This was my first Philanthropy Roundtable conference, and it was truly excellent. The various speakers and sessions were top notch-far exceeding my expectations.”
As always, the best education conference for trustees and staff we have found.”
The best professional experience I have had since becoming a grantmaker.”
Three hundred philanthropists-foundation trustees and senior staff, individual donors, and corporate giving executives from 35 states and three continents-gathered in Amelia Island, Florida, for the 2002 annual meeting of The Philanthropy Roundtable. Participants gave keynote speaker Dr. Ben Carson (see President’s Note) and the overall conference rave reviews. They also received a foretaste of future Philanthropy Roundtable priorities.
As the highlights in the following pages suggest, our annual meeting devoted special attention to K-12 education. One of the highest priorities of The Philanthropy Roundtable is to help donors achieve dramatic breakthroughs in the improvement of K-12 education. Roundtable conferences on excellence in educational philanthropy this year are scheduled for San Francisco on March 5 and New York on May 13, and this will also be a central theme at our San Diego annual meeting from November 13-15.
The Roundtable plans to launch an affinity group dedicated to improving environmental quality through private stewardship, the expansion of scientific knowledge, and the principles of a free society. One of our most popular Amelia Island speakers was a fisherman in his twenties, Chad Pregracke, who organized a grass-roots effort that has already removed more than 800 tons of trash from the Mississippi and other rivers.
Many Roundtable Associates are local or regional donors, who enjoy trading ideas, strategies, and best practices with other donors around the country who share their commitment to freedom, opportunity, personal responsibility, and donor intent. One of our most popular sessions at Amelia Island was on great local grants that could be replicated across the nation. This theme will receive more attention in our magazine and at our meetings in the future.
One of the hallmarks of Roundtable annual meetings is our commitment to serious debate. Our Amelia Island program included debates on the war on terrorism, global warming, donor-advised funds, and the proper role of government in strengthening civil society. Our attention to ideas is matched by an emphasis on practical strategic management, such as our session on the effective foundation board.
Enjoy these highlights, and we look forward to seeing you in San Diego on November 13-15.
-Adam Meyerson, president
