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Available audio recordings are posted below.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1
Delivering Philanthropic Impact:
The Four Essential Questions Every Nonprofit Must Address
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A philanthropic organization’s ability to be effective in achieving a donor’s mission is highly dependent upon the performance of the nonprofit organizations it funds. Consequently, ambitious donors must select, fund, and collaborate with nonprofits in a manner that enables their grantees to succeed. Experience demonstrates that the best nonprofit organizations rigorously address a few central questions related to strategy, capital, and talent: Which results will we hold ourselves accountable for? How will we achieve them? What will results really cost, and how can we fund them? How do we build the organization we need to deliver results? Rather than working to help their grantees address these realities, far too many grantmakers have bad habits that undermine and impede an otherwise effective philanthropic strategy-and thus dramatically reduce the ultimate impact of their money. Thomas J. Tierney, chairman and co-founder of the Bridgespan Group, recently co-authored an article in the Harvard Business Review on how nonprofits can answer these questions. During this session, he will examine these issues further, with an eye toward achieving higher-impact philanthropy.
Thomas J. Tierney, chairman and co-founder, Bridgespan Group [bio]
Paul Brest, president, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Introducer) [bio]
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2
Business and Philanthropy: Joining Forces to Defend Their Freedom?
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“There is a major cultural schism developing in America,” Arthur Brooks wrote in the Wall Street Journal in April 2009. “The new divide centers on free enterprise—the principle at the core of American culture.” The past year has seen an array of efforts—some well-intentioned but others operating under the guise of “crisis”—that have undermined the independence of the private sector in America, whether for-profit business or not-for-profit philanthropy. Increasingly, both sectors have been targeted for greater oversight by policymakers and interest groups. Furthermore, the perceived “deep pockets” of both sectors have become ever more attractive to a public sector desperately looking for quick budget fixes and in need of long-term revenue streams. At stake is not just the traditional autonomy of business and philanthropy. Equally at risk is their inventiveness, flexibility, and creativity in employing experimental approaches to addressing social needs. What lessons can business and philanthropy learn from one another? What strategies should they adopt? And what challenges will confront them both in the coming debates over increased regulation and oversight? A panel of experts will identify the parallel threats that both sectors face—and the opportunities for cooperation in the months and years ahead.
Arthur C. Brooks, president, American Enterprise Institute [bio]
Linda Childears, president, Daniels Fund [bio]
Katie Loovis, director, Business and Society programs, Business Civic Leadership Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce [bio]
Michael W. Grebe, president and chief executive officer, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation (Moderator)[bio]
School Choice: Are Vouchers Worth the Fight?
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School choice has been of keen interest to education reformers and philanthropists for two decades. The concept is simple: competition will ensure better outcomes for at-risk students, create decent alternatives for children otherwise trapped in dreadful schools, and spur public school districts to perform better. In 2009, choice comes in many forms and flavors, and many of them enjoy widespread support. But their track record has been mixed. As one reform advocate wrote in the American: “In romanticizing school choice, enthusiasts have typically made two key mistakes. First, they have not fully considered what it takes for market-based reform to deliver results at scale. Second, they have mistaken the presence of choice for the reality of competition.” On balance, how well is school choice working? Should philanthropists and reformers forget vouchers, and concentrate on charter schools and other forms of school choice? Should they forget choice and devote their attention to improving curriculum or teacher performance or turning around failed schools? Or does school choice remain a vital component of real K–12 school reform? Several veterans of school choice battles will handicap its prospects and promise for achieving dramatic breakthroughs.
