From Vision to Impact

 

Next week several of us from Philanthropy New York will be heading off to the 2018 Forum Annual Conference in Boston. It’s an event we look forward to each year as an opportunity to deepen connections with our peers and learn about some of the inspiring work many of our peers are engaging in with their members.  It’s also a moment to celebrate the ever-growing collaboration between so many of us in ways that are both meaningful and structurally significant.  All of this is because so many regional and national Philanthropy Serving Organizations (“PSO’s”) are now under one big tent – the United Philanthropy Forum (the “Forum”)

 

A year ago, we announced:

 

“The Forum is in the beginning stages of implementing a new vision to be the place where philanthropy’s infrastructure comes together. We are creating a new kind of philanthropic network that brings together regional PSOs' deep regional roots and connections with national PSOs' deep content knowledge and reach.”

This is particularly important at a time when the sector is repeatedly faced with critical issues that require deep expertise and philanthropic collaboration. A good example of this is the work GCIR (Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees) is doing to inform, mobilize and align grantmakers to support immigrant children and families. The ability for us to point members who want to respond to family separation and detention to this leader in the field has been invaluable.

 

My PNY colleagues and I are thrilled to connect more deeply and plan new work with our fellow PSOs and as the forum grows we expect to increase not just the number but the depth of our PSO relationships throughout 2018 and beyond.

We believe strongly that this change in the field to support PSOs working together will create better learning, convening, and grantmaking opportunities not only for Philanthropy New York members but for the entire philanthropic sector.   

 

So, it’s off to Boston we go!