Member eBrief - September 2019

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Happy Fall!

Fall Leaves - Photo by Anthony Rossbach on Unsplash

Autumn is here and CCP is busy wrapping up our 50th anniversary year. I am pleased to share some updates for the remainder of 2019:

In an effort to deepen CCP’s connections to the nonprofit community, I agreed to serve as a board director for the CT Nonprofit Alliance. I am excited to represent the philanthropic community and support The Alliance in this new role.

CCP has launched new strategic planning this month, and your input is critical to our process. We will be reaching out to you in the coming weeks to participate in a member survey. Please take a few minutes to share your ideas and aspirations for CCP.

We are looking for new leaders. With strategic planning underway, it’s an exciting time for CCP as we seek board member nominations. Board service is an excellent way to lead and support Connecticut's philanthropic community.

We welcomed two part-time team members. Annie and Kobe will help us over the next few months with member programs, data, and communications.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 3! We have invited Phil Buchanan, author of Giving Done Right and CEO of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, to join us in Connecticut. Additional details will be coming very soon.

Finally, look for your 2020 CCP membership renewal letter in early November. As we did last year, we’re inviting members and other partners to sponsor our 2020 publications and programs. If you have any questions, please contact me or Dee Goodrich.

I hope that you are enjoying autumn in Connecticut, and I hope to see you soon!

Best regards,

Karla Fortunato
CCP President

The power of good work . . . CCP updates >>    

The power of good networks . . . CCP featured events >>

The power of good networks . . . Membership >>

The power of good connections . . . Funder opportunities >>

The power of good connections . . . Member news >>

The power of good connections . . . Job opportunities >>

The power of good ideas . . . New resources >>

The power of good people . . . Colleague news >>             

  The power of good work . . . CCP updates    

A Call for CCP Board Nominations 

The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy seeks nominations for candidates to our Board of Directors. The board is especially interested in candidates with expertise in: financial management, communications, human resources, and racial equity. We seek candidates with a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives for our Board of Directors. If you are interested in nominating yourself or a colleague, or if you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Karla Fortunato, 860-525-5585.

CCP Resources: Equitable Evaluation Practices in Philanthropy >>

As you may know, CCP is a partner with Associations Advancing Equitable Evaluation Practices, a group working to build the field equitable evaluation. We recently hosted a webinar with our partners, Evaluation as a Tool for Equity – A Primer on Equitable Evaluation. The webinar, which provides background on evaluation’s historical role in philanthropy alongside the principles of equitable evaluation, can be viewed online.

2020 Sponsorship Opportunities

CCP is excited to offer Connecticut funders and professional organizations the opportunity to support our work and raise their visibility with the philanthropic sector. 2020 Sponsorships include the Connecticut Philanthropy Digest, Connecticut Giving Report, CCP's 2020 Annual Conference, and a CT Statewide Funder Meeting. Learn more by clicking on the individual links or download the complete sponsor package >>

Help Improve Our Data: eReport Your Grants Data >>

As we gear up for the next Connecticut Giving Report with 2017 FYE information, please help CCP by electronically reporting your grants data to Foundation Center (Candid). Candid is our primary source of grants data for informing the Giving in Connecticut Report, and powering our CT Foundations Stats and CT Grantmaking Map tools. If all CCP Members reported their grants data, we would have an even more robust and accurate accounting of where grant dollars go and improve analysis to inform your strategy and grantmaking.

Foundation Center is collecting data for FY2017 through FY2019, and you can submit past years, as well. If you have grants management software, you can easily export a report to the Foundation Center. Submitting an excel spread is also acceptable. Learn more and report today. CCP's Director of Communications Laurie Allen looks forward connecting with and assisting CCP member organizations that have not yet reported their grants data.

Early Childhood Funding Priority Survey >>

Help CCP's Early Childhood Funder Collaborative (ECFC) better understand your foundation's funding priorities and strategies, its interest in early childhood issues, and its interest in joining our growing collaboration of grantmakers. Your input will help ECFC create opportunities for collaborative action and develop effective resources and programming for grantmakers in Connecticut.

Please share your input by Tuesday, October 1. One response per organization. Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CT_Funders_2019 >>

Hurricane Resources >>

CCP, with the help of the United Philanthropy Forum and other organizations, has compiled a list of resources regarding Hurricane Dorian and ways to support communities impacted by the storm.

Welcome Two CCP Team Members

We are thrilled to welcome Annie Adams to CCP and to the Connecticut philanthropic community. Annie has over two decades of experience in philanthropy and the non-profit sector, with a focus on issues pertaining to equity and the environment. A graduate of Oberlin College and Columbia University’s MPA graduate program, Annie began her career in philanthropy at the Environmental Grantmakers Association, where she focused on providing member programs and supporting initiatives on sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. For seven years, Annie worked with the Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health, a funder collaboration dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina through a community-led grant program focused on underlying issues of inequality. Annie will be coordinating future programs in her part-time role at CCP.