Jeanne Allen, president, Center for Education Reform [bio]
Terrance Carroll, Speaker of the House, Colorado State Legislature [bio]
John Chubb, distinguished visiting fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and senior vice president, EdisonLearning [bio]
Betsy DeVos, vice president, Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation [bio]
Howard Fuller, founder and director, Institute for Transformation of Learning, and distinguished professor of education, Marquette University [bio]
John Kirtley, co-founder, FCP Investors [bio]
Chester E. Finn Jr., president, Thomas B. Fordham Foundation (Moderator) [bio]
Upward Mobility in the Workplace
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Is the American Dream slipping out of reach? Many Americans—too many—feel like they just can’t get ahead. Working-class incomes have stagnated, and for many low-income wage earners, upward mobility seems like a vanishing prospect. Can working-class Americans still dream of a better life for themselves and for their children? Certainly many donors think so—and are looking for effective ways to expand workforce opportunity. Under Barbara Dyer, the Hitachi Foundation has shaped the Jobs to Careers initiative (which works to meet the needs of frontline healthcare workers) and the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (a nationwide effort to leverage local support for career advancement). Ronald Hearn has worked closely with Baltimore’s healthcare community to increase the number of entry-level hires and provide training to upgrade the skills of current healthcare workers. And Elsa L. Holguín of Denver’s Rose Community Foundation has worked to support employment and training programs that help people find stable jobs and support services to get them climbing up the career ladder. Join these panelists as they discuss career advancement strategies in various economic sectors, costs and benefits of career advancement programs, and the effectiveness of philanthropy in this area.
Barbara Dyer, president and CEO, Hitachi Foundation [bio]
Ronald M. Hearn, executive director, Baltimore Alliance for Careers in Healthcare [bio]
Elsa L. Holguin, senior program officer, Rose Community Foundation [bio]
Donn Weinberg, vice president, trustee, and chairman-elect, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation (Moderator) [bio]
Protecting Donor Intent in College Giving
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American higher education is a major beneficiary of philanthropic generosity. One example: according to Giving USA, private individuals made 333 separate gifts of more than $10 million to colleges and universities nationwide in 2008 alone. Eager as college presidents are to accept donations, however, college deans have often proven less receptive to abiding by the conditions that often accompany them. How can thoughtful donors to higher education ensure that their money is spent according to their wishes? Three panelists will discuss their own experiences giving to academia and offer their insights on the best ways to protect donor intent in this area. William S. Robertson will offer lessons learned from his epic donor intent lawsuit against Princeton University, which was eventually settled at a cost to the university of $110 million. Diana Davis Spencer will offer a case study from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where the college’s misappropriation of an endowment given by her late father, Shelby Cullom Davis, prompted the state’s attorney general to intervene. And Frederic Fransen will offer general lessons for prospective donors about strategies for protecting their intentions. Anne D. Neal, co-author of The Intelligent Donor’s Guide to College Giving, will moderate.
Frederic Fransen, founder, Donor Advising, Research, and Educational Services [bio]
William S. Robertson, president, Banbury Fund, Inc. [bio]
Diana Davis Spencer, president, Kathryn W. Davis Foundation [bio]
Anne D. Neal, president, American Council of Trustees and Alumni (Moderator) [bio]
What Your Money Means: (And How to Use It Well)
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Frank Hanna is a philanthropist. For him, philanthropy is not a hobby, or a tax strategy, or a form of therapy. Rather, he has found that philanthropy is a calling, a vocation. In What Your Money Means (and How to Use It Well), Mr. Hanna draws on the wisdom of great philosophers—from Aristotle to Aquinas to Emerson—to call on those who have built wealth to give generously, and to give now. Indeed, he recommends that those who have been blessed with riches give away all of their non-essential wealth within their lifetimes. But his case for charitable generosity is not grounded in the conventional language of “giving back” to society. It is instead grounded in a philosophy of stewardship and gratitude for the bounty of the earth and its resources. If entrepreneurs apply to their philanthropy the focus, discipline, and creativity that made them effective in business, they can be equally effective in helping the needy and building great charitable institutions. At this session, Hanna will explain his notion of philanthropy as a calling, offer practical advice for effective giving, and lead a discussion on the nature and purpose of wealth.
Frank Hanna, author, What Your Money Means: (And How to Use It Well), and CEO, Hanna Capital LLC [bio]
Ann M. Corkery, counsel, Security National Sevicing Corporation (Introducer) [bio]
Finding Permanent Homes for Foster Children
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There are half a million children in the U.S. foster care system—removed from their parents’ homes because of abuse or neglect. These children, already at risk, are often left worse off by foster care. One in ten spend more than seven years in foster homes, moving frequently, and 15,000 children “age out” of the foster care system every year. Those who age out of the system have no immediate family connections, an unstable social setting, and at greater risk of homelessness or imprisonment. More than a quarter of kids in foster care are legally eligible to be adopted. And adoption, philanthropists have found, brings the children most at risk into stable families and increases their likelihood of staying in school, out of trouble, and in future healthy family situations. Panelists will explain what philanthropists can do to encourage more adoptions of foster children.
