When
Monday, November 13, 2017 at 5:00 PM EST-to-
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 2:00 PM EST
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November 13th - 15th, 2017 Buffalo, New York
The New York State Funders Conference is a biennial event that brings foundations, grantmakers, individual philanthropists, government funders, corporate giving programs, and philanthropic advisors together for unparalleled opportunities for shared learning, exchanging ideas, and networking with peers.
This year's conference theme - Transforming the Box - Thinking Inside, Outside, and All Around Philanthropy - highlights the interest of philanthropy to strengthen its best practice grantmaking while striving to learn and grow on behalf of the communities we serve.
Conference Schedule At a Glance (full schedule available here)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13th
Pre-Conference
- ESS Workshop (1pm - 4pm): Essential Skills for Grantmakers workshop designed for those with less than three years' experience in the field. (Separate registration and fee required)
- Engage New York Funder Meeting (2pm - 4pm): foundation leaders interested in the intersection between community and civic engagement, community organizing, and policy should attend this off-site meeting sponsored by Engage New York. Learn More Here.
- CEO and Trustee Reception (5pm): join your colleagues and our Keynote Speaker, Wes Moore, for a light reception before the keynote address (Registration sent under separate cover to foundation CEOs and trustees)
Conference Formally Begins at 5:30pm (registration starting at 3pm)
- Keynote Address and Formal Dinner featuring Wes Moore, CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation: The conference will kick off with a keynote address featuring Wes Moore, a respected philanthropic leader, best-selling author, social entrepreneur, and US Army combat veteran. The keynote presentation will accompany a formal dinner for all attendees. (Please RSVP during registration) The keynote address is made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.
- Dessert Reception for All Funders: catch up with your colleagues from across the State at an informal reception after dinner!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH
- Morning Plenary Session featuring Michael Moody, Frey Chair for Family Philanthropy at the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy: Dr. Moody serves as a guide to the rapidly evolving and complex landscape of philanthropy and social innovation, helping audiences see the vital role that giving plays in society, and expanding both the practice and understanding of multi-generational philanthropy.
- Concurrent Breakout Sessions: including topics such as human centered design, the 2020 Census, food systems, and the community foundation business model.
- Putting People at the Center of Philanthropy: this luncheon plenary session for all attendees will feature a dynamic panel of professionals from Ideas42, MASS Design Group, and Overlap Associates utilizing a range of methods and perspectives to apply human centered design thinking in a variety of fields. This plenary session is made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York.
- Philanthropy in Motion: these sessions will bring you out into the community to see the impact and roles philanthropy on the transformation of the City of Buffalo. (Separate registration to follow)
- Reception: join us for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at the Curtiss Hotel located inside the recently renovated Harlow C. Curtiss Building, a national historic landmark.
- Dine Arounds: grab dinner at a variety of restaurants and meet new colleagues or reconnect with old friends
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH
- Concurrent Breakout Sessions: including topics such as legislative advocacy, immigrants and refugees, organizational tools, neighborhood revitalization, collective impact, and race, equity and inclusion
- Luncheon Plenary featuring Amy Liu, Vice President and director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings: in this session Amy Liu will discuss how communities - with their partners in the philanthropic sector - must work to create more inclusive economies that maximize the participation of people, places, and businesses in economic growth and enable people to be creators of opportunity, not just beneficiaries of growth. This plenary session is made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Conference Formally Concludes at 2pm
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
- Morning Sessions: on Tuesday and Wednesday morning before the conference begins join us for yoga or sketching sessions (Please RSVP during registration)
- Stay tuned as more events are finalized and the conference website is updated!
CANCELLATION POLICY
The NY Funders Alliance understands that from time to time a registrant may have to cancel their attendance. NY Funders will assess the following fees for cancellations: 20% of your registration fees for cancellations made on or before October 31st OR 75% of your registration fees for cancellations made after that date. Another option is to transfer your registration to another person within your organization.
