Philanthropy Forward ’24 kicks off with the Philanthropy Ohio Annual Meeting and a can’t-miss discussion exploring the future of stories and narrative in a world where the truth seems optional. This conversation will also address how creative media outlets are bringing new ideas, voices and community support to rebuild an industry that has been declining due to the loss of local journalism and high disenfranchisement in communities. Examine the future of journalism and how philanthropy is paving the way for a more representative and relevant information ecosystem in Ohio and beyond.

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Aligned with the idea of trust-based philanthropy, but feeling stuck or unsure where to start? This session is for you! Panelists will share successes, challenges and recommendations, from adjusting applications to reporting to supporting grantees. The takeaway? Regardless of position, we all have a role.

Practicing inclusion requires great intention. Representatives from the Saint Luke's Foundation will discuss the policies, procedures and practices they've deployed to make their foundation and grantmaking more inclusive and equitable. You’ll take away new approaches to focus your work on promoting inclusivity.

Walk, bike, bus! Hear how philanthropy’s convening power and investments in active forms of transportation and public transit are improving community health, connecting Ohioans to jobs and reducing inequities. As federal, state and local funds for safer streets become available, philanthropy can lead the way. This session will highlight philanthropy-led solutions that disproportionately benefit low- and moderate-income Ohioans and Ohioans of color.

Learn about a unique corporate charitable giving partnership between Procter & Gamble (P&G) and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF). In this partnership, GCF handles the day-to-day administration, and P&G oversees all philanthropic and funding strategies and recommendations. Hear the history of the partnership, its benefits and challenges and how the partnership has strengthened a giving focus on equity.

End your afternoon of learning with drinks and refreshments in the Ault Park courtyard.

Join colleagues for casual dine-arounds at local eateries.

Enjoy expansive morning options in The Market before joining us in the Ballroom for the plenary session.

In the growing discourse around trust in philanthropy, an underlying question continues to surface: is there evidence that trust actually leads to a more significant impact? Growing evidence shows that when funders trust their nonprofit partners, it creates better outcomes and accountability for the communities they serve. Hear how Ohio is on the leading edge of national efforts to embed trust for the benefit of all.

Discover how foundations are more intentionally aligning their missions and values with their investment portfolio strategy. Learn about the Cincinnati Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator, Fund 1, which provides foundations with an opportunity to utilize their long-term assets to back Midwest minority entrepreneurs.

Discover what happens when you combine an innovative investment model, a trust-based funder and a uniquely positioned community organization. Learn how this model offers more efficient economic mobility investments by aligning investments with desired outcomes to fuel and accelerate what's working.

Discover how to help your grantee partners navigate stressors effectively. Hear about the successful “We Care” program, a free professional development program for grantee staff, funded by the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation. The program helps individuals navigate the stressors of work, process challenges and talk about mental health concerns.

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Join Jill Miller and Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith as they share their experiences tackling complex problems by listening to, supporting and centering the people most affected while working together to transform outdated, dysfunctional and discriminatory systems. This session is based on their new book “Infant Mortality and Other Wicked Problems.”

Learn about Greater Cincinnati’s cross-sector, regional strategy to address the youth mental health crisis by engaging hundreds of youth, families, providers and community leaders. Additionally, hear how funders can navigate tensions in sharing power and collaborating to create bold results.

Get insight into how a community foundation in Northeast Ohio and a United Way in Southwest Ohio collaborated within their regions to address equitable digital opportunity. In addition, hear how BroadbandOhio partnered with five types of organizations as backbones to facilitate efforts to close Ohio’s digital divide.

This interactive session will elevate current trends related to teaching and learning and surrounding systems in the context of generative AI and an intensifying climate crisis. Learn how future trends could impact educators’ ability to put kids first and equip them to shape their own futures.

Learn how very different philanthropies have joined forces with state, district and community leaders to tackle the root causes of chronic absenteeism at all system levels through the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network. The initiative helps address chronic absenteeism, which is at an all-time high nationally and in Ohio.

Philanthropy’s engagement in democracy building is sometimes viewed with trepidation and uncertainty. Leaning into your values as community leaders and conveners has never been more critical than in our current moment. Consider the relationship between democracy, politics and partisanship and how philanthropy can support solutions for democratic engagement that transcend ideologies and create healthier, more vibrant communities.

Get insight into the talent market, including concerns such as talent shortages, retention issues and the difficulties associated with hiring for specialized roles. This session will highlight the critical importance of establishing and effectively communicating a well-defined organizational culture and provide valuable insights into attracting and retaining leaders who are well-equipped to address the complex challenges facing the communities you serve. This session is designed both for philanthropy professionals who are responsible for hiring staff and those who might be considering their career trajectory. Please note that this session will occur on-site at The Summit.

