Philanthropy New York Currents October 2012

 

Dear Members,

What can we learn from the health care system in contemporary Vietnam? Wouldn't you like to know what barriers were faced by the very first resident visiting law professor from the United States in the People's Republic of China?

I am very curious to ask about all of this—and more—when Atlantic Philanthropies President and CEO Christopher Oechsli shares some personal history along with his professional insights as we kick off our new CEO Interview Series next week. 

Appointed last year to guide Atlantic in both concluding its grantmaking and securing its legacy, Mr. Oechsli comes to his post with more than 17 years of service to Atlantic and a fascinating array of other social change, academic, policy and business organizations. He will talk about Atlantic Philanthropies founder Chuck Feeney's commitment to "giving while living," the foundation's vision of how its work will outlive its grantmaking, and what issues and risks foundation leaders should anticipate on the horizon.

We are delighted to have Ford Foundation Vice President Darren Walker as the moderator for our CEO Interview Series. As the leader of the Ford Foundation's Education, Creativity and Free Expression program, Darren brings to the interview table not only vast knowledge about the sector—and more—but a probing inquisitiveness and personal warmth that will produce an absorbing dialogue.

The CEO Interview Series is designed to be an ongoing set of intimate, engaging and thought-provoking conversations on the future of philanthropy. The live interviews will feature CEOs who are advancing some of the most interesting, innovative change in the sector, and we have several in the works for 2013. We are hoping our colleagues will come to think of the series as "Inside the Actors Studio, but with gravitas."

What's more, we will leave lots of time for audience Q&A to get Philanthropy New York members into the discussion—and an informal wine-and-cheese reception following the formal program will allow for even more conversation.

Recently, Philanthropy New York has been creating many popular sequential programs filled with facts and figures, study findings and research on best practices—such as those focusing on using data to inform philanthropy and our advocacy series. But we all know that some of the best learning comes from being in close contact with colleagues who are doing innovative work. This new interview series is a unique opportunity to learn from those who are responsible for leading the foundations that are at the forefront of our profession.

I hope you will join us.

Best regards,

Ronna Brown
President, Philanthropy New York

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Welcome New Members

• Bloomberg Philanthropies
• Reader's Digest Foundation (returning member)

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Save the Date -- The New Rapid Deployment: Resources for Returning Veterans

Thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are returning home to New York City. Though few funders consider veterans' issues to be a direct part of their mission, many of our members still want to support these returning New Yorkers.
 
We invite you to learn more by joining us for a daylong conference on December 3 and 4, 2012 highlighting some of the creative and successful initiatives supporting veterans across myriad program areas, and where you can hear from peers who are helping veterans reintegrate into their lives and hometowns and find out about the most urgent priorities and needs.
 
Special thanks to our partners the Disability Funders Network, The New York Community Trust and Trinity Wall Street (our host for this event), and please visit NYVetsConference.org for more information.

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2012 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Survey Now Available

Each year, Philanthropy New York partners with the Council on Foundations to conduct a salary survey of New York City metro area foundations.

Our members can log in to our website to access this annual regional report, which includes the average, median and range of salaries by position, within position and by asset range. In addition, survey participants have access to the CoF salary databank through an online benchmarking tool.

Learn more and download this year's Salary Survey (member login required).

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Ford Foundation Hosts Wired for Change

On October 23, 2012, the Ford Foundation will host its second annual Wired for Change conference, bringing together social innovators, technologists, entrepreneurs, government leaders and philanthropists for provocative conversations about the challenges and opportunities big data presents for social change makers.

How can we ensure that vast data sets are tapped for the common good? How do we protect the right to privacy? And how do we build a transparent framework for data collection and analysis that allows us to create a better and more equitable future for all?

Speakers at the conference will include Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web; California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris; Jon Leibowitz, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission; Sewell Chan, Deputy Editor at The New York Times; and Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch.

Learn more about the Wired for Change conference.

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Doubling Down: How Recommitting to the Nonprofit Sector can Achieve Real Change in Communities

The nonprofit sector is being challenged like never before due to divestment by government, reductions in giving, and drains on much-needed resources. Public perception of nonprofits is influenced by news stories about misuse of funds and politicians claiming to reduce "wasteful" spending by slashing human services programs.

On November 1, the Human Services Council and the Baruch College School of Public Affairs will hold a summit bringing together leaders in the nonprofit sector, government, philanthropy, media and academia to have a frank conversation about why the sector is suffering, how to change the culture and practices that keep the sector from thriving, and what can be done to ensure that nonprofits are meeting community needs.

Panelists and presenters will include:

• Doug Bauer, Executive Director of The Clark Foundation
• Ronna Brown, President of Philanthropy New York
• Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund
• Gordon Campbell, Professor of Practice at NYU's Wagner School for Public Service
• Marilyn Gelber, President of the Brooklyn Community Foundation
• Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda Gibbs
• Matt Klein, Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Foundation New York
• Gail Nayowith, Executive Director of SCO Family of Services
• NYS Senator Diane Savino
• Lorie Slutsky, President of The New York Community Trust

Robert Egger, Founder and President of the DC Central Kitchen and CForward, will serve as Keynote Speaker. 

Learn more about the panels and how to register for the summit.

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Finalists Announced for the 2012 New York Community Trust-New York Magazine Nonprofit Excellence Awards

Six nonprofits have been selected as finalists for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards, a joint project of The New York Community Trust, the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee and Philanthropy New York (and also sponsored by WNYC) to honor outstanding management practices and encourage innovation and communication among New York's large and diverse nonprofit community.

The finalist organizations, which are based in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Westchester, were chosen by the program's 28-member Selection Committee. Each finalist will host a site visit in October, during which Selection Committee members will ask detailed questions about their management practices. The Committee will then identify three winning organizations.

On November 15, a total of $40,000 will be awarded, with $25,000 going to a Gold Prize winner for Overall Management Excellence, $10,000 to a Silver Prize winner and $5,000 to a Bronze Prize winner. Each winner also receives tuition scholarship to the Programs in Social Enterprise in Executive Education at Columbia Business School. The Best Practices Workshop and Awards Ceremony will take place at Citi's headquarters at 399 Park Avenue.

Learn more about the finalists and the Nonprofit Excellence Awards.

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Congratulations

• Raphael Stern, Program Associate at the Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation, was recently selected for the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service (FELPS) at the Research Center for Leadership in Action at New York University's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. FELPS  is a seven-month development program for a select group of approximately 30 promising young NYC public service professionals to gain valuable experience and exposure to a range of career exploration activities that will help them define their path into public service.

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Important Notice from the New York City Council

On September 4, 2012, the NYC Department of Finance (DOF) sent out renewal notices and forms to the approximately 12,000 properties in New York City that currently receive a 4-20A (nonprofit) property tax exemption.
 
This is the second year of what is to be an annual process. Every property receiving a nonprofit property tax exemption is required to file a renewal on an annual basis. Those who don't will lose their exemption, so it's important for properties to file. Applications for renewal are due to DOF by Monday, October 22.

Nonprofits who are currently receiving this exemption and haven't gotten a renewal form should email the DOF at commercialexemptions@finance.nyc.gov or call 311 and ask to be connected to the DOF.

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(View a full text, PDF version of Philanthropy New York Currents, October 2012.)