The nonprofit sector is built on big ideas and visions of change. Effectively implementing those changes is the hard part. GEO’s 2008 national conference and 10th anniversary celebration, held in partnership with Northern California Grantmakers, will explore actions grantmakers can take to improve their support of nonprofit results and advance their visions of social change. Sessions will cover a variety of topics, including the following: 

• The art of "sticky" storytelling—Chip Heath, author of the best-seller Made to Stick, will explore ways grantmakers can effectively share the powerful stories in the field in a way that will inspire action

• The power of the individual—Steps individual actors—within both foundations and nonprofits—can take to lead change.

• The importance of inclusiveness—How grantmakers effectively tap into the experience and ideas of nonprofits and other stakeholders for improved results.

• Philanthropy's change agenda for the next decade—As GEO celebrates its 10th anniversary, what has the field accomplished over the years, and what is our vision for the future?

Conference Session Information

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Conference Planning Committee Members

Many thanks to the following individuals and foundations for their contributions to our 2008 conference.

• Mary Mountcastle, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (chair)
• Gregg Behr, The Grable Foundation
• Patrick Corvington, Annie E. Casey Foundation
• Jacob Harold, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• Jennifer Hill, Ruth Mott Foundation
• Ellen Koenig, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
• Colin Lacon, Northern California Grantmakers
• Dara Major, Surdna Foundation
• Curt McPhail, Mary Black Foundation
• Richard Moyers, The Meyer Foundation
• Tracey Rutnik, NeighborWorks America
• Omowale Satterwhite, National Community Development Institute
• Donna Stark, Annie E. Casey Foundation
• Shiree Teng, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• Melinda Tuan, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

San Francisco Host Committee Members

• James Canales, The James Irvine Foundation (co-chair)
• Carol Larson, David and Lucile Packard Foundation (co-chair)
• Ann Alpers, S.H. Cowell Foundation
• Susan Bell and Paul Brest, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
• CJ Callen, Changemakers
• Diana Campoamar, Hispanics in Philanthropy
• Emmett Carson, Silicon Valley Community Foundation
• Alexa Cortes Culwell, The Stupski Foundation
• Lauren Dachs, S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
• Pamela David, Walter & Elise Haas Fund
• Christine Elbel, Fleishhacker Foundation
• John Esterle, The Whitman Institute
• Stephanie Forbes, Bay Area LISC
• Diane Ford, Sobrato Family Foundation
• Chris Grumm, Women's Funding Network
• Crystal Hayling, Blue Shield of California Foundation
• Ira Hirschfield, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund
• Carla Javits, REDF
• Jenny Shilling Stein, Draper Richards Foundation
• Sandra Treacy, WC Stone Foundation
• Gary Yates, The California Wellness Foundation

Conference Sponsors

GEO is grateful to the following organizations for their financial support:

• S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation
• Blue Shield of California Foundation
• S.H. Cowell Foundation
• Draper Richards Foundation
  
• Fleishhacker Foundation
• Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
• James Irvine Foundation
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
• The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• REDF
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation
  
• The Stupski Foundation