: A Growing Component of Social Sector Capacity Building featuring NNCG members John Brothers, Jo DeBolt and Brigette Rouson at the Alliance's annual conference in Portland, Oregon. 

NNCG will also have an information booth. If you're at the conference or
in the Portland area, please stop by and see us!
NNCG in Washington DC: October 15
If you're in the D.C. area on October 15, join NNCG for a special luncheon presentation and discussion about philanthropy consulting at the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation. Speakers include Steven Lawrence of The Foundation Center, NNCG member Brigette Rouson, and Rick Moyers, Vice President Programs and Communications at the Meyer Foundation.

The program is co-sponsored by the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region. RSVP by October 13 to [email protected].
 NNCG Members in Action
NNCG highlights members' thought leadership - articles, presentations, innovations and other activities that advance philanthropic practice. Follow the links for more information.
Kris Putnam-Walkerly, President of Putnam Consulting Group, recently published a report for the  Blue Shield of California Foundation titled Policy: The Essential Investment. Read the full case study and executive summary online. 

Brian Sooy, president of Aespire, has been invited to present "Design Thinking Matters: Strategic Communication is Not Enough" based on principles from " Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto" at the Ohio CPA Not-for-Profit Leadership Symposium on September 21, 2015.  Additionally, Brian recently published " What Should You Know Before Joining A NonProfit Board?," an article that included third-party research and outside perspectives from nonprofit leaders. The summary version on LinkedIn attracted thousands of readers!
 
FMA consultants have been hard at work in Napa Valley, delivering a cohort-based capacity-building initiative funded by the Napa Valley Vintners, the Napa Valley Community Foundation, and the Jones Family Foundation. Recently, we were delighted to discover a letter to the editor from one of the participants describing her organization's experience embracing "Operational Excellence." We instantly forgave her for mistaking our tagline--"Fiscal Strength for Nonprofits"--for our name: FMA.
 
Mary Phillips, President of GMA Foundations, will lead two interactive case study sessions at the 2015 National Forum for Family Philanthropy in Seattle on October 15 and 16 In one, participants explore the boundary between public generosity and family privacy, and in the second, participants learn about common difficulties in welcoming a new generation onto a family foundation's board. Additionally, Pamela Labonte Maksy, GMA COO, joins Alfonso Perillo of Edelstein & Co. to lead a lunchtime workshop for grantmakers - Financial Statements 101 - at Associated Grant Makers in Boston on Tuesday Sept. 29. Click through for more details about each event.

Marieke Spence, Senior Consultant at TCC Group, will co-facilitate an Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy webinar with colleague Deepti Sood (Sept. 30). The webinar will focus on the role funders can play in volunteer-led movements, including a discussion of organizational effectiveness in the movement context, and capacity building to sustain volunteer engagement. The 4pm EST session will highlight TCC's recent collaboration with the Wikimedia movement. Winifred Olliff, Program Officer at the Wikimedia Foundation, will participate.

Lindalee A. Lawrence, President of Lawrence Associates, will he hosting a webinar titled "Salary Structure Design for HR: Keys to the Most Successful Pay Programs", on Wednesday, September 16, 2015.  Click through for complete details, and use code SPEAKFREE for complimentary access.  Lindalee will also be at the Exponent Philanthropy Connect Conference, in Chandler, AZ on October 5-7.   

Jeff Glebocki, CEO of Strategy + Action/Philanthropy, and Jill Blair, strategy and organizational consultant, have written a series on Leadership Succession Planning for foundations.   The first of three pieces being published by Exponent Philanthropy looks at why it's important to start planning for leadership succession now.  A follow-up blog on engaging family and board members in leadership succession planning will be released later in September, with the series concluding in a complete article on the topic in the Fall issue of Exponent Philanthropy's "Essentials" newsletter.

NNCG partner, Alliance magazine, has published a new issue titled A changing landscape: philanthropy the world over.  The guest editor article is open access, and can be read here.  Reminder that NNCG members can receive a discount on an Alliance Magazine subscription using the code found on the members-only page of our website.

On October 1, Advocacy Collaborative Founder and Principal, Laurel O'Sullivan will conduct a half day training for nonprofits at the Community Media Workshop in Chicago entitled, " AdvocacyForward: Leadership Strategies for Achieving Impact With Advocacy." The training will equip nonprofit leaders with tools for navigating common barriers and pitfalls that prevent a lot of nonprofits from achieving real impact.  Participants will create a simple advocacy plan with strategies and steps that will position their nonprofit for leadership success.
 

About NNCG

 

The National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers is dedicated to elevating, expanding and improving philanthropy. It's the only organization that brings together high-quality consultants to support the work of grantmakers while advancing quality and ethical standards in the practice of philanthropy consulting. NNCG's distinguished and diverse membership represents experienced and carefully vetted practitioners and thought leaders in the philanthropic field.

 

Learn more at NNCG.org.

National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers

a Tides Center Project 

P.O. Box 40272  

Cleveland, OH  44140   

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