C05 Breakfast Roundtables

Are Standards and Certification the Answer?
Facilitator: Barbara Blumenthal, Princeton University
We will discuss the recent Senate Finance hearings (which I attended) with particular attention to the ideas surrounding standards and certification.  Regardless of what happens with the Senate proposals, it is clear that there is growing support by the sector for standards and certification.  Is this an effective and useful way to bring about improved practice?  What does the sector need to know from members of the Alliance?

Bold Approaches to Reducing Nonprofit Administrative Costs
Facilitator:  Willa Seldon, The Tides Center
For years, corporations have been leveraging shared services models to reduce expenses and maximize profits.  If more nonprofits were to utilize shared infrastructure platforms and approaches, the reduction in sector-wide administrative costs could free billions of dollars and countless hours of staff time for programmatic work.  Operating at a maximized level of efficiency would inspire greater confidence from funders and individual donors while improving public perception of nonprofits and their leaders.  This roundtable discussion will cover the efforts of The Tides Center in reducing nonprofit administrative costs and invite participants to share their experiences.

Building the Capacity of Nonprofits to Work With Low-Income Communities and Volunteers
Facilitator:  Bandana Shrestha, Points of Light Foundation
Attendees will learn about Points of Light Foundation research and receive tools and publications.

Distance Learning and Online Training
Facilitator:  Bill Tucker, Isoph
Bill will share insight into the latest trends, options, and potential competitive issues regarding online training. Come share your organization's experiences, develop potential partnerships, and learn about successful programs.

Helping Nonprofits Develop Solid Business Plans
Facilitator:  Mike Burns, Brody Weiser Burns, Representing the Social Enterprise Alliance
This roundtable will focus on approaches to business planning and general issues nonprofits face in considering a social venture.

KnowledgePATH.org, a One-Stop Shop for Volunteer Management Knowledge: Institutionalizing the Knowledge of a Sector
Facilitator:  Tricia Dwyer-Morgan, Points of Light Foundation
Sometimes it isn't enough to capture the knowledge in your own organization. There are times when an organization needs to partner with other organizations to capture and share the combined knowledge of an entire sector. The Points of Light Foundation, in partnership with James J. Hill Reference Library, recently partnered to create KnowledgePATH.org, a resource library and research service that features a growing archive of self-study, publicly available materials on topics critical to volunteer practitioners and leaders. Discuss the benefits of partnering with other organizations to institutionalize sector-wide knowledge.

Leadership Transitions and Related Capacity Building
Facilitators:  Tom Adams, Adams & Associates/TransitionGuides and Tim Wolfred, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
This roundtable will discuss leadership transitions and capacity building related to growth opportunities for consultants and MSOs.

National Arts Marketing Project: Funder-MSO Partnership in Action
Facilitators:  Terry Savage, American Express Co.; Gary Steuer and Julie Peeler, Arts & Business Council Inc.
The National Arts Marketing Project, discussed at a the MSO-Funder Collaboration session Friday afternoon, requires a complex set of local and national collaborations between American Express and Arts & Business Council staff. Learn how those relationships are initiated and nurtured, and how they contribute to the program’s success.

Seasoned Transition Consultants Connect
Facilitators:  Susan Egmont, Egmont and Associates and Margaret Donohoe, In Transition
Leadership Transition Consultants with two or more years experience are invited to share insights on how to become more effective individually and collectively in this unique and challenging work given the solo nature of many of our practices.

Starting National Co-Learning Peer Group on Evaluation of Capacity Building
Facilitator:  Deborah Linnell, Mission Effectiveness Program, Third Sector New England
This breakfast dialogue will be focused on whether there is interest in developing a core group of people across the country currently evaluating or interested in the evaluation of capacity-building efforts.  Discussion will focus on whether a national network would be useful, if so how might we get it started - content, structure and ways to follow-up after the conference.