Jim Daly, president and CEO, Focus on the Family [bio]
Kelly Peterson, CEO, Utah Foster Care Foundation [bio]
Rita L. Soronen, executive director, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption [bio]
Stanford D. Swim, president, GFC Foundation, and chairman, National Council for Adoption (Moderator) [bio]
Is the Charitable Sector Becoming Too Dependent on Government?
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The Obama administration has announced plans to substantially increase federal funding for a wide variety of federal programs to promote volunteerism, community service, and nonprofit innovation. A number of these programs will be “public-private partnerships” funded in part by matching grants from foundations, corporations, and other donors. This expansion of public funding for voluntarism is a bipartisan tradition: both the Clinton and the George W. Bush administrations strongly supported such initiatives. Is there a danger that governmental activity will expand too far into the nonprofit and social enterprise sector? Are public-private partnerships good for philanthropy? Is America well-served by the Corporation for National and Community Service? Will federal funds strengthen—or weaken—the charitable sector? Grappling with these and similar questions will be Diana Aviv, president and CEO of Independent Sector, and Fr. Robert A. Sirico, president of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty.
Diana Aviv, president and CEO, Independent Sector [bio]
Fr. Robert A. Sirico, president, Acton Institute [bio]
William A. Schambra, senior fellow, Hudson Institute, and director, Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal (Moderator) [bio]
What's Next for K-12 Education Reform?
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Jeb Bush and Michael Lomax are reformers. As Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007, Mr. Bush presided over sweeping education reform. He brought accountability to the state’s schools through high-stakes testing and a grading system, which in turn forced schools to devote attention to students most at risk. Florida was recently cited as one of three states to reduce the black-white achievement gap in recent years, and the state’s low-income Hispanic fourth-graders outscore the statewide averages in fifteen other states. In fact, Florida’s rate of fourth-graders reading at grade level has jumped 17 percentage points. Mr. Lomax, meanwhile, has led the United Negro College Fund since 2004. He has been one of the nation’s leading advocates for increasing college access and improving higher education readiness, especially through the Aspen Institute’s Commission on No Child Left Behind. To that end, he has become increasingly involved in K–12 education reform. Join these two top reformers for a conversation about new ideas and coming changes in K–12 reform. What opportunities do reformers have now? What should education look like in the future? What needs to change, and what doesn’t? And how can philanthropists get involved in reforms that will dramatically improve K–12 education?
Jeb Bush, founder, chairman, and president, Foundation for Excellence in Education [bio]
Michael L. Lomax, president and chief executive officer, United Negro College Fund [bio]
Stefanie Sanford, deputy advocacy director for national initiatives, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Moderator) [bio]
Ana Thompson, executive director, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, and board member, The Philanthropy Roundtable (Introducer) [bio]
Mentoring: A Safety Net for Youth At Risk
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As children grow, their lives are shaped by the personal connections they enjoy: parents, siblings, extended family, friends, teachers, employers—and mentors. But for young people in trouble or at risk—whose formation has been neglected by parents, hindered by troublesome peers, or overlooked by busy teachers—the presence of a caring, involved adult mentor is critical. Of the many millions of young Americans who need or want mentoring, only three million are in formal, high-quality mentoring relationships. These mentoring relationships take varying forms, from church-based programs to mentorships that draw out youths’ entrepreneurial qualities. Leaders from two successful youth mentoring programs, joined by a leading expert on psychological research into mentoring programs, will explain the characteristics of an effective mentoring program and the necessary steps to successfully scaling them. They will also address the balance of risks and rewards in mentoring at-risk youth, as well as how philanthropy can continue to boost effective mentoring.
Virgil Gulker, founder, Kids Hope USA [bio]
Jean Rhodes, professor of psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston [bio]
Kay S. Hymowitz, senior fellow, Manhattan Institute (Moderator) [bio]
Is College Worth What We Pay for It?
