Philanthropy for an Interdependent World
Pocantico Conferences January - June, 2004
ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTMAKERS ACCOCIATION (EGA) MANAGEMENT BOARD STRATEGIC PLAN RETREAT
January 7 - 9, 2004
Sponsored by the Environmental Grantmakers Association
The Environmental Grantmakers Association management board and staff met to discuss and determine EGA's mission, values and goals to result in a work plan for the next five years.
PHILANTHROPY AND THE INNER LIFE: CONTEMPLATIVE RESOURCES IN DIFFICULT TIMES
January 14-16, 2004
Sponsored by The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society
(http://www.contemplativemind.org/)
The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society convened 30 foundation executives and trustees and individual philanthropists for a retreat at Pocantico. Meditation teacher and author Jon Kabat-Zinn introduced contemplative practices to participants and talked to them about the potential benefits of practice in their personal and professional lives, including its potential for affecting positive social and cultural shifts.
CARPATHIAN FOUNDATION STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING
January 17 - January 20, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Pocantico Conference Line of the Budget and the President's Discretionary Fund)
(http://www.carpathianfoundation.org/)
Carpathian Foundation board and staff members, stakeholders, and donors convened at Pocantico for a discussion on the Foundation's future strategic directions in the light of upcoming European enlargement with special regard to the transatlantic cooperation. The Carpathian Foundation works in a five-country region in Central and Eastern Europe.
COMMUNICATING ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE: A DIALOGUE ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES (REC's) IN THE MARKETPLACE
January 22 - 23, 2004
Sponsored by the World Resource Institute (WRI)
The World Resource Institute brought together key stakeholders supporting renewable energy for two days of intensive work to develop agreement on the issues that face renewable energy certificates (RECs). Participants in the Dialogue began developing recommendations for further work to ensure that renewable energy generators will be recognized in emerging air emissions programs.
INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE CLINICAL NETWORK
January 26 - 28, 2004
Sponsored by The Philanthropic Collaborative for Integrative Medicine
(http://www.pcintegrativemedicine.org/)
The Philanthropic Collaborative for Integrative Medicine, dedicated to transforming the culture and delivery of health care, convened the first meeting of the Clinical Network. This was the first meeting to bring the leaders of these practices together to share experiences, to understand and synthesize the successful elements of clinical practices, and to establish a vibrant community of support upon which individual centers can draw.
PLANNING RETREAT FOR THE HANDBOOK STRATEGY GROUP
January 30 - February 1, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Peace & Security Budget)
(http://www.usintheworld.org/ )
As part of the Fund's collaborative initiative to create a guide for communicators on America's role in the world, RBF staff brought together a small group of advisors, who have been most closely involved in the initiative, to discuss challenges and opportunities associated with the publication and dissemination of the handbook.
MULTI-STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP ON PARTNERSHIPS AND UN-CIVIL SOCIETY RELATIONSHIPS
February 10 - 12, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
( www.un.org/reform/panel.htm )
This workshop was convened by the secretariat of the Cardoso Panel (The UN Secretary-General's Panel of Eminent Persons on UN-Civil Society Relationships), to generate inputs to the work of the Panel in the area of multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve global goals and how these may be affecting the governance processes at the United Nations. A report of the workshop is available on the Panel's web site at file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/rfc/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/OLKE/www.un.org/reform/panel.htm .
LABORATORIES FOR THE FUTURE: FOSTERING INNOVATION IN DEMOCRATIC PRACTICE
February 15 - 17, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Democratic Practice Budget)
The RBF and the Policy Consensus Initiative convened a workshop to engage participants in dialogue about the ways to overcome challenges to innovating and improving governance, especially at the state and community level, and to identify opportunities for actions that will advance the use of new governance mechanisms and structures.
