The conference featured cutting-edge sessions designed to help attendees learn new strategies and share experiences that have immediate applications to today's world.

For complete session information, including presentations and other resources you may have missed, click here to search.

For a searchable version of the conference program, with full session and speaker information and session resources, click here.

For a printable version of the conference program, click here.

Conference Plenaries

• Standing in Their Shoes: How Widespread Empathy Leads to
  Better Decisions 
  Dev Patnaik, author of Wired to Care, shared his innovative ideas on how grantmakers can build empathy for the communities they serve, bring stakeholders into the center of their work and shape more effective collaborations.
• The Possibilities and Perils of Scale
  Bill Strickland (Manchester Bidwell Corporation), Angelica Salas (Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles) and Grant Oliphant (The Pittsburgh Foundation) engaged in a rigorous debate about building the infrastructure and capacity of individual organizations versus concentrating on broader nonprofit collaborations and movement building.
• Leading in Challenging Economic Times
  Paul Grogan (The Boston Foundation), Ira Hirschfield (Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund) and Kristin Lindsey (Council on Foundations) participated in a moderated discussion about the difficult decisions they’ve had to make in the face of this recession and how they’ve reached out to grantees and other stakeholders along the way.
• Philanthropy and the Obama Administration: Digging Deeper on the "Funding What Works" Mantra
  The closing plenary provided a candid exchange between philanthropy and government about how we define “what works;” the challenges, limitations and barriers to evaluation; and how government and philanthropy can work together to advance learning for expanded impact. With GEO’s Kathleen Enright, Paul Carttar (Corporation for National and Community Service), Carla Javits (REDF) and Albert Ruesga (Greater New Orleans Foundation).
  

  ---

Conference Schedule At-a-Glance

*Schedule subject to change

Philanthropy's Tool Shed

New in 2010, “Philanthropy’s Tool Shed,” offered participants the chance to explore a broad range of new tools available for grantmakers, in a direct, hands-on way. Through live demonstrations provided by leaders in the field, attendees experienced firsthand how a particular tool works. Tools featured included:

• The Foundation Center: Philanthropy In/Sight (Host: Dave Clark, product manager, Philanthropy In/Sight, The Foundation Center)
• McKinsey & Company: Social Impact Assessment Approaches (Host: Laura Callanan, Social Sector Office, McKinsey & Company)
• Center for Effective Philanthropy: Funder Assessment Tools (Host: Travis Manzione, manager, Center for Effective Philanthropy )
• TCC Group: Core Capacity Assessment Tool (Host: Peter York, senior vice president and director of research, TCC Group)
• True Impact: Online Tools for Measuring Social Investments (Host: Farron W. Levy, president, True Impact LLC)

For a detailed descriptions of the tools + read more

Ambassador Program

GEO conferences create lasting connections that strengthen grantmakers’ work and build community. New to the 2010 National Conference was an Ambassador Program designed to help facilitate and deepen participants’ networking experience.

• To ensure that first-time participants captured the content most in line with their work;
• For longtime members of the GEO community hoping to make new and deeper connections in philanthropy in 2010.

The Ambassador Program brought together new members and first-time registrants with more seasoned members of the GEO community. It helped newcomers make the most of their conference experience by tapping the knowledge of a former conference participant. It challenge previous conference-goers to welcome first-timers and expand their network at the same time. 

New in 2010

Green Efforts: Learn how GEO is reducing the environmental impact of its national conference.

Philanthropy’s Tool Shed: Offers participants the chance to explore a broad range of new tools available for grantmakers, in a direct, hands-on way. Through live demonstrations provided by leaders in the field, experience firsthand how a particular tool works. The Tool Shed will be held during Connection Space times on the conference program. + more

Ambassador Program: Broaden your network and make the most of your conference experience.

Site Visits: Learn about the mission, strategies,challenges and accomplishments of these organizations and how they operate within Pittsburgh’s innovative philanthropic community.