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Every year, the United States spends over $400 billion on higher education-3 percent of GDP. This is twice the relative expenditure of any other country. Higher ed costs are rising even more rapidly than those of health care. Students and their families pay hefty tuitions and assume substantial debt; taxpayers subsidize student loans and appropriations. Several experts in American higher education will address whether higher education is worth the cost-and offer advice for philanthropists seeking to ensure students, taxpayers, and donors get the best possible return on investment. Former Harvard College dean Harry Lewis will discuss the decay of general education as student and faculty choice have supplanted curricular design and coherence. Mark Schneider's recent research demonstrates that fewer than 60 percent of matriculating freshmen achieve a diploma in six years, at high cost to themselves and the taxpayer. Finally, Richard Vedder and David Wasinger will outline the ways in which higher education entrepreneurs are focusing on controlling costs and maximizing value.
Harry R. Lewis, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University [bio]
Mark Schneider, visiting scholar, American Enterprise Institute [bio]
Richard Vedder, director, Center for College Affordability and Productivity, and professor of economics, Ohio University [bio]
David G. Wasinger, member of the board of curators, University of Missouri [bio]
Rick O'Donnell, president, Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence (Moderator) [bio]
Promoting Liberty through Film and Television
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Philanthropy has long been the source of art and culture. For the edification of the public, community leaders—from Maecenas to Medici to Mellon—used their wealth to commission and collect, for the edification of the public, works of art, music, performance, and literature. And donors usually have their own purposes in mind for cultural philanthropy, too. Liberty-minded philanthropists have been eyeing Hollywood, seeking to articulate their principles in high-quality films and shows with wide popular appeal. This model has enjoyed some success, and more donors are launching new initiatives to influence the culture. Reason.tv produces short online documentaries exploring the cost and unintended consequences of government intervention in private markets. Right on Demand, the first all-conservative cable network, will launch soon under the direction of CEO Steve Hantler. And the Clapham Group and Wedgwood Circle bring artists together with social investors to produce high-quality works with important messages.
Steve Hantler, CEO, Right on Demand [bio]
Michael C. Moynihan, senior editor, Reason [bio]
Mark Rodgers, founder and principal, Clapham Group, and managing director, Wedgwood Circle [bio]
Jeffrey J. Cain, president and executive director, Arthur N. Rupe Foundation (Moderator) [bio]
Entrepreneurial Approaches to Reducing International Poverty
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In rural sub-Saharan Africa, more than 500 million people still cook with open fires and use candles and kerosene lamps to light their homes. The use of unsafe, inefficient fuels produces a host of problems, ranging from burns to smoke inhalation and deforestation to air pollution. John Coors, the chairman, CEO, and president of ceramics engineering company CoorsTek, established the nonprofit Circle of Light to bring low-cost, clean energy for home cooking and lighting to rural families in Kenya and Mozambique while spurring economic growth and private ownership in the communities where it operates. Scott Oki, former senior vice president for sales and marketing at Microsoft, started and built Microsoft’s international operations. He is currently building a new nonprofit international venture, beta-testing See Your Impact, an online giving platform for charitable contributions to developing countries. These panelists will offer insights for philanthropists who seek to stimulate entrepreneurship and create innovative approaches to reducing poverty around the world.
John K. Coors, chairman, president and CEO, CoorsTek Inc., and founder, Community Uplift Ministries [bio]
Scott Oki, founder, Oki Foundation [bio]
Mauro De Lorenzo, vice president for freedom and free enterprise, John Templeton Foundation (Moderator) [bio]
Patient-centered Approaches to Health Care Reform
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There are two competing visions for enacting healthcare reform and achieving universal coverage. One focuses on patient-centered approaches: empowering doctors and patients; removing barriers to competition in the insurance industry; and encouraging innovation in new pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare delivery. The other vision focuses on expanding government involvement through mandates, subsidies, and centralized cost-control measures. Through Medicare, Medicaid, S-CHIP and the VA system, government already controls 47 percent of America’s healthcare expenditures. Panelists will discuss opportunities to make healthcare coverage more affordable and accessible (including for patients with pre-existing conditions) without a substantial expansion of government control. Panelists will also discuss the benefits and disadvantages of foreign healthcare systems, and the opportunities for philanthropists to advance a patient-centered reform agenda through local and national pilot programs.
