A whirlwind Day 1 of the 2015 CEP Conference has come to a close out here in San Francisco! A full day of programming and connecting saw colleagues catching up and sharing ideas, while four riveting plenaries discussed topics ranging from impact investing and beneficiary voice, to the leadership industry, to education and immigration reform funding, to issues of criminal justice reform, equal opportunity, and building a green economy.
Attendees and speakers have been busy weighing in on the day’s happenings on Twitter using the hashtag #CEP2015. Here are some highlights from Wednesday:
After welcoming remarks, CEP’s Phil Buchanan, Ellie Buteau, and Kevin Bolduc took to the stage to kick off the conference by sharing data and findings CEP has collected recently on several key topics for foundation leaders: aligning investment practices with missions, listening to and understanding the ultimate beneficiaries, and the ways in which workplace climate and staff experiences at foundations can ripple out of the organization walls and influence grantees’ experiences in meaningful ways.
Phil began the plenary by sharing new findings from CEP on impact investing and negative screening practices at large, private foundations. Results of this research were released Wednesday morning in a brand new CEP research report, Investing and Social Impact: Practices of Private Foundations.
#cep2015 opening plenary is underway! @philCEP discusses torrent of choices for fdn leaders pic.twitter.com/sVUsmfLDGe
— Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) (@CEPData) May 20, 2015
More than 40% of large, private foundations said in new CEP study they are engaging in impact investing. #cep2015 pic.twitter.com/kjcYObOeUm
— Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) (@CEPData) May 20, 2015
But dollars going to impact investing remain small, says @PhilCEP: just 2% of endowment or 0.5 percent of program budget at median #cep2015
— Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) (@CEPData) May 20, 2015
Jaw dropper: Most foundations have ZERO negative screens to filter out particular companies for investment, says @philCEP @CEPData #CEP2015
— Kresge Education (@kresgedu) May 20, 2015
Plenary room at #cep2015. Deeply discussing surprisingly low $ for impact investing revealed by @CEPData research. pic.twitter.com/QjTPg8I8p7
— Kevin Bolduc (@kmbolduc) May 20, 2015
#cep2015 lively discussion of impact investing and negative screening of investments. Both are still emerging trends.@philCEP
— Peter Long, Ph.D. (@PeterLongBSC) May 20, 2015
Next, Ellie Buteau took to the podium to share CEP research findings on listening to feedback from beneficiaries and nonprofit performance assessment.
Nonprofits see most foundations as lacking a deep understanding of beneficiaries’ needs, says @EButeau_CEP #cep2015 pic.twitter.com/XclknooPzj
— Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) (@CEPData) May 20, 2015
Having this conversation in Baltimore right now. Funders and nonprofits have to see each other as partners! https://t.co/UtmTP9MSr2
— E. Bomani Johnson (@EBomani) May 20, 2015
"The best funders realize they have much to learn from the nonprofits they fund." #cep2015
— Grant Oliphant (@go_grant) May 20, 2015
Kevin Bolduc then shared new findings on the alignments between staff and grantee perceptions.
.@kmbolduc on why foundation culture matters – translates into impact on grantees #CEP2015 pic.twitter.com/ng5U0oYyE7
— Michael Etzel (@etzel) May 20, 2015
Not surprisingly the internal culture of a foundation affects its practices externally. Apparently, Las Vegas rules do not apply. #cep2015
— Jara Dean-Coffey (@jdeancoffey) May 20, 2015
#truth #data from @kmbolduc. Singing my song on the critical importance of internal funder capacity #CEP2015 pic.twitter.com/AV9F4MIc78
— Chris Cardona (@chriscardona) May 20, 2015
Phil then returned to touch upon the importance of foundation effectiveness, answering the question: “Effectiveness for what?”
"Foundations are uniquely positioned to take on the toughest challenges" @philCEP rallies the community at #cep2015 pic.twitter.com/607l2HfPl9
— Henry Timms (@henrytimms) May 20, 2015
Next, Harvard Kennedy School Professor Barbara Kellerman delivered an impassioned and engaging talk critiquing the leadership industry and stressing the importance of understanding followership and context.
Barbara Kellerman taking on the sacred cows of the leadership industry @CEPData #CEP2015 so refreshing
— Blair Dimock (@blairatotf) May 20, 2015
https://twitter.com/waj97/status/601121352528048128
No time to tweet! Enthralled by Barbara Kellerman's breathless & provocative perspective on modern leadership. Shaking us up at #CEP2015.
— Sara Davis (@SaraLeeeDeee) May 20, 2015
It's "misleading and idiotic" to believe that by not being a leader, one is inherently a lesser. Barbara Kellerman not holding back #cep2015
— Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) (@CEPData) May 20, 2015
Barbara Kellerman's presentation kicked my butt, in a good way. Going to take some time to digest and process. Thanks, #CEP2015.
— Jessica David (@JDinRI) May 20, 2015
Next up, conference-goers attended one of seven breakouts, ranging from combating inequality to foundation board governance. We wish we could have been in seven places at once, but thanks to our Tweeters for sharing the wisdom and ideas exchanged.
Really pleased w/ frank discussion abt #foundation governance at #CEP2015. Good ideas for solving challenges we all face in board mtgs.
— Daniel Silverman (@DanielTweetman) May 20, 2015
Great session @CEPData #cep2015 w Patti Patrizi and Marilyn Darling on emergent approaches to learning and strategy
— Blair Dimock (@blairatotf) May 20, 2015
It's a plum gig to work in philanthropy. Do I need to hear from staff on how things are going? #CEP2015 lessons learned in evaluation.
— Elizabeth Schwan (@elizabethroot) May 20, 2015
Huge thanks to the panelists in the Income Inequality in the Bay Area & Beyond session. Awesome convo! #cep2015 pic.twitter.com/kkCOLlAYeE
— Whitney Ivie (@whitclick) May 20, 2015
POs can't succeed alone. They need org commitment & supportive culture to build strong relationships – Naomi @CEPData #CEP2015
— Heather Peeler (@hapeeler) May 20, 2015
To drive policy change, we need an issue that connects, clear goals, people power and strategic communications. #CEP2015
— Deanna Petersen (@deanna_petersen) May 20, 2015
After the breakout sessions, attendees reconvened in the Grand Ballroom for a conversation between Laurene Powell Jobs, Emerson Collective founder, and Fay Twersky, Director of the Effective Philanthropy Group at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Board member of CEP. Powell Jobs discussed her philanthropic work, focusing on the issues of college access and immigration reform.
Laurene Powell Jobs takes the stage at #CEP2015 talking about education and immigration #philanthropy pic.twitter.com/JeWIrQNExS
— Michael Etzel (@etzel) May 20, 2015
Laurene Powell Jobs is a great advocate for 2,500 mostly first-generation @collegetrack students in 8 centers, mostly in Bay Area #CEP2015
— Kresge Education (@kresgedu) May 20, 2015
LPJ: People have the ability to change the environments and systems in which we work. It just takes will. #CEP2015
— Clare Nolan (@claremnolan) May 21, 2015
Inspired by how much Laurene Powell Jobs has moved the needle in education #CEP2015 pic.twitter.com/VHfw1h7W0Z
— Allison Holmes (@allisonyonder) May 21, 2015
I am impressed by the level of policy detail Laurene Powell Jobs has mastered, emerging organically from service work. Good model. #CEP2015
— Chris Cardona (@chriscardona) May 21, 2015
"We are callously disregarding people who live in our midst," Laurene Powell Jobs on immigration #CEP2015
— Phil Buchanan (@philxbuchanan) May 21, 2015
Laurene Powell Jobs making connection between policy/advocacy, entrepreneurship, org capacity, and direct service. All necessary. #cep2015
— Kevin Bolduc (@kmbolduc) May 21, 2015
Laurene Powell Jobs concludes her remarks at #cep2015 with this great Emerson quote. pic.twitter.com/R9Z2j4NDgB
— brianwalsh (@brianwalsh) May 21, 2015
And bringing Wednesday to a close, CNN host and Dream Corps President and Founder Van Jones captivated the audience with a passionate talk laying out three priorities in his work: to close prison doors, open doors of opportunity, and open those doors into a green economy.
Listening to Van Jones at #CEP2015 evening dinner plenary pic.twitter.com/yBeATL6qC3
— Grace Chiang Nicolette (姜韻聲) (@GraceNicolette) May 21, 2015
#cep2015 Van Jones- an absolutely stunningly beautiful and compelling storyteller about what really matters. pic.twitter.com/PEBOkhZOR8
— SanDiegoGrantmakers (@SDGrantmakers) May 21, 2015
Effectiveness for what? To end racism, create opportunity, pursue justice. That's what for. Now, let's get to work. @VanJones68 #CEP2015
— Naomi Orensten (@naomiorensten) May 21, 2015
Our responsibility is to give every kid a ladder to climb. @VanJones68 #cep2015
— Kathy Reich (@kdreich) May 21, 2015
@VanJones on working w NewtGingrich prison reform "Turns out, you can work w people you don't agree with on things you do agree on"#CEP2015
— Crystal Hayling (@CHayling) May 21, 2015
.@VanJones68 receives a standing ovation to close out day 2 of #CEP2015 pic.twitter.com/bogkH48qtF
— Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) (@CEPData) May 21, 2015
Thanks to all our speakers and attendees for making this a wonderfully engaging day! We look forward to seeing what tomorrow will bring!