We are excited to welcome Kobe Amos to CCP as the communications and data intern. He is a graduating senior majoring in history and journalism. He previously interned at The Day, in New London, where he shot and edited footage for the video department. Kobe also has experience writing and taking pictures for The Daily Campus, UConn’s student-led newspaper. He is passionate about environmental journalism and is an avid follower of political news. He is a loyal Boston Celtics fan and tries to work out a few times a week. Kobe hopes to put his verbal and visual communication skills to use in the non-profit sector to positively impact the lives of Connecticut residents.

Where is #CCP50? September Winners

Congratulations to Contest Winners: Mary Gawlicki, The Gawlicki Family Foundation and Stephanye Clarke, The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, for correctly answering the September Where is #CCP50 photo. The charming frog bridge commemorates the 1754 Windham Frog Fight (or Fright), when on a June night, residents heard a dreadful sound in the hills. Mistaking the sound for warriors or the bellowing trumpets of Judgment Day, they woke the next morning to find thousands of frogs had descended on them. There was a long-standing drought and the frogs were in a desperate search for the area’s only remaining water—a small pond in Windham. Windham is also the home of CCP member the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation.

October Where is #CCP50? Photo

Do you know the location of October's Where is #CCP50? Send your answer by October 31, 2019 to: CCP50@CTphilanthropy.org. CCP members who email us with the correct location will be entered into a random drawing for a fun prize -- a Newman's Own gift bag, courtesy of Newman's Own Foundation. Help spread the fun by sharing on your social media. We’ll post the winner on our website and on social media channels along with facts about the location and funders who make an impact in the area. For the past winners and the identification of photos go to our Photo Contest webpage. 

  Membership: The power of good partnerships

“CCP is an invaluable partner to the philanthropic community. I have teamed up with CCP to hold educational forums on topics of interest to philanthropy that brought experts to discuss important issues, often providing a catalyst for funder collaborations, work-groups, and more effective support for Connecticut’s residents. I am so grateful to have such a terrific partner supporting the valuable work we do."

Betty Sugerman Weintraub, Grant Program Manager, Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority    

  The power of good networks . . . CCP programs  

FEATURED PROGRAMS

Workforce Development Affinity Group Meeting >>

OCTOBER 3: 2:00 - 4:00 PM, Graustein Memorial Fund, Hamden
Please join CCP’s Workforce Affinity Group to connect and collaborate with funders engaged in improving the workforce development system. The meeting will include a presentation from David Radcliffe, Connecticut Working Cities Challenge, and updates from Becca Allen, Melville Charitable Trust, on the Secure Jobs 2.0 Initiative and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Discussion will focus on exploring the current investments funders are making as well as criteria for aligned or joint grantmaking.

Where Collaboration, Environment, and DEI Meet: A Case Study of the L. I. Sound Funders Collaborative >>


OCTOBER 29: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM,  Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison
The Long Island Sound is a premier ecological resource embedded in the lives, livelihoods, and well-being of millions in Connecticut and beyond. Come hear how funders worked together to maximize their impact on the preservation and restoration of the Sound. We’ll share: how the Collaborative was formed; lessons that may inform and improve your own collaboration; and how our philanthropy is striving towards greater diversity, equity and inclusion. This program will include short presentations, Q&A, a casual lunch, and opportunity (weather permitting) for a short walk around Hammonasset Beach State Park. Presenters include: Lynn Dwyer, Northeastern Regional Office of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF); Maryam Elahi, The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut; Mark A. Tedesco, US Environmental Protection Agency's Long Island Sound Office; and Tripp Killin, Jeniam Foundation.   

GO TO ALL PROGRAMS and MEETINGS >>

For questions about any of CCP's programs or network meetings, contact Dee Goodrich, Director of Member Engagement, 860-525-5585.   

FUNDER OPPORTUNITIES

Social Impact Exchange Learning Community on Shifting Systems Toward Greater Equity >>
OCTOBER 14-15: New York, NY
The Social Impact Exchange is dedicated to building a capital marketplace that scales proven solutions to improve the lives of millions. Their Learning Community will explore two essential strategic aspects of rigorous systems change: (1) identifying the places to intervene to transform systems (through mapping analysis), and (2) forming collaborative networks. CCP member Nick Donohue of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation is one of the confirmed speakers.