John C. Goodman, president and CEO, National Center for Policy Analysis [bio]
Sally C. Pipes, president and CEO, Pacific Research Institute [bio]
Kimberly O. Dennis, executive director, Searle Freedom Trust (Moderator) [bio]
Where Are They Now? A Progress Report on the Most Promising Experiments in Urban Education
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Milwaukee, Washington, New Orleans, and Houston—these are some of the most promising laboratories of urban education reform. Even now, new districts, cities, states and other players are emerging from the shifting reform landscape. The clock is ticking—in D.C., Chancellor Michelle Rhee is two years into her tenure at D.C. Public Schools, just as Houston is two years into its super-charged charter expansion; New Orleans is four years into post-Katrina reforms; and Milwaukee’s voucher program, the first in the nation, is nearly two decades old. Who’s making progress—and why? Who’s stalled? Who’s keeping track of what we’re learning in each of these experiments? Is philanthropy part of the solution? Where and when will we see the first true breakthrough, in which a promising experiment tips into systemic success for its students? Philanthropists involved in each of these reform efforts will provide updates on these most promising experiments in urban education—and offer lessons for philanthropists who care deeply about their home cities across the country. As a part of this interactive discussion, we will take city nominations from the floor.
Jim Blew, director of education reform, Walton Family Foundation [bio]
Katherine Bradley, president and co-founder, CityBridge Foundation [bio]
Natasha Kamrani, executive director, Arnold Family Foundation [bio]
James C. Rahn, president, Kern Family Foundation [bio]
Chester E. Finn Jr., president, Thomas B. Fordham Foundation (Moderator) [bio]
Blogging, Texting, and Tweeting: A Guide to New Media Messaging for Donors
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From YouTube and Facebook to Twitter and WordPress, new media tools are changing the way the nonprofit sector communicates. Some of these tools are very useful for transmitting a message to the world, engaging the communities donors serve, and tracking philanthropic impact. Others, however, are not worth the time, effort, or resources. Peter Mitchell, architect of the newly re-launched Alliance for Charitable Reform (ACR) website, will illustrate how ACR is using new media to carefully promote its message. Andrew Solomon will speak from his experiences at the MacArthur Foundation about how donors can best use new media to participate in public policy discussions. At this session, experts will help donors think through the most effective ways to harness new media to accomplish their philanthropic goals.
Pete Mitchell, creative director, Mercury [bio]
Andrew Solomon, vice president of public affairs, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation [bio]
Ian Wilhelm, senior writer, Chronicle of Philanthropy [bio]
Sue Santa, senior vice president for public policy, The Philanthropy Roundtable (Moderator) [bio]
Protecting Our Homeland: A View from U.S. Northern Command
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While we meet, they stand guard. At this moment, within a 20-mile radius of the Broadmoor, cadets are studying at the Air Force Academy, soldiers are training at Fort Carson, and airmen are keeping watch over North American airspace at Cheyenne Mountain. And at Peterson Air Force Base, Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr. (USAF) is leading NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, which stand ready to protect American territory from attack. Although NORAD dates to the Cold War, NORTHCOM is a young command, created after 9/11 to respond to domestic defense needs. Both commands have been evolving to respond to today’s threats, including natural disaster preparedness, national security threats, and domestic homeland attacks, including terrorism, electromagnetic pulse attacks, and the spillover of drug violence from Mexico. Gen. Renuart will speak about how NORAD and NORTHCOM are responding to these threats and how the private sector—in particular private philanthropy—can help, in the words of the Constitution, “provide for the common defense.”
Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) [bio]
William J. Hybl, chairman and CEO, El Pomar Foundation (Introducer) [bio]
Daniel S. Peters, president, Lovett and Ruth Peters Foundation (Emcee) [bio]
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
Common-sense Values: Pass It On
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What do Kermit the Frog, Mother Teresa, and Muhammad Ali have in common? All have been featured on the Foundation for a Better Life’s public service advertisements (PSAs). The foundation creates PSAs promoting common-sense values such as perseverance, service, commitment, and compassion. The ads appear on TV and radio, in print media, on movie screens, on billboards all over the world, in thousands of schools, and online at Values.com. They have one goal—encourage others to do good—and one message: Pass It On. Funded entirely by private philanthropy, the foundation may not resemble the popular conception of American charities. But its messages—carefully tracked—have made billions of impressions, any one of which can make a difference. Gary J. Dixon, the foundation’s president, will illuminate how philanthropists can embrace a positive message—and pass it on.
