At this year’s Council on Foundation’s conference in L.A, Knight Foundation is taking part in several discussions on innovations in the field, including why the future of philanthropy is mobile, how data is impacting the sector and how games can create social change and more. 

On Sunday, a new evaluation on the social impact of real-world games was the center of a panel led by Jessica Goldfin, strategic adviser to the president at Knight Foundation. Knight recently released its evaluation which explored aspects of real-world games that are most effective in addressing community issues.

Today, John Bracken, director of journalism and media innovation, will participate in a panel discussion around funding mobile for social impact. Zero Divide is hosting “The Future is Mobile” at 10 a.m. PST / 1 p.m EST. The conversation will feature both funders of mobile projects and practitioners who will provide hands-on demos, including two Knight grantees, VotoLatino and Safecast. 

Also today, Vice President for Strategy & Assessment Mayur Patel will offer his insights as to how advances in digital technology and changes in how people access and engage with news and information have altered the way foundations operate. The event will be livestreamed, starting at 12:30 p.m PST / 3:30 p.m EST.

Damian Thorman, Knight’s national program director, will also help lead a conversation around high-impact investing for economic rebuilding, with Knight grantee, National Fund for Workforce Solutions.

Knight’s Director/Strategy & Assessment Jonathan Sotsky, will also take part in a conversation about innovative ways grantmakers build data into their work, both as a tool for assessing the needs of individual grantees and as a resource for program design and sector-wide change.

Tomorrow, Knight’s Vice President of Communications Andrew Sherry will share communication strategies to transform philanthropy. He’ll talk candidly about the strategic and critical role of communications, as well as successes and challenges the foundation faces. 

Below you’ll find more detailed information about each of the panels, including meeting room locations. For those following on Twitter, the hashtag is #cofLA.

High-Impact Investing for Economic Rebuilding: Workforce Partnerships between Philanthropy and Employers – 1:00 pm EST

As the nation climbs out of recession, innovative solutions for getting people back to work are a critical component of economic recovery. This session will examine partnerships between employers and foundations in the National Fund for Workforce Solutions that address the skills needs in their regions.  

Presenter(s): Jenette Lawrence Shay, Director of Government and Community Relations, Family Health Centers of San Diego; John Padilla, Associate Director, The Annie E. Casey Foundation; Damian J. Thorman, National Program Director, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Kirk Willard, Plant Manager/Senior Manager, Ocean Spray Cranberries

Moderator(s): Fred Dedrick, Executive Director, National Fund for Workforce Solutions

Session Designer(s): Stephanie Powers, Managing Director, Public-Philanthropic Partnership Initiative, Council on Foundations

Meeting Room: Gold Ballroom 1, 1st Floor

The Future is Mobile: Leveraging the Power in Everyone’s Hand – 1:00 pm EST

From Egypt to East Los Angeles, changemakers are generating enormous impact with mobile phone strategies. How can foundations support grantees in using mobile applications to meet their mission? Join practitioners and funder colleagues for hands-on learning and group discussion.

Presenter(s): John Bracken, Director, Journalism and Media Innovation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Manuel Santamaria, Grantmaking Director, Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Moderator(s): Laura Efurd, Vice President and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, ZeroDivide

Session Designer(s): Pamela Harris, Former Managing Director, Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media; Jeff Perlstein, Director, Strategic Engagement, ZeroDivide

Meeting Room: Gold Ballroom 3, 1st Floor

Philanthropy and the Digital Public Dialogue: Challenges and New Opportunities – 3:00 pm EST

Whether commissioning and disseminating research, communicating issues of concern, or funding media and technology projects, foundations play an important role in our public dialogue. However, a number of factors—including advances in digital technology, rapid changes in how citizens access and engage with news and information, and the continued reshaping of the traditional media—are dramatically altering the environment in which foundations operate. Join representatives from the Center for Digital Information and other key players in a roundtable conversation about the challenges and opportunities for philanthropy in today’s constantly changing digital landscape.

Presenter(s): Lucy Bernholz, Managing Director, Arabella Advisors; Michael Delli Carpini , Dean, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania; Mary Lou Fulton, Senior Program Manager, The California Endowment; Debra M. Jacobs, President and CEO, The Patterson Foundation; Matt James, President and CEO, The Center for the Next Generation; Mayur Patel, Vice President of Strategy and Assessment, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project; Michael D. Smith, Senior Vice President, Social Innovation, The Case Foundation; Jeff Stanger, Director, Center for Digital Information; Marta L. Tellado, Vice President for Communications, Ford Foundation; Ernest Wilson III , Dean, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California

Moderator(s): Geoffrey Cowan, President, Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands; Professor & Annenberg Family Chair in Communication Leadership, University of Southern California

Session Designer(s): Jeff Stanger, Director, Center for Digital Information

Meeting Room: Platinum Ballroom C, 2nd Floor

Data-Driven Decision Making – 6:00 pm EST

Discuss innovative ways grantmakers build data into their work, both as a tool for assessing the needs of individual grantees and as a resource for program design and sector-wide change.

Presenter(s): John E. McGuirk, Program Officer, Performing Arts, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation; Bryan Preston, President and CEO, The Back Office Cooperative; Kevin Rafter, Manager of Research and Evaluation, James Irvine Foundation; Jonathan Sotsky, Strategic Assessment Officer , John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Gary VanLandingham, Director, Results First, Pew Center On the States; Laura Zucker, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Arts Commission

Moderator(s): Neville Vakharia, Director, Cultural Data