Changes to GCRI May Calendar, Upcoming Regional Conferences and GCRI Member Discounts

by Posted in Collective Impact, Community Development, Events, Leveraging to Multiply Impact, Philanthropy, Social Ventures

May’s GCRI schedule has been changed, so please make a note of the new dates and times.

Tuesday, May 9 at 9am — Employee Engagement Catalyst Group Conference Call

Thursday, May 25, 1:00-2:30pm — Financial and Social Returns:  Maximizing Impact Through Mission-Related Investments

The roundtable on Low Income Supports originally scheduled for May 18 has been postponed.

Contact Nancy at nancy.wolanski@uwri.org with any questions about upcoming events.

 

There are a number of upcoming conferences and events in the region — many of them offer discounts to GCRI members, so be sure to take advantage of them!

Youth Organizing Funder Roundtable
Aspen Forum for Community Solutions
Boston, May 22
The Aspen Forum has invited GCRI members to a Funder Roundtable on “Radical Possibilities:  The Power of Youth in the Fight for Social Justice.”  The session will take place from 2:30-6:00pm at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, and is co-sponsored by the Ford Foundation, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Funders Collaborative for Youth Organizing and the Hyams Foundation.  The purpose of the roundtable is to share models of youth-led organizing and examples of authentic youth-adult partnerships in the work for social change.  The session will showcase the possibilities and power of youth voice, leadership and organizing, and the role of philanthropy in supporting these efforts.  For more information, contact Christina Kostuk, christina.kostuk@aspeninstitute.org or 202-736-5809.

2017 Collective Impact Convening
Collective Impact Forum
Boston, May 23-25
As a local partner, GCRI members are eligible to receive $100 discount on registration.  The Collective Impact Forum is a partnership between FSG and the Aspen Institute, and the convening will attract more than 400 funders, backbone leaders, and other collective impact partners. GCRI members who are currently involved in cross-sector partnerships — or interested in learning more about best practices in collective impact — can use promo code RI100 at the end of registration, which will take $100 off the individual three-day funder registration rate of $1095. Note: if you plan to bring more than one person from your organization, you do * not * need to use this promo code because there is a price break already built in for bringing multiple representatives from the same organization.”

Grantmaking Fundamentals Workshop 2017
Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers
Baltimore, June 6
A full-day professional development workshop for grantmakers taught by regional experienced practitioners! Topics include:  Your grantmaking within the local and national philanthropic landscape; Developing grant guidelines and communicating with the public; Reviewing proposals and conducting due diligence; Legal and ethical guidelines for grantmaking excellence; Maximizing grant impact; Strategies for continued learning and improvement.  GCRI members are eligible for the ABAG member price, using discount code: 2017RANETWORK.

2017 Conference on Scaling Impact
Social Impact Exchange
New York, NY, June 14-15
The 2017 Conference on Scaling Impact is for foundation officers, philanthropists, corporate executives, trustees, and wealth managers and philanthropy advisors interested in learning about innovative methods to support high-impact nonprofits in education, youth development, poverty alleviation, health and impact investing.  The conference includes presentations from foundation CEOs and nonprofit leaders, as well as knowledge sessions and peer networking opportunities. Members of the Forum are eligible to attend at the discounted rate of $895 (regular price is $1,695).  To receive the discount, visit the registration site and indicate in the drop down menu that you are invited by the Forum. Space is limited so we encourage you to register soon.

Community Foundation Boot Camp
Associated Grantmakers
Boston, August 29-30
The two-day Community Foundation Boot Camp program offers a comprehensive overview of the structure and operations of a community foundation.  The program is an ideal in-depth introduction to community foundations for new community foundation staff, community foundation board members or more experienced community foundation staff looking for a good refresher.  Training is provided by Indiana Philanthropy Alliance.  GCRI members are eligible to participate at the AGM member price of $450/person.

Resources for Funders on Senior Issues

by Posted in Uncategorized

Rural Aging

Grantmakers in Aging, a sister organization in the Forum, has just released a new publication on supporting senior citizens in rural areas, “New Frontiers for Funding: An Introduction to Grantmaking.”  The highest concentrations of older persons in the U.S. are in rural areas, and funders have not yet paid systematic attention to the needs and opportunities there.  The report is appropriate for funders new to this strategic need, as well as those with more extensive experience in the field.