DEVELOPING A CANADIAN GREEN HOUSE GAS REDUCTION PLAN
February 20 - 22, 2004
Sponsored by Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Sustainable Development Program)
In January 2004, Canada's Prime Minister Paul Martin challenged his government to develop a long term climate action plan. Hoping to meet this challenge, responsible officials from Canada's federal and provincial governments met at this RBF organized conference with their counterparts from Germany, the U.K. and Massachusetts to hammer out a research agenda designed to develop policy options around energy efficiency, renewable energy development, technology innovation, transportation reform, municipal action, GHG reductions finance, emissions trading, and stakeholder engagement.
DANCE THEATER WORKSHOP (DTW) CONFERENCE
February 28 - 29, 2004
Sponsored by the Dance Theater Workshop with a Leadership Grant from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
After a year of operations in Dance Theater Workshop's new Doris Duke Performance Center and the succession of DTW's long-time Executive Director in July of 2003, DTW's Board of Directors and staff launched a 12-month strategic planning process in September 2003 to identify the vision and priorities for DTW moving forward. Halfway through the process in February 2004, thirty of the forty-member DTW board convened to address key areas that will impact the leadership and management of the institution for the next 5 to 10 years in areas of Board Development and Fundraising, Financial Stabilization, Marketing and Programs.
KEY STANDARDS ISSUES IN EVOLVING GLOBAL PROCESSES
March 1 - 2, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Democratic Practice Budget)
RBF Program Officers Michael Conroy and Michael Northrop brought together a group of representatives of key Fund grantees and outside experts on standards issues, as part of the ongoing review of the Global Governance portion of the Democratic Practice portfolio. The meeting served as a basis for helping those grantees coordinate better their future activities.
THE TRUST FOR CIVIL SOCIETY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE BOARD RETREAT
March 3-5, 2004
Sponsored by The Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe
The board of The Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe held its second retreat to reflect both on what has been achieved to date in year 2003 and what has been learned from that experience; to examine board and staff dynamics that might be improved to advance the organization's objectives more effectively in the future; and to develop an organizational work plan for 2004.
DEMOS STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT
March 8 - 9, 2004
Sponsored by Demos
Demos: A Network for Ideas and Action convened board and key members of the staff to conduct an in-depth discussion about the organization's core purposes, core values, and overall strategic approach. The board and staff engaged in a rigorous and fruitful discussion about what adjustments to make to the organization's current strategic approach and how such changes might affect programmatic direction.
TELLING THE STORY OF THE STATE OF THE PLANET'S ENVIRONMENT
March 12 - 14, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Peace & Security Budget)
This conference brought together a diverse group of leaders - scientists, filmmakers, museum leaders, visualization technology experts, social scientists, artists, and activists - who are engaged in communicating with Americans about global environmental change. Together, the group considered effective ways of framing global environmental challenges like climate change.
INTEGRATED DESIGN ROUNDTABLE
March 17 - 19, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
In response to the growing interest in green or sustainable buildings, a roundtable meeting of key industry and academic players in the building industry was assembled by the Partnership for Achieving Construction Excellence (PACE) at Penn State University. Participants met for two days to develop a shared understanding of the integrated design process and produce a research agenda supporting a transformation of the building industry.
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE - LIVING CITIES RETREAT
March 25 - 26, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
(http://www.environmentaldefense.org/)
Environmental Defense convened a retreat of its board and staff experts from around the country to focus on environmental challenges specific to urban communities. The meeting developed specific campaign goals in three main areas: combating the national asthma epidemic; attracting investment to underused urban lands; and using market-based techniques to protect open spaces at the leading edge of sprawl.
THE STATE OF YOUTH ORGANIZING IN NYC: A DIALOGUE FOR GROUPS AND FUNDERS
March 31, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Pivotal Places Incentive Fund); Surdna Foundation; Overbrook Foundation; Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing; and Merck Family Fund
This groundbreaking gathering brought together foundation program staff; youth organizing practitioners; and two facilitators from LISTEN, an RBF grantee and leading youth organizing intermediary; to foster a model supporting infrastructure for youth organizing groups in NYC. This initial introductory conversation represented an important moment for youth organizing in NYC and provided a solid foundation on which to base future conversations.
NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS (NYFA)
April 1 - 2, 2004
Sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts with a Leadership Grant from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
The Board of Trustees and senior staff of New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) convened to evaluate NYFA's 2000 Strategic Plan's successes and weaknesses and to examine NYFA's future in light of the current economic climate. Together, they successfully developed certain action steps and a timeline for their goals in order to advance an institutional vision and to secure NYFA's future.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FUNDERS RETREAT
April 13 - 14, 2004
Sponsored by the Beldon Fund
The Beldon Fund convened eighteen representatives of foundations engaged in environmental health to identify opportunities for working together more effectively. This gathering, a follow-up to an earlier Pocantico meeting in July 2002, gave birth to a new initiative designed to facilitate more strategic, proactive, and collaborative funding toward precautionary regulation of chemicals and other environmental contaminants.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO
April 19, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Pivotal Place Balkans Budget)
The Pocantico conference provided an opportunity for Montenegrin leaders to have an off-the -record discussion with experts from the United States, other countries and international agencies about transforming the concept of national sustainable development into an operational strategy. Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic gave the opening address. Other speakers included Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator of UNDP; Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Earth Institute, Columbia University; Len Good, Chairman and CEO, Global Environment Facility; as well as Steven Rockefeller, RBF Chair.
BUILDING CIVIL SOCIETY IN RUSSIA: A TRANSATLANTIC PARTNERHSIP
April 21 - 22, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
At this meeting, founding documents for the first European, Russian and American joint philanthropic initiative were signed. The New Eurasia Foundation was established by three partners: the Washington-headquartered Eurasia Foundation, the Madariaga European Foundation in Brussels, and the Moscow-based Dynasty Foundation. The New Eurasia Foundation will work in the areas of civil society, private enterprise development, education, and public administration and policy.
SUSTAINABILITY RETREAT
April 26 - 28, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
The Center for a New American Dream and The Natural Step convened a gathering of leaders representing national and regional sustainability organizations. The purpose of the retreat was to discuss how to improve collaboration among like-minded groups and rapidly redirect production and consumption in a sustainable direction, especially in North America. For a full conference report, contact Betsy Taylor at Center for a New American Dream ( betsy@newdream.org ).
PROMOTING AND EXPANDING LAND CARE/STEWARDSHIP IN THE U.S.
May 2 - 3, 2004
Sponsored by the Coevolution Institute
The Coevolution Institute convened an Exploratory Feasibility Conference focusing on "Promoting and Expanding Land Care/Stewardship in the U.S." The meeting was designed to offer conservation leaders an opportunity to explore the need and potential for creating a broadly active and successful land care/stewardship movement in the U.S. in the near future.
FOUNDATION EXECUTIVES GROUP MEETING
May 6 - 7, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund; The Ford Foundation; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; The Rockefeller Foundation; The Commonwealth Fund; The MacArthur Foundation; the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of NY; The Atlantic Philanthropies; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Pew Charitable Trusts; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
( http://www.fordfound.org/; http://www.mellon.org/; http://www.hewlett.org/; http://www.rockfound.org/; http://www.cmwf.org/; http://www.macfound.org/; http://www.sloan.org/; http://www.carnegie.org/; http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/; http://www.rwjf.org/; http://www.wkkf.org/; http://www.pewtrusts.com/; http://www.gatesfoundation.org/; http://www.mott.org/
This annual meeting called together the Presidents of America's leading foundations. The foucs this year was on foundation accountability and governance. The gathering produced draft governance principles that were signed by eleven foundation Presidents, including Stephen Heintz. The principles were subsequently endorsed by the RBF board at the June meeting and are now published on the RBF website.
ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS CONFERENCE
May 12 - 14, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
(http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/)
The conference on economic impact analysis (EIA) addressed several key issues facing those who use EIA studies to try to measure the economic importance of cultural activities. Participants included policy-oriented macroeconomists; government and N.G.O. officials who frequently use EIA studies; academic economists who weigh the relative merits of economic impact studies against other extant valuation techniques; and a variety of arts practitioners and advocates who often use economic impact studies.
