Philanthropy Ohio’s annual Philanthropy Forward conference brings together funders from across the state of Ohio – community foundations, private and family foundations, corporate funders and others – to discuss issues and opportunities relevant to the philanthropic sector. Returning to an in-person format for the first time in three years, Philanthropy Forward ’22 will take place Oct. 24-26 in Cleveland. A number of Cleveland Foundation thought leaders will join peer funders and community partners to present sessions on a wide range of topics. If you plan to attend Philanthropy Forward, we invite you to join us at the following sessions focused on projects and efforts the Cleveland Foundation has supported:
Oct. 25
Learnings from a Racial Justice Collaborative
Representatives from the Racial Equity, Racial Justice Initiative – a funder collaborative launched in 2020 in Cleveland – will share advice and lessons learned from their efforts to advance a robust racial justice movement ecosystem for structural transformation in Greater Cleveland.
Speakers:
- Dale Anglin, Vice President, Program, Cleveland Foundation
- Raquel Gutierrez, Principal, Blue Agave Partners
An Intergenerational Conversation on Ageism
The number of Americans ages 65+ will more than double over the next 40 years, and the pandemic has further illuminated the reality of ageism in our culture. This session will explore philanthropy’s role in combatting ageism and fostering intergenerational engagement for our collective benefit.
Speakers:
- Lamont Mackley, Chief Inclusion & Outreach Officer, JumpStart Inc.
- Ange Mastandrea, Street Outreach Coordinator, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless
- Simone McNitt, Executive Director, Encore Employment Enterprise
- Leigh Sempeles, Senior Fellow, The Dayton Foundation
A Sector Pathway to Equity & Resilience
Hear how Cuyahoga County funders collaborated to conduct a comprehensive nonprofit landscape scan to inform the long-term resiliency-building strategies of the Funders Collaborative on Covid Recovery, with a specific focus on what foundations can do to advance equity in the wake of COVID-19.
Speakers:
- Danielle Crawford, Director of Evaluation and Learning, United Way of Greater Cleveland
- Kathleen Hallissey, Program Director, Leadership Development, Cleveland Foundation
- Heather Lenz, Founder & CEO, Sangfroid Strategy
MidTown Transformation Immersive Tour
Take a guided tour of and learn about the strategic context around the emerging collaborative corridor on E. 66th Street in MidTown Cleveland. This corridor is the product of years of conversation and coordination between community partners focused on place-making and place-keeping, neighborhood revitalization and wealth-building.
Speakers:
- Lauren Hansgen, Executive Director, Dunham Tavern Museum
- Ethan Karp, President & CEO, MAGNET
- Lillian Kuri, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Cleveland Foundation
- Ashley Shaw, Executive Director, MidTown Cleveland
- Teleangé Thomas, Chief Operations & Relationships Officer, JumpStart
- Sheila Wright, President and Managing Partner, Frontline Development
Unlikely Collaborators in Community Development Immersive Tour
Clark-Fulton, Cleveland’s Latinx neighborhood, has attracted philanthropy, government, community development and health care to collaborate and develop a neighborhood plan that democratizes neighborhood planning through the lens of cultural competency to secure inclusive development.
Speakers:
- Nick De León, Interim Managing Director, Metro West Community Development Organization
- Keisha González, Program Director, Economic and Community Development & Social Impact Investing, Cleveland Foundation
- Joyce Pan Huang, Director of City Planning, City of Cleveland
- Ricardo León, Chief Operating Officer, Cuyahoga County Land Bank
- Greg Zucca, Executive Director of Community Transformation & Real Estate Holdings, The MetroHealth Systems
Oct. 26
Linking Youth to Careers, An Ecosystem Approach
Learn how funders, educators, employers and nonprofits are collaborating to connect young people to promising careers through jointly developed classroom curriculum, work-based learning experiences focused on career exploration, guidance, planning and more.
Speakers:
- Eric Gordon, CEO, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
- Kimm Leininger, President, Geauga Growth Partnership
- Shana Marbury, General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Talent, Greater Cleveland Partnership
- Autumn Russell, Executive Director, Greater Cleveland Career Consortium
- Helen Williams, Program Director, Education, Cleveland Foundation
Supporting Digital Equity & Inclusion
During this session, panelists will discuss how funders can support the ongoing work of local digital equity coalitions to expand internet access, increase device access and provide digital skills training to equip all ages with the ability to utilize technology for school, work, health care, civic engagement and business development.
Speakers:
- Lisa M. Chambers, Director, Tech Corps Ohio
- Ryan Collins, Broadband Coordinator, Buckeye Hills Regional Council
- Matthew Martin, Community Research and Grants Management Officer, The Columbus Foundation
- Leon Wilson, Chief of Digital Innovation & Chief Information Officer, Cleveland Foundation
Working with Donors to Advance Justice
This session will explore how funders can approach narrative change and deepen engagement on diversity, equity and inclusion with donors and other external stakeholders, both individually and through grantmaking.
Speakers:
- Michelle Blackford, Philanthropic Advisor, Cleveland Foundation
- Brenda Cummins, Philanthropic Advisor, Cleveland Foundation
- Brady Groves, Executive Director, Richland County Foundation
- Paul Putman, Director, Philanthropic Services, Cleveland Foundation
- Jason Weiner, Philanthropic Advisor, Cleveland Foundation
Expanding Access to Community News & Information
Local journalism is in crisis, which affects residents’ access to trusted news and information and threatens our democracy. Learn how a coalition of local and national funders are partnering to launch an independent, community-led nonprofit newsroom serving Cleveland – the first in a statewide network.
Speakers:
- Alan Ashby, Media Relations Officer, Cleveland Foundation
- Lila Mills, Editor in Chief, Signal Cleveland
- Michael Ouimette, Senior Vice President, Strategies & Startups, American Journalism Project
Preparing Your Internal Resource Development Staff for DEI Work
Does your development team have the tools and skills to authentically advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts? This session will explore internal strategies and best practices to ensure your team has the knowledge and perspective to effectively promote DEI efforts personally and collectively.
Speakers:
- Michelle Blackford, Philanthropic Advisor, Cleveland Foundation
- Brenda Cummins, Philanthropic Advisor, Cleveland Foundation
- Paul Putman, Director, Philanthropic Services, Cleveland Foundation
- Jason Weiner, Philanthropic Advisor, Cleveland Foundation
These are just a few of the thought-provoking sessions planned for the conference. Explore the full Philanthropy Forward ‘22 agenda and register to attend here.