Take a trip to Butler Tech Natural Science Center to learn about their journey transforming into a personalized educational learning experience for students. While on the bus, hear from KnowledgeWorks’ experts on data and case studies from across five Ohio districts where leaders are turning to student-centered systems change to better prepare each student for a successful future through personalized learning. The session will involve an interactive tour, during which attendees will see the power of personalized learning.

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Join this immersive bus tour to Walnut Hills to learn how partners are collaborating to make community-led solutions in housing, economic development and food access a reality for the neighborhood. After a panel conversation at Five Points Alley the group will walk to Paramount Launch, LaSoupe and Taft Garden to see community development projects firsthand. 

Visit a sampling of Cincinnati’s more than 300 street murals around the city, and learn how Cincinnati earned the No. 1 spot in USA Today’s 2024 list of the top 10 cities for street art. This walking tour with ArtWorks will connect you to artists, stories and the opportunity to see how public art funding supports vibrant and thriving neighborhoods.

Celebrate the sector during this year’s Ohio Philanthropy Awards at the Woodward Theater in Over-the-Rhine. Stay for drinks, hors d’ouevres and networking in the Beaux-Arts-style venue built in 1913. You’ll feel like you stepped back in time at Philanthropy Forward ’24. Buses will depart The Summit at 5:30 p.m. and depart The Woodward at 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Join your colleagues for breakfast in The Market and connect with peers about critical aspects of your work.

Pick up your breakfast in The Market and join funders in a discussion about the next steps for 501c3s to consider if a redistricting ballot initiative passes in Ohio. Hear how you can support implementation efforts in this casual conversation.

Hear about the Data for Equity Funding Collaborative, a testing ground for participatory and equitable approaches to grantmaking, capacity building and learning with grantees. Discover key learnings and explore a streamlined feedback loop that fosters co-design and enhances equity in evaluation. Gain practical insights on implementing these innovative strategies in your work.

This session is designed for staff with programs, grants and evaluation roles.

Build your foundational skills in philanthropic practice at this core competency development training.

This session will explore the power dynamics funders navigate on a regular basis. Whether the power is real or perceived, it may come from various sources – a donor, legacy volunteer or major funder. We will discuss power dynamics, acknowledge realities such as harassment*, explore the dependency quotient and review current research on the topic.

This session is designed for senior leaders, boards and development roles.
*This session will discuss sexual harassment, which can be triggering for some individuals.

Learn how a community foundation, its donors and a CDFI came together to raise $14 million in a revolving loan, resulting in more than $100 million in affordable housing development. Additionally, more than 20 projects were funded to develop more than 1,000 housing units. See how your foundation can be a catalyst to start a similar loan fund.

This session is designed for finance, program and CEO roles.

Hear how to be a powerful change agent by investing in trust. Trust forms the bedrock of any relationship and is crucial for leading social change. Join Spitfire Strategies for an engaging discussion based on their guide for civil society organizations to reverse the trust deficit. Learn 10 practical and concrete ways to assess your organization’s trust and how to gain – and maintain – trust into the future.

This session is designed for communications and grants professionals in particular.

Discover the transformative benefits of a national trend that intersects artists into the workforce in non-art fields. Hear from a private foundation, a community foundation, a public arts funder and a local artist how these public and private partnerships helped pave a new way for strengthening community and wellness.

Explore the efforts of two organizations that go beyond land acknowledgments and involve leaders from Ohio's tribes in their work. Ohio Humanities’ executive director and Ohio History Connections' director of American Indian relations will lead a powerful conversation about land acknowledgments, what they really mean and including Native voices in community work, given that Ohio tribes were removed completely nearly two centuries ago.

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Hear how a core group of Cuyahoga County funders united and evolved to drive policy change, pushed toward best practices in the field, fostered peer connections for mutual benefit and gained deep insights into the nonprofit sector's and communities' acute and long-term needs. The Greater Cleveland Funders Collaborative’s story provides valuable insights for other communities seeking effective strategies for collective action and impact.

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Delve into trends in belonging, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and more, using a framework to explore how philanthropy can create strong communities for the future. Gain valuable strategies for integrating belonging into philanthropic practices and actionable insights to drive the philanthropic sector forward.

Enjoy a moving performance by Pones therapeutic arts program before diving into this riveting closing discussion. The pace of change in this moment in history continues to eclipse the traditional pace of philanthropy, forcing funders to evaluate whether to adapt the work or risk losing relevancy in community. Hear how sector leaders are preparing for inevitable shifts and how you can use signals to develop “hunches” to anticipate what’s coming next.