MANHATTAN YOUTH STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT
May 15 - 16, 2004
Sponsored by Manhattan Youth with a Grant from the RBF Staff Grantmaking Fund
(http://www.manhattanyouth.org/)
Manhattan Youth's board of directors, key staff, and community leaders convened a strategic planning retreat to focus on how its new community center will change the organization and how best to implement such change. Manhattan Youth, lower Manhattan's oldest and largest community organization, was scheduled to build lower Manhattan's first community based center. The project was changed and delayed until now by the attack on the World Trade Center.
U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL (USGBC) LEEDTM COMMERCIAL INTERIORS TECHINCAL CHARETTE
May 20 - 22, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund
The U.S. Green Building Council convened design professionals, scientists, government representatives, environmental advocates and other stakeholders involved in the design and construction of building interiors. The goal of the meeting, to gather sufficient information and consensus to enable the USGBC to complete the LEED Commercial Interiors rating system and send it out to membership for ballot, was accomplished.
THE AMERICAN FORUM FOR GLOBAL EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION
May 24 - May 26, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Peace & Security Budget)
The American Forum for Global Education convened its Board of Directors, staff and colleagues for a strategic planning retreat. The objectives of the retreat were to reevaluate the Forum's programs according to the current state of global education and to develop a course of action that would make the American Forum more effective in carrying out its mission.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS AND FAMILY PHILANTHROPY: STEPPING INTO THE FUTURE
June 3 - 4, 2004
Sponsored by the National Center for Family Philanthropy and The Philanthropic Initiative
The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) and The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) convened a group of community foundation CEO's. The focus of the meeting was to enable community foundation CEOs to creatively explore some crucial issues and opportunities their organizations, and the field, face as they work with the fast-growing world of family philanthropy. The national organizations serving community foundations-represented at the meeting by NCFP, TPI, Council on Foundations, R&D Incubator, and the C.S. Mott Foundation-acquired concrete ideas about the challenges and successes community foundations of different sizes and missions face. The Summit was funded, in part, through a grant from the C.S. Mott Foundation.
JAPAN SOCIETY GLOBAL AFFAIRS STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING
June 11, 2004
Sponsored by the Japan Society
(http://www.japansociety.org/)
Japan Society, a New York City-based non-profit and the largest independent American organization devoted to promoting greater understanding and cooperation between the United States and Japan in a global context, convened a one-day strategic planning meeting to develop an integrated vision for its newly created Global Affairs division.
THE GRANTMAKING SCHOOL PILOT SESSION
June 13 - 16, 2004
Sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Democratic Practice Budget)
This was the pilot session of The Grantmaking School, the first university-based, practitioner-led continuing education program for foundation program officers. The Grantmaking School is a division of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership of Grand Valley State University, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its objective is to improve foundation effectiveness through advanced training in grantmaking techniques. A total of 23 program officers from foundations nationwide attended the session, and returned strongly positive evaluations of the experience.
PUBLIC EDUCATION NETWORK (PEN) BOARD OF DIRECTORS RETREAT
June 17 - 18, 2004
Sponsored by the Public Education Network
(http://www.publiceducation.org/)
At the annual retreat of the PEN Board of Directors, board and staff convened to focus on strategies for conducting a national campaign to build widespread support for quality public education, and on ways to strengthen LEFs to become more effective in systemic school reform and community building.
COALITION FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIES (CERES) STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING
June 21 - 23, 2004
Sponsored by CERES
The 2004 Ceres Board of Directors Retreat looked to frame a strategic discussion on the future course for the organization. Three main items were discussed: 1) Action on climate risk as a sustainability issue; 2) disclosure in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative; and 3) re-thinking our engagement of companies endorsing the Ceres Principles.
STATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IN THE MID-HUDSON REGION
June 27 - 28, 2004
Sponsored by the Hudson River Foundation for Science and Environmental Research
The Hudson River Foundation for Science and Environmental Research convened its board of directors, staff and experts on environmental science and policy concerning the mid-Hudson River. The purpose of this gathering was to review the state of scientific understanding of the Hudson River in the Haverstraw and Peekskill Bay reaches of the river.
