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Thursday, August 07, 2008

About Grantmakers Forum of New York

Mission

A regional association of grantmakers, the Grantmakers Forum of New York unites and educates funders, their advisors, policymakers, and the nonprofit sector to strengthen and promote philanthropy for community benefit.   Through the Grantmakers Forum, funders share and increase their knowledge, improve their practices, and address issues of local, statewide and national importance to philanthropy.

Goals

•  Increase knowledge and skills of grantmakers;

•  Strengthen communication, cooperation and effectiveness among grantmakers;

•  Enable grantmakers and grantseekers to work as effective partners;

•  Build leadership around philanthropic issues and opportunities;

•  Promote philanthropy throughout the region.

 

Forum board

The Grantmakers Forum of New York is led by a Board of Directors representative of grantmaker members in the region; volunteer committees oversee most functions.

 

Forum staff

Elizabeth C. Wilder, Executive Director (biography)

Lisa M. Dahl, Program Director (biography)

Communications Director

 

Watkins Glen

 

Affiliations

Grantmakers Forum of New York is a member of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers,  a national network of regional associations serving and advancing philanthropy in their areas. The Forum of Regional Associations represents more than 4,000 foundations, corporations, organizations and individual donors - a network that serves as a bridge between existing grantmakers and potential ones.

As a member of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, The Grantmakers Forum of New York endorses the defined roles of regional associations.

 

Grantmakers Forum and its members benefit from a cooperative agreement between the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers and the Council on Foundations.

 

Grantmakers Forum is a member of Independent Sector - a national forum for charities, foundations and corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good.

 

Grantmakers Forum maintains a membership in BoardSource - a national organization that strengthens nonprofits boards through publications, tools and consulting.

 

Services for Grantmakers

Networking.  Our grantmaker members tell us that they derive the most benefit from networking with other organizations doing similar work in their communities. 

Members come together in community action roundtables to explore local issues and discuss their charitable distribution strategies.  National and state experts in the field are invited to our region to share their work with funders. 

We hold meetings tailored to the needs of different types of grantmakers: community foundations, corporations or family foundations; and periodically bring together funders from around the state to participate in workshops or conferences.  Visit our events page for current information.

 

Knowledge .   The Grantmakers Forum provides publications, research and education to members on management, governance and grantmaking issues.

The Grantmakers Forum produces a monthly member e-newsletter with information about the region and philanthropy.  For interested members, we publish the Corporate Citizen , a bi-monthly corporate newsletter, and Cornerstone , a quarterly family foundation newsletter.  

Essential Skills & Strategies for New Grantmakers takes participants through a program designed to help them build a framework for ethical and effective grantmaking.

The Grantmakers Forum provides data and statistics about grantmaking and grantmakers in Upstate New York.

 

Advocacy .   The Grantmakers Forum plays an active role to promote the nonprofit sector and philanthropy throughout Upstate NY, particularly with media, regulators, and policymakers.  

We keep members informed about state and national policy, which affects the nonprofit sector in general and grantmakers in particular, and encourage group action when warranted.  

A delegation of members from the Grantmakers Forum travels to Washington, D.C. each Spring to take part in a national “Foundations on the Hill” when funders meet with Congressional members to address issues of concern.   This activity has shown a direct impact on pending legislation over the past few years.  Visit our public policy section for more information.

The Grantmakers Forum does not make grants nor does it  provide fundraising information and/or referral for individual nonprofits. It does offer the following support/services for the nonprofit sector:



News & Events

 

SAVE THE DATE
Annual Member Meeting and 20th Anniversary Celebration
September 9, 2008

Webinars for Grantmakers   Register now

Family Foundation Brown Bag lunch, New Date: August 26. Register now.

Regional Events and education of interest to funders