Grantmakers in Aging (GIA) Annual Conference: Beyond Boundaries >>
OCTOBER 16-18: New York Marriot Downtown, New York, NY
We are happy to announce that CCP is an associate sponsor of GIA's annual conference. GIA has extended the early bird member rate to CCP members.The GIA conference is the premier source of information and inspiration for funders who want to support aging-related programs in the spectrum of philanthropic priorities, from health and education to community and inter-generational issues. CCP Members may receive the early member rate of $825 for the full conference by using the code: GIACTEARLY. For questions contact: Maria Gonzales Jackson, 703-413-0413 x102.

Leveraging Municipal and Nonprofit Assets to Achieve Improved Community Outcomes: Governance and Collective Impact Strategies >>
OCTOBER 25: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM: UConn Hartford Campus, Hartford Times Building, Room 227
As a partner organization of UConn’s Public Service Executive Leadership Collaborative, members of the CCP and their grantees receive a substantial discount to attend the full-day workshop in a shared learning environment with public sector and nonprofit professionals. The October workshop features Thomas L. Phillips of TL Phillips Consulting Services. Lunch will be provided.

Opportunity Zones - Choose Connecticut >>
OCTOBER 30: 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM: Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, New Haven
This Connecticut State Department of Economic Development conference will highlight state and municipal efforts to support Opportunity Zones through coordinated investments and regulatory streamlining. The conference will include panels, interactive discussions, and networking designed to educate stakeholders about the inner-working of Opportunity Zones in Connecticut.

2020 PLACES Fellowship >>
The Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities (TFN) is pleased to accept applications for the eleventh class of its PLACES (Professionals Learning About Community Equity and Smart Growth) Fellowship, a leadership development program designed for professionals in philanthropy who are dedicated to creating more equitable, diverse, and inclusive neighborhoods and communities. Applications are due on November 1, 2019.

Climate, Health, and Equity Survey >>
The Funders Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities has partnered with five other funder groups to gather information from foundations and nonprofits that are addressing any health and/or equity issues related to climate change or the fossil fuel economy. Participate in their Climate, Health, and Equity Survey and you’ll be invited to attend special webinars and briefings on this and follow-up efforts, as well as, receive a climate, health, and equity funders toolkit. The deadline for having your confidential perspective included in the survey is now October 11.       

  The power of good connections . . . Member news

Welcome New Member!

We warmly welcome Viking Global Foundation to CCP membership. You may know Viking Global Foundation as a member of the Early Child Funder Collaborative. Viking believes that "all children deserve a chance." Viking invests in organizations and initiatives that provide critical support to the youngest, most vulnerable population. And together, their grantees work to break the cycle of poverty through promoting early childhood development, ensuring that all children are given a chance to succeed." The foundation's contacts are Molly Brethauer, executive director; Kelly Salazar, program officer; and Jennifer Bakry, foundation assistant. Learn more via CCP's Member Directory >>

Community Wellbeing Index

This month, Data Haven produced three 2019 Community Wellbeing Indexes. The Indexes illuminate the complex issues facing neighborhoods and towns, and paint a picture of where each region is headed. This week Fairfield County’s Community Foundation introduced the Fairfield County Community Wellbeing Index 2019 and new research from the Community Foundation’s Fund for Women & Girls at their convening, Forward Fairfield County: A Day of Data-Driven Conversation. The publication was co-funded by CCP members Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, United Way of Western Connecticut, and the Connecticut Health Foundation and other partners. The Greater Hartford Community Wellbeing Index 2019, is co-funded by CCP members the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, and other partners. The Greater New Haven Community Wellbeing Report 2019 is co-funded by CCP members The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, NewAlliance Foundation, Connecticut Health Foundation, and United Illuminating, and other partners. 

Culturally Responsive Mental Health Care

Connecticut Health and Development Institute, a program of Children's Fund of Connecticut, has released Providing Culturally Responsive Mental Health Care for Families: The Role of National CLAS Standards in Reducing Health Disparities. The issue brief explores how the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS Standards) are being used as a health equity mapping framework in Connecticut. It also highlights a four-phase process for creating a Health Equity Plan and offers resources to further the adoption of CLAS Standards throughout the state.

Member Blogs, Media, and Publications

  The power of good connections . . . Job opportunities

Find Jobs >>

Have an opening at your organization? Contact Laurie Allen to include your position in CCP's jobs bank free of charge as a benefit of membership.    

  The power of good ideas . . . New resources

AGING

Tufts Health Plan Foundation's introductory one-hour webinar recording, Reframing Aging: What You Need to Know to Communicate More Effectively, can help community leaders learn how to reframe conversations about aging to advance their work. Learn why reframing aging is important, and how to: avoid words that can derail your messages; bypass mental blocks and encourage openness to new ideas; and develop messages proven to shift public opinion in a positive direction.

