Evidence-Based Practices to Better Ensure Impact: How evidence helps funders determine effective intervention
February 1, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
“We are in the midst of a revolution in philanthropy. While our field might not be practicing the equivalent of doctors bleeding their patients using leaches, philanthropy clearly acts very regularly without any real evidence that our actions will make a difference. However, the rise of evidence-based grantmaking is real. It might take a few Read More »
Keys to Advancement: Earning Leadership Credibility
February 6, 2013
Location: Paradise Bakery - Biltmore
Share your experiences, gain insights from your peers, and meet other foundation and philanthropy professionals in a relaxed, informal environment. The group discussed ways to advance your career and take on new responsibilities within your organization by earning leadership credibility by having confidence in your skills, knowing your weaknesses, and building up a team around Read More »
Spotlight on AGF Affinity Groups
February 22, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Arizona Grantmakers Forum members represent a wide range of funding interests. AGF affinity groups are designed to meet the needs of a specific type of funder (small, corporate, rural) and to better address a certain issue (education, health, evaluation, professional development). As AGF has evolved, affinity groups have become the primary vehicle for member networking Read More »
Small/Family Foundations Roundtable
February 27, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Small and Family Foundation staff gathered to discuss current projects, areas of interest, and opportunities for future collaboration. This informal discussion group allows staff from small foundations and family foundations to connect with peers to discuss topics and issues relevant to their grantmaking. Special thanks to the Chauncey Foundation and the Hickey Family Foundation for Read More »
Behavioral Health Arizona: Mental Health First Aid
March 7, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
After a brief overview of the state of behavioral health issues in Arizona, proponents of the new Mental Health First Aid program being developed in Arizona presented. Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking public education program that helps the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Mental Read More »
Forming Impactful Corporate-Nonprofit Partnerships
March 13, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
There are many benefits to a corporation in establishing a well-matched partnership with a nonprofit. This program featured two corporate funders who have experienced successful corporate-nonprofit alliances. They walked us through how the partnership started, what was involved and how they measured the outcomes. They also discussed best practices they learned in the process. This Read More »
Communicate Like a Pro: Tips from a Communications Insider
March 14, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Brad Halvorsen, Vice President of Communications, Flinn Foundation shared proven communication techniques and strategies that can be used at any level of an organization to communicate with confidence, clarity, and precision. Topics included tips on: ° Communicating to different audiences ° Internal collaboration-building ° Representing your organization Brad Halvorsen oversees Flinn Foundation’s communications activities, including Read More »
The BUILD Initiative & Opportunities for Funders
March 28, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
BUILD is a national initiative created in 2002 by the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, a consortium of private foundations. The BUILD Initiative supports state efforts to construct comprehensive early childhood development systems with coordinated, effective policies that address children’s health, mental health and nutrition, early care and education, family support and parenting programs and services Read More »
New Approaches to Ending Homelessness: How Funders Can Help Reframe Efforts in a Time of Change
April 19, 2013
Location: Encanto Pointe
This expert panel discussed the changes in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding priorities and what this means for Arizona’s homelessness assistance and housing programs. The panel addressed the new approaches to ending homelessness and how current systems need to change to take advantage of these new evidence-based practices. They also Read More »
Evaluating for Advocacy
May 15, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Tanya Beer is the associate director of the Center for Evaluation Innovation whose work focuses on the emerging field of advocacy evaluation. In this presentation, she discussed how the Center is working with the advocates, evaluators and funders who are committed to growing this field through collaboration. This presentation was hosted by the Arizona Evaluation Read More »
Collaborative Education Funding Forum
May 29, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Are you interested in learning more about the education funding collaborations that are happening in Arizona? Are you currently involved with an education funding collaboration which you’d like more colleagues to know about? Or are you working as a sole funder on something and you wish you had collaborative partners? Funders gathered to hear from Read More »
Small/Family Foundation Roundtable
June 5, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Small and family foundation staff gathered for a roundtable discussion around strategies and processes. The group discussed collaboration and partnerships, as well as investing best practices, with good dialogue around PRIs and MRIs. Special thanks to the Chauncey Foundation and the Hickey Family Foundation for sponsoring this affinity group!!