Retirement Research Foundation Releases Report on Accessible Faith Grant Program

Seniors, and others with mobility issues, may have difficulty fully engaging in their desired community organizations because of lack of accessibility.  The Retirement Research Foundation has released a report for funders on its Accessible Faith Grant Program, so that others can learn from what they call a “low-cost, high-return” grantmaking program.  This decade long program provided support for making houses of worship accessible and RRF includes tools for replicating the program in the report.   Report

 

Women’s Fund of RI New Grant Cycle and “Womenomics” Event, GoLocal Feature

by Posted in Advocacy, Events, Member Highlights, Member News, Member Sponsored Events, Philanthropy, Policy, RFP, Uncategorized

WFRI New Grant Cycle

The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island (WFRI) has announced its 2017 grant cycle, which will award grants totaling $50,000, made possible by the generosity of donors.  Since launching its grant program in 2001, the WFRI has awarded more than $600,000 to organizations developing innovative programs that seek to promote gender equity and improve the lives of women and girls in RI.

The focus of this year’s funding will be the findings in the Status of Working Women in Rhode Island report released earlier this year in collaboration with the Economic Progress Institute.  To learn more about WFRI’s funding focus, eligibility criteria, and how to apply, refer to the Guidelines for a Grant Application and Grant Application.  Applications will be accepted from now through June 15, 2017.  Grant awards will be announced on October 11, 2017.

Womenomics:  Women Leading Change

On June 7, WFRI will be hosting a “Womenomics:  Women Leading Change” Celebration at the RISD Museum, 5:30-8:30pm, featuring a keynote presentation by Jackie VanderBrug of U.S. Trust, on why investing in and through women makes great economic sense.  WFRI will also be honoring Susan Rittscher, CEO of the Center for Women & Enterprise with the Women’s Fund Leadership Award.  Register

Nevins Featured on GoLocal Providence Live on Gender Equality in Politics

Kelly Nevins, the Executive Director of Women’s Fund of RI, was featured in a GoLocal Providence Live segment on how gender equality in Rhode island could re-shape politics in the state.  “We know that when we have more women in leadership, that things get better for women in general. So helping women to run  for office is something we’ll be looking at,” Nevins says.

Nevins says besides public office, they hope to help women establish more presence in corporate board rooms.  Nevins says WFRI is focused on working with partners to pass laws that will provide earned sick time for all private sector employees. They are also working to continue access to insurance and reproductive health care services.

Health Intersection Resources

by Posted in Collective Impact, Health and Wellness, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

“If you want to lower my blood pressure, pay my rent.”

LISC:  HEZ Work a Model for Upending Health Inequality

Depending on whether you are born in a prosperous or a poor American neighborhood, your life expectancy can vary by as much as 25 years.  In a blog post for Build Healthy Places, Julia Ryan, LISC’s director of health and safety programs explains how Rhode Island’s Health Equity Zones (HEZ) are working to close the longevity gap.  As lead agency for two of those zones, LISC is helping to tackle the deep-rooted problems underlying that gap with a multi-strategy action plan.

Asset Funders Network:  Health and Wealth Connections

As GCRI panelists discussed at the January roundtable on Social Determinants of Health, pursuing positive health outcomes requires understanding the intersection of health and a variety of social and economic challenges.  Asset Funders Network recently released Health and Wealth Connections, a resource for funders concerned about the connection between health and financial security.

Far beyond health care access and affordability, wealth and numerous social factors related to where people live, work, and play impacts a person’s health. Data indicates assets, income, and health are inexorably linked. Good health is associated with higher wealth and income, better employment and education.

Authors Jason Q. Purnell, PhD, MPH & Anjum Hajat, PhD, MPH, explored with participants how health and wealth are connected and discussed how health impacts are more significant for low-income, vulnerable populations particularly people of color. The authors shared compelling evidence for investment in strategies and policies that consider both the physical well-being and economic stability of individuals, families, and communities.   View Brief and the webinar 

Children’s Healthwatch:  “Intersection of Health and Housing” and Caring for the Children of Immigrants

Children’s HealthWatch, has made available the recording of its webinar, The Intersection of Health and Housing, as well as related resources.  Webinar and resources here.

According to Children’s Healthwatch, pediatricians across the country are also seeing the harmful effects of anxiety about immigration-related Executive Orders and rhetoric on the health of their young patients.  In a recent blog post Children’s HealthWatch Principal Investigator, Dr. Diana Cutts, discusses the impact that policies have on her patients and expresses fear for the future of those children both directly and indirectly affected by harmful policies.

Grantmakers in the Arts:  Medicine and the Arts

Grantmakers in the Arts released a literature review on the growing field of arts in medicine. The review outlines the various ways in which artists and healthcare institutions work together to support patient and community heath, the infrastructure that exists to support this work, and how funders can support further development of the field.