Gary J. Dixon, president, The Foundation for a Better Life [bio]
Sweet Taste of Success
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“I see a revitalization of America through a simple little lemonade stand,” says serial entrepreneur Michael Holthouse. Committed to helping people escape poverty through entrepreneurship and inspired by the lessons he was able to teach his young daughter and her friend when they set up a lemonade stand one day, Holthouse led the first Lemonade Day for children in Houston in 2007. All of the Lemonade Day participants work with an adult mentor to create a business plan before opening their own stands. They learn about goal-setting, market research, budgeting, and management. “Our goal over the next five years,” Holthouse explains, “is to take Lemonade Day to 100 cities across America and do 1,000,000 lemonade stands in a single day. Now, if we do that, we will have sparked entrepreneurship in a way that I do not think has been done to scale anywhere.” Holthouse will present his vision to teach entrepreneurship across America—one lemonade stand at a time.
Michael Holthouse, founder and president, Holthouse Foundation for Kids [bio]
If We Can't, Who Can? Employing People with Disabilities
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People with disabilities are just as ambitious and industrious as other workers, but they lag behind the general population in employment. Only 23 percent of people with disabilities are in the labor force, and their unemployment rate is 50 percent higher than the national average. And many of the jobs offered to the disabled are menial, eroding the dignity that accompanies work. One company out to change that is Walgreens, one of the nation’s largest drug store chains. More than one-third of the hourly employees and managers in two the company’s newest distribution centers are people with disabilities. But Walgreens’ disabled outreach initiative is not charity—its employees with disabilities do the same work for the same pay as their able-bodied colleagues, and they are held to the same high standards. One of these centers has logged performance gains of 20 percent, and workers can take pride in their achievements. Deb Russell, who has been instrumental in Walgreens’ effort, will share how the company is taking it to scale—and offer lessons for philanthropists who seek to help people with disabilities thrive.
Deb Russell, corporate manager, Walgreen Company [bio]
Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope
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Hunger is a signal cause for philanthropists, both at home and abroad. Although America has made enormous strides in eliminating hunger in this country, critical needs remain, especially in the area of proper nutrition. Children are at special risk from hunger or an unbalanced diet. From modest origins in 1978, the Food Bank of the Rockies (FBR) has become a major service provider in the Mountain West. In 2008, it distributed over 26 million pounds of food through 700 partner agencies, enough to provide more than 56,000 meals each day to families in need. In the economic recession, the need for food assistance is growing. Kevin Seggelke, the president and CEO of the Food Bank of the Rockies, will talk about how FBR is seeking to reduce childhood hunger and improve nutrition in Colorado and Wyoming communities.
Kevin Seggelke, president and CEO, Food Bank of the Rockies [bio]
The Role of Philanthropy in Increasing Religious Vocations
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In 1965, nearly 60,000 priests and 180,000 nuns ministered to the country’s 45 million Catholics. Today, the 64 million Catholics in the United States are ministered to by about 40,000 priests and 62,000 nuns. The decline of religious vocations is one of the most serious challenges facing the Catholic Church in America. It is, moreover, a problem for all Americans, not least because Catholic schools, hospitals, and service groups have relied for generations on the selfless contributions of priests and (especially) nuns. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver is a leader in encouraging vocations to the priesthood and religious life, a success he attributes to devotion and discipleship centered in families and parishes. Archbishop Chaput will offer insights into how donors can help church leaders as they work to nurture such devotion and discipleship, with the aim of encouraging future vocations to the religious life.
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Archdiocese of Denver [bio]
John V. Saeman, founding partner, Medallion Enterprises, LLC (Introducer) [bio]
Can For-Profits Be Models for Nonprofits? A Debate on Dan Pallotta's Uncharitable
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Dan Pallotta is a man on a mission. Pallotta is the founder of Pallotta TeamWorks (PTW), a for-profit company that conducted fundraisers for nonprofit charities. PTW raised over $500 million in just nine years for its causes—“more money,” he points out, “raised more quickly, than any known private event operation in history.” Pallotta draws on his experiences with PTW in his 2008 book, Uncharitable. In it, Pallotta advances a simple thesis: to be truly effective, nonprofits must model themselves on for-profits. They must, he claims, overcome scruples born of America’s Puritan heritage. They need to pay top salaries to attract top talent, commit to aggressive advertising and marketing, take more risks and prepare for more failures. Uncharitable raises a number of interesting questions. If charities act as for-profits, should they receive a tax exemption? Should donors make charitable contributions to for-profit companies? Both businesses and charities exist to serve people—how, exactly, are they different? Join Mr. Pallotta as he debates William A. Schambra, the director of the Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal at the Hudson Institute, on these and other questions.