Bridging the Divide: Connecting the Head and Heart of Philanthropy
June 27, 2013
Location: Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL)
Empathy, defined as the experience of understanding others from their perspective, can bring meaning to and curiosity about what can be a world of seemingly endless need. Empathy may be considered the “softer side of philanthropy,” so how can grantmakers use it as a tool in effective grant making? Widespread Empathy, a publication by Grantmakers Read More »
Rural Funders Affinity Group Meeting
June 28, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Funders gathered to discuss the upcoming Arizona Rural Development Council (a project of Local First) Rural Policy Forum. About the Rural Policy Forum… Scheduled for August 8-9, 2013 the Rural Policy Forum will marry the successful “Linking Rural Organizations to Funders” format with a conversation on topics directly relevant to rural communities including destination marketing, Read More »
Connecting a Multi-Generational Workplace
July 15, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
There are four distinct generations in the workplace today. Most of us work closely with colleagues that span at least three, if not four of those generations and each generation brings their own views, opinions, and assumptions about the world to the workplace. But, despite the challenges of multiple generations in the workplace, how can Read More »
Expanding the Impact of Corporate Grantmaking: Corporate-Foundation Funding Collaboratives
July 16, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
When corporations and foundations partner as co-funders, they pool funds, resources and expertise that allow them to achieve greater impact together than they could on their own. A corporate-foundation partnership, like any collaboration, can face unique challenges, but the potential to have a more powerful impact can be a win-win situation for all involved, including Read More »
Opportunities Around ACA Implementation
July 18, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Beginning later this year, significant health coverage provisions contained in the federal health reform law go into effect. The federal health insurance exchange – the exclusive mechanism by which Arizonans can purchase federally subsidized health coverage – will be open for business. Up to 1.3 million Arizonans (individuals, families and small businesses) are predicted to Read More »
Creating a Culture of Employee Engagement
August 20, 2013
Location: US Airways
A comprehensive corporate philanthropy strategy has many moving parts that can impact an organization’s bottom line – including an engaged workforce. FedEx’s Director of Citizenship and Reputation, Cindy Conner, will share the innovative programs and strategies that FedEx uses to engage its 300,000 team members throughout 220 countries and territories and how that fits into Read More »
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
August 21, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Did you know the number one fear in the world is public speaking? This engaging session helped our members face their fears! The focus of the presentation was to provide tips and strategies for leading meetings and delivering effective and engaging presentations. The session gave advice to overcome speech anxiety and nervousness and provided resources Read More »
Small and Family Foundation Roundtable
September 17, 2013
Location: SLHI
Small and family foundation staff gathered for a roundtable discussion on the strategies and processes that lead to effective grantmaking. We discussed disaster relief philanthropy, ways foundation leaders vet nonprofits for grants, program evaluation measures, and more! Special thanks to the Chauncey Foundation and the Hickey Family Foundation for sponsoring this affinity group!!
Voter Engagement in Arizona with O’Connor House
September 30, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Sarah Suggs, President and CEO of the O’Connor House discussed their organization’s efforts to increase voter engagement, including the Great Voter Challenge, SpeakOut AZ and iCivics. The meeting provided all interested funders with the opportunity to learn more about what is happening in the civic engagement arena in Arizona. This program was a part of Read More »
Early Literacy Efforts in Arizona
September 30, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
The ability to read proficiently by third grade is vital to a child’s future academic and professional success. Literacy is a common thread among the four key skills of a 21st century student: critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. We learned about the public/private collaboration, Read On Arizona; Arizona’s State Literacy Plan; Move on When Read More »
Coffee Talk: The Multi-Generational Workplace
October 9, 2013
Location: Paradise Bakery - Biltmore
These days our colleagues span at least three, if not four of current generations in the workplace and each generation brings their own views, opinions, and assumptions about the world to the workplace. Despite the challenges of multiple generations in the workplace, how can we leverage the unique contributions and perspectives that each bring to Read More »
Transcending Tradition: Expanding the Grantmaker Toolbox with Prizes, Contests and Crowdfunding
October 22, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Prizes, competitions and crowdsourcing are innovative and even fun, but they require a great deal of organization, communications support and specialized technology. In this session, panelists who have pioneered into this new territory of creative funding methods: Introduced alternative forms of grantmaking and fundraising that include the general public and/or expand locus of control beyond Read More »
Efforts in Arizona to Engage Underrepresented Voters
October 31, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Patrick McWhortor, President and CEO of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, discussed the joint effort by his organization and Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition (PAFCO) to increase voter engagement. He shared information about their celebration of National Voter Registration Day and efforts to increase awareness of off-year elections. The meeting provided all interested funders with the Read More »
Ask the Evaluator!
November 19, 2013
Location: Valley of the Sun United Way
Grantmakers face the challenge of evaluating their own practices, outcomes and impact as well as those of their grantees – and of using this information to benefit future efforts. This is your chance to look closer at your organization’s evaluation process. Join your colleagues for an informal session where you can ask AGF’s expert evaluators your burning questions.
Small/Family Foundation Roundtable
November 20, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
Small and family foundation staff gathered for a roundtable discussion on the issues and processes surrounding effective grantmaking. We asked the group to provide questions or topics to discuss with other small or family foundation colleagues and provided an opportunity to share current projects and collaborations. Special thanks to the Chauncey Foundation and the Hickey Read More »
Corporate Funders Networking Happy Hour
December 11, 2013
Location: The Vig - Uptown
AGF members took a break from the holiday madness for a chance to mix and mingle after work and celebrate the end of the year. Thank you to all who joined us!
Cultivating a Culture of High Performance
December 19, 2013
Location: Arizona Community Foundation
During GEO’s history of working with grantmakers to help them effectively support nonprofits and communities, they’ve discovered an interesting connection. Those grantmakers who embody practices that really help nonprofits succeed also tend to share some of the same core values in their work. Kathleen Enright, President & CEO of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations spoke about Read More »
2013 AGF Annual Meeting
December 19, 2013
Location:
Kathleen P. Enright, President and CEO of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO), was the keynote speaker at our 2013 Annual Meeting. She led a discussion regarding the connection between what we do and how we do it, and provided basic practices for a culture that is conducive to high performance. Program Materials Visit our YouTube Read More »
Peer Learning: Forming Impactful Partnerships
May 1, 2103
Location: Paradise Bakery - Biltmore
Collaboration is a vital step to building successful, sustainable programs in our community, but building those partnerships effectively and successfully can be a challenge. The Professional Development Group hosted an informal, peer-learning session based on building impactful partnerships. Two articles that gave context to the discussion were “A Guide to Forming Effective Partnerships” from Boston Read More »