Collaborative Funding for Children’s Health: San Joaquin Valley Health Fund

In order to address pressing issues facing children living in poverty, regional funders in the San Joaquin Valley of California embraced a collective impact model to address children’s health issues.  Using a learning community model, nonprofit partners receive modest grants to strengthen their capacity to engage in collective advocacy while building relationships, receiving technical assistance, and sharing best practices. As a result, the fifty-eight nonprofits currently working with the Fund have agreed to support a regional policy platform that employs a social-determinants-of-health approach focused on access to health coverage, early childhood investment, affordable housing, environmental health, and employment. Report

Funding Crisis for Public Health and Safety:  State by State Public Health Funding and Key Health Facts 2017

Reminder:  Don’t forget that Grantmakers in Health will be having their annual, national conference in Boston June 21-23.  Be sure to connect with colleagues from across the country without paying for airfare!  More information

LISC Highlights: HEZ, Financial Opportunity Centers, Early Learning Work

by Posted in Basic Need, Children & Youth, Collective Impact, Community Development, Education, Financial Literacy, Health and Wellness, Leveraging to Multiply Impact, Member Highlights, Member News, Philanthropy, Policy, Resources for Community Organizations

HEZ Work a Model for Upending Health Inequality

Depending on whether you are born in a prosperous or a poor American neighborhood, your life expectancy can vary by as much as 25 years.  In a blog post for Build Healthy Places, Julia Ryan, LISC’s director of health and safety programs explains how Rhode Island’s Health Equity Zones (HEZ) are working to close the longevity gap.  As lead agency for two of those zones, LISC is helping to tackle the deep-rooted problems underlying that gap with a multi-strategy action plan.

LISC Financial Opportunity Center Success Story Featured on NPR

A recent NPR “Hidden Brain” podcast featured Brandi Drew, a client at a Financial Opportunity Center® in Detroit. In this podcast, Drew describes how financial coaching helped her escape the “scarcity trap.”  View the story here.  A five year, federal grant from the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) that was matched by local private and corporate grants, made it possible for Rhode Island LISC to invest over $2.3 million into four Financial Opportunity Centers® located at Amos House, Genesis Center, Providence Housing Authority and Community Care Alliance.  The Social Innovation Fund has not been included in the new federal spending proposal to fund the government through September 30.

 Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Report Released

In 2015 and 2016, by providing small grants and technical support, the LISC Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund (RICCELFF) enabled 83 early learning centers across Rhode Island to dramatically improve the learning environments in their facilities. The grants, which totaled $2.3 million, were made possible by the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, a U.S. Department of Education program designed to support high-quality early learning programs as well as increase the number of low-income and disadvantaged children who are enrolled in them. Read the report here.

“2016 By the Numbers” Video

LISC recently released a video highlighting the resources that it invested in Rhode Island in 2016.  LISC provided over 2,000 hours of technical assistance to over 150 groups, awarded over $3.5 million in grants and invested over $21 million in real state statewide.  LISC’s strategies include increasing family income & wealth, stimulating economic development, improving access to quality education and supporting healthy environments and lifestyles.  Watch the video to learn more about their impact!

New Exponent and CEP Reports on Philanthropy’s Response to New Political Environment

by Posted in Philanthropy, Policy

The Center for Effective Philanthropy recently released “Shifting Winds: Foundations Respond to a New Political Context,” survey results from 162 foundation CEO’s across the country on their reactions and responses to the recent shift in national political context.  

The data shows that 48 percent of foundation CEOs believe the change in presidential administration will have a negative effect on their ability to achieve their goals — while 24 percent say they anticipate a mix of positive and negative effects, and 17 percent say it is too soon to tell. Additionally, almost three-quarters of foundation CEOs responding to the survey report making, or planning to make, some change in their work as a result of last year’s election, and about two-thirds of CEOs report planning to increase their emphasis on at least one practice in response (the most frequently cited being collaborating with other funders, advocacy/public policy at the state and/or local level, and convening grantees).

Phil Buchanan, CEP president and co-author of the report, presented the findings during his plenary presentation at the 2017 CEP Conference earlier this month in Boston, which you can watch here. Buchanan also introduced and contextualized the study in a post on the CEP blog, and the report’s findings were covered earlier this week in a piece in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Exponent Philanthropy, a network of small foundations, conducted a survey of 324 small foundations and found that more than three-quarters of them expect philanthropy to play a more important role in society given the changes in Washington.

Those changes, Exponent said in a statement, include an “aggressive congressional agenda, the potential for sweeping policy changes, and the unconventional style of the new administration…This administration is a disaster for essentially every aspect of our agenda, but the very egregiousness of its behavior is laying the basis for a new social movement…This is a very different transition,” said Henry Berman, Exponent’s chief executive. “It’s not business as usual.”

According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Mr. Berman said that some grant makers planned to increase their giving because they saw the government receding from spending and policies that support their missions. Others, anticipating a surge in financial markets under President Trump, planned to use increased earnings from their endowments to distribute more money to causes where they believe the federal government should limit its involvement.

 

Newport Named Finalist for Campaign for Grade-Level Reading All-America City Award

by Posted in Children & Youth, Education, Member Highlights, Member News, Philanthropy

Newport, Rhode Island was named one of the 27 finalist cities for the 2017 All-America City Awards program sponsored by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (GLR).  The award recognizes communities that have made measurable progress for low-income children on the key drivers of early reading success — school readiness, school attendance, summer learning and grade-level reading.

Recognizing these communities as All-America Cities is our way of applauding the civic leaders, nonprofit organizations and agencies, and corporations that have joined forces to build brighter futures for the children in their communities,” said Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.  “We are proud of these communities for answering the call and going above and beyond to ensure more hopeful futures for our nation’s most vulnerable children.”

Congratulations to Newport, and to GCRI Member van Beuren Charitable Foundation, which is one of the funders of the Newport Campaign efforts!

Resources for Basic Needs Funders

by Posted in Basic Need, Events, Housing and Homelessness, Philanthropy, Policy

Funders Together to End Homelessness Policy Briefing Webinar

Last week, Funders Together to End Homelessness (FT) and its partners met with Secretary Ben Carson to brief him and HUD staff on homelessness  and housing issues. On Wednesday, May 17 at 3:00pm,  FT will provide a webinar debrief of this meeting and discuss philanthropy’s role in working with the Administration and Congress.  Nan Roman of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Diane Yentel of the National Low Income Housing Coalition will participate in this special advocacy focused webinar which will:

  • discuss the latest on the FY17 budget and what it means for FY18
  • look at advocacy engagement tools for philanthropy
  • hear examples of how Funders Together members are engaged in advocacy efforts both locally and nationally

Register 

Follow Up Resources for Trends and Innovations Roundtable

by Posted in Corporate Citizenship, Employee Engagement, Events, Philanthropy, Skills Based Volunteerism, Uncategorized

Thanks to those of you who participated in the April “Trends and Innovations in Philanthropy” roundtable to learn more about Impact Investing, Social Entrepreneurship, Nonprofit Capacity Building and Changing Perceptions Around the “Overhead Myth.”

If you’d like more information on Impact Investing, please plan on joining us on May 25, 1:00-2:30pm at the Rhode Island Foundation for a more in-depth look at Mission-Related Investments.  In addition, Mission Investors Exchange, a sister organization in the Forum, has many resources on its website and will be hosting its annual Mission Investing Institute on June 19-21 in Troy, Michigan at the Kresge Foundation.

For more information on the “Overhead Myth,” be sure to check out Dan Pallotta’s TED Talk, The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong.  Pallotta is the founder of the Charity Defense Council, which works to change the perceptions of Boards, donors and the public around the idea of nonprofit “overhead.”  Pallotta is a nationally recognized fundraiser, speaker and author of Uncharitable.  In addition, Northern California Grantmakers/San Diego Grantmakers/Southern California Grantmakers (GCRI’s sister organizations in the Forum) have released a report on their statewide “Real Cost Project,” an educational initiative for funders and nonprofits about eliminating the concept of “overhead,” and instead focusing on the “real cost” — all of the necessary investments for a nonprofit organization to deliver on mission and to be sustainable over the long term.  Through research, regional convenings, and senior level executive briefings, the project identified what it would take for funders to overcome institutional and sector-wide barriers and to be able to move from awareness to action.  Read the report.

 

 

Peace and Security Funding Resource

by Posted in Community Development, Global Philanthropy, Philanthropy, Policy

Peace & Security Funding Resource

The Peace and Security Funders Group and Foundation Center have recently updated the Peace & Security Funding Index: An Analysis of Global Foundation Grantmaking. The Index showcases the grantmaking institutions dedicated to building a more peaceful global future and analyzes funding for peace and security by issue, region served, strategy, and population. In 2014, the latest year in which complete data is available, 290 foundations supported over 1,800 organizations with $357 million! Explore it now ›