Dan Pallotta, author, Uncharitable [bio]
William A. Schambra, senior fellow, Hudson Institute, and director, Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal [bio]
Steve Gunderson, president and CEO, Council on Foundations (Moderator) [bio]
Slavery in the 21st Century
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When one thinks of the 19th century battles over slavery, one usually thinks of politics and statesmen, of Lincoln’s steely resolve, of Wilberforce’s persistent suasion, and of the Union Army’s bayonets. Such associations are perfectly accurate, but they obscure the critical role of private philanthropy. Wilberforce worked through the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and American philanthropists formed societies and associations to abolish slavery as early as 1775. Today, the challenge for donors has not diminished: there are more than 12 million people worldwide subject to slavery and forced labor. Most of them are in Africa and south and southeast Asia, but slaves are trafficked around the world—including thousands in the United States. And once again, donors can make a difference. Humanitarian organizations liberate and redeem slaves, provide services to help escaped slaves and victims of trafficking restore their lives, use the legal system to hold perpetrators accountable, and advocate for tougher enforcement of anti-slavery laws. Leaders in the anti-slavery movement will explain how philanthropists can strengthen the cause of abolition.
Kevin Bales, president and co-founder, Free the Slaves [bio]
Mark P. Lagon, executive director, Polaris Project [bio]
Sean Litton, vice president of field operations, International Justice Mission [bio]
Shannon Sedgwick Davis, partner, Bridgeway Foundation (Moderator) [bio]
Philanthropy and the Future of Market Capitalism
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These are the times that try our principles. The economic recession—with its attendant housing bubble collapse, job losses, bank failures, bailouts, and bankruptcies—is putting strain on the view that markets should be freer, taxes should be lower, budgets should be balanced, and regulation should be lighter. A number of philanthropic leaders are working to rescue market capitalism. They are strengthening economic research and teaching, promoting entrepreneurship, working to understand the causes of the financial market collapse, encouraging fiscal responsibility, and improving financial regulation without killing innovation and competition. Robert Litan will speak about the Kauffman Foundation’s strategies to promote entrepreneurship and advance “Law and Economics 2.0.” Dan Senor will speak about strategies to rein in leverage and contain risk. David Walker will discuss the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s strategies for encouraging budget responsibility and reducing unsustainable public debt—and the role of fiscal irresponsibility in bringing about the market collapse. Join us for a discussion of philanthropic strategies to strengthen market capitalism and lay the foundation for increased prosperity.
Robert E. Litan, vice president for research and policy, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation [bio]
Dan Senor, adjunct senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, and co-founder, E21 [bio]
David Walker, president and CEO, Peter G. Peterson Foundation [bio]
James K. Glassman, executive director, George W. Bush Institute (Moderator) [bio]
Talking About Giving: Defending Private Philanthropy in the Current Economic Climate
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Lately, some activists and policymakers have claimed, with increasing vehemence, that foundations are not adequately serving the public and its priorities. They advocate various changes designed to make foundations more responsive to direction by government and activist groups. The argument is that foundation funds are in some way “public money,” thanks to foundations’ federal tax exemption and the charitable tax deduction. Foundations, they argue, should be required to spend more of their funds to aid the poor and reduce inequality. Government has a right to oversee the governance and operations of foundations, and direct grantmaking to what it deems public purposes—or so the theory goes. How can foundations respond to these challenges? The Roundtable will also present the findings of its recent public opinion research in order to illustrate the power of a strategic message that can shift dialogue, challenge perceptions, and, ultimately, direct policy.
Joanne Florino, executive director, Triad Foundation [bio]
Heather Higgins, president and director, Randolph Foundation [bio]
John Tyler, general counsel, secretary and chief ethics officer, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation [bio]
Suzanne Garment, visiting scholar, Center on Philanthropy, Indiana University, and president, Suzanne Garment Inc. (Moderator) [bio]