EARLY CHILDHOOD and POVERTY

The Urban Institute's research report, What If We Expanded Child Care Subsidies?, examines what would happen if child care subsidies were funded so every family with income below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines could get a subsidy if they wanted one. The Connecticut Fact sheet states that if the subsidies were provided, "roughly 3,400 children could be lifted out of poverty." Access the recorded webinar about the report >>

GRANTMAKING

The Bridgespan Group, reported on the findings of a collaboration between five leading U.S. foundations focused on ending the chronic underfunding of nonprofits, Momentum for Change: Ending the Nonprofit Starvation Cycle. Led by presidents of the Ford, Hewlett, MacArthur, Open Society, and Packard foundations, the two-year project has resulted in an agreement between the foundations to experiment with new practices to alleviate the chronic underfunding of their grantees, as well as a call for other funders to join them in addressing this sector-wide problem.

HEALTH

The National Council for Behavioral Health recently released, Mass Violence in America: Causes, Impacts and Solutions, a comprehensive response following recent episodes of mass violence in El Paso, Texas, Dayton, Ohio, and Gilroy, California. This groundbreaking report examines the reasons, contributing factors, and actionable solutions surrounding mass violence in America through the lens of behavioral health.

 

RACIAL EQUITY

The Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ) has a core commitment to publish on issues of racial justice. They have taken up those issues in a variety of ways and formats. They have reported on how nonprofits themselves are complicit in perpetuating white curated spaces that exclude the participation of people of color and about how racial dynamics play out in various fields. Here are just two articles:  Uncovering the Dynamics of the Racial Wealth Gap: One Black Woman’s Story and Report Explores the Segregation Effect of NYC’s Housing Policies. Access more NPG Racial Justice articles >>

WEALTH GAP

Asset Funders Network (AFN) is pleased to release the first brief on the impact of debt on communities, Tackling Debt: Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap in the South. The report focuses on the types of debt that trap families and the impediments to wealth building that stem from nonprofit or public sector systems—education, health, or justice.

 

     

  The power of good people . . . Colleague news

Are you new to your organization or have you received a promotion, certification or award? Have you presented at a conference or event or have you published a blog or report? Send your news and a photo to: Laurie Allen, Director of Communications. Read More in the Colleague News Feed >>

After serving more than 20 years as president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation, Patricia Baker plans to retire in June 2020. Pat has led the private foundation since its creation in 1999, forming what is now Connecticut’s largest independent health philanthropy dedicated to improving health outcomes for people of color. In that time, the foundation has awarded more than $63 million in grants, supported research and coalitions focused on finding ways to improve the health of Connecticut residents, and helped to inform policy and health care delivery. “It would be difficult to overstate the role Pat has played in advancing the health of Connecticut residents and making sure that eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities are on the agenda for policymakers and health systems,” Connecticut Health Foundation Board Chair David Newton said. “Pat has a wealth of knowledge. She constantly pushes the foundation, grantees, and policymakers to think about the ways to achieve the greatest, most enduring changes that can improve people’s lives. We are grateful for her leadership and her deep commitment to the mission of the foundation, ensuring that everyone has the ability to be as healthy as possible.” Read more >>

The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford has appointed Kathryn Gonnerman as vice president of philanthropy. Kathryn will lead a three-person team to expand JCF’s philanthropic initiatives and grow JCF’s $120 million in assets. Kathryn has been a member of JCF’s leadership team since joining the team in December 2013, first serving as the marketing and communications director and then directing the Center for Innovative Philanthropy. She also served with distinction as Interim CEO of JCF in 2018. “Kathryn owns an advanced knowledge of our Jewish community and high levels of effectiveness in building trusting relationships, strategic planning, management, and execution of projects,” says Jacob Schreiber, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. “All of this will help JCF expand its fund development initiatives and enhance our donors’ philanthropic impact.” Read more >>

 

The month, the Valley Community Foundation (VCF) welcomed Sharon Fitzpatrick as executive assistant and office manager. In her prior position, Sharon served in a similiar capacity at a financial investment firm in New Canaan. “Sharon comes to the Valley Community Foundation with extensive experience in administrative and office management,” Sharon Closius, VCF president and CEO “We are very fortunate to have Sharon join us and look forward to her playing a key role as VCF continues to grow and diversify its impact the community.”  

  About the Member eBrief

The Member eBrief, is a CCP members-only electronic newsletter. Members receive the bi-monthly publication to keep them current on upcoming CCP programs, member and colleague news, trends, and new resources. Members are encouraged to send press releases, public events, announcements, newsletters, and colleague news to Laurie Allen, Director of Communications.

 

Find More By
News type: 
eBrief
Audience: 
CCP Members