Pre-Conference Sessions - CFC Conference 2008

Pre and Post Conference Sessions

CFC Conference 2008 is offering members a number of excellent pre-conference sessions to help participants make the most of this extraordinary professional development experience.

Professional Group Meetings: In addition, several professional groups are holding meetings in conjunction with the conference to allow their members to take part in CFC's international gathering and to enjoy Montreal to its fullest. (Note: You must be a member of the professional group to participate in these sessions.)

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Reception — All Welcome
Thursday November 6th, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation invites you to celebrate the release of a series of monographs about community foundation work by Dorothy (Dottie) Reynolds, one of the sector’s most experienced leaders.

Council on Foundations Center for Community Foundation Excellence

The Council on Foundations Center for Community Foundation Excellence is offering two of its training courses. Each session is a two-day course. CFC Members receive a special 'Members Only' rate for these courses. Registration is now open for these courses and space is limited.

To register, visit the Council on Foundations Schedule of CCFE Courses and scroll down to "CCFE Courses offered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada."

Community Leadership for Community Foundations

November 5 and 6

In addressing critical community needs, community foundations have increasingly found their organizations being called upon to step into new roles that go beyond the traditional role of grantmaker–acting as convener, coalition-builder and community organizer. So when does your community foundation play which role? What skills are needed? How does your foundation choose which community issues to take on? The Community Leadership for Community Foundations course can help you begin to address these questions and many others related to community leadership. We offer a comprehensive and interactive course, taught by experienced practitioners, who will help you learn more about this work in just a few days.

Faculty: Winsome Hawkins, former VP, Program at the CF for Greater Atlanta and Donna Rader, Executive VP, Community Philanthropy, The Vermont CF

Resource Development for Community Foundations

November 5 and 6

For community foundation staff and trustees responsible for resource development, particularly those new to the field. This two-day course is for those who want to enhance their understanding of the unique aspects of asset development as it relates to their foundation, foundation funds and gift planning, and donor services concepts and options.

Faculty: Judy Sjostedt, Executive Director, Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and Doris Heiser, Director of Development and Donor Services, Greater Milwaukee Foundation

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CF-LINKS Workshops

CFC is offering four, half-day CF-LINKS Training Workshops.

Community Foundation Fundamentals: Building the Cornerstone for Effective Management

November 6, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This introductory workshop for administrative and management staff and volunteers from emerging, new and smaller community foundations will focus on administrative and regulatory requirements and the creation of effective policies. In this workshop participants will become familiar with the basic criteria for running an effective organization. You will be provided with a framework and guide that uses best practices to help you in managing the day-to-day tasks of a community foundation. CFC's newly revised Administrative Handbook for Canadian Community Foundations will be used as a resource.

Workshop Presenter: Cindy Lindsay, Ontario Regional Coordinator, CFC & Executive Director, The Guelph Community Foundation

Grantmaking that Makes a Difference

November 6, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This workshop showcases the latest tools and information on grantmaking from across the country and beyond. Focusing on fundamental practices and policies of effective grantmaking programs and emerging trends and opportunities facing foundations, this workshop helps community foundations focus their grantmaking programs for greatest impact.

Workshop Presenter: Barbara McMillan, Director, Regional Strategies, CFC

Board Governance: Building a Strong Board

November 6, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This workshop is designed to address key board governance issues facing community foundations today. Topics will be examined in-depth to ensure that workshop participants come away with a clear understanding of their governance challenges. There will also be an opportunity to develop some insight and understanding into board governance that leads to new thinking and solutions. Tools and resources will be identified, examined and experienced during the session. This workshop will be most relevant for mid-sized community foundations with less than 10 staff members.

Workshop Presenter: Kim Bater, Alberta/Saskatchewan/North West Territories Regional Coordinator, CFC

Working with Donors and Professional Advisors: Holistic charitable gift planning

November 6, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This workshop is designed to address the challenge of working with professional advisors to create effective, efficient charitable gift plans that meet our donor’s financial, family, and philanthropic needs. Too often charities fail to acknowledge the influence and role of a professional advisor when working with our donors. This workshop seeks to explore the motivations, concerns, and fears of a variety of professional advisors as we seek to build our profile with these influential referral networks. Strategies will be explored that move from transactional gift planning to values based, comprehensive gift planning models.

Workshop Presenter: Joshua E. Thorne, Vice President, Development, The Hamilton Community Foundation

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Conference Orientation

November 6, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Newcomers can learn everything there is to know about navigating a CFC Conference during an informative Orientation Session held late Thursday afternoon.

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Professional Group Meetings

CommA Day

November 6, full day meeting

CommA is the Council on Foundations professional group for communications professionals from community foundations in North America. The group has more than 300 members, who keep in touch via a lively listserv. They also manage a members' only website and hold great regular gatherings. CommA is holding this year's annual meeting in Montreal in conjunction with CFC Conference 2008.

Detailed schedule

The meeting is open to all members.

CommA members can register for both the CommA Day and CFC Conference 2008 at the same time for a special combined registration fee. For more information contact CommA.

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Community Foundations Leadership Team

November 6, full day meeting

The Community Foundations Leadership Team is elected by the community foundation field, and affiliated with the Council on Foundations, to set the direction and program goals for community foundations nationally.

The Community Foundations Leadership Team (CFLT) is holding its 2008 meeting in Montreal in conjunction with CFC Conference 2008.

Details regarding this meeting, which is open to CFLT members only, will be posted as available.

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WINGS-CF Advisory Committee

Meeting on Monday, November 10 and Tuesday, November 11

WINGS is a global network that seeks to strengthen philanthropy and a culture of giving through mutual learning and support, knowledge sharing and professional development among its participants.

WINGS-CF is made up of organizations developing and supporting community foundations. The Advisory Committee provides advice and guidance to the WINGS secretariat and is responsible for the production of the Global Status Report on Community Foundations.

The WINGS-CF Advisory Committee is holding its 2008 meeting in Montreal in conjunction with CFC Conference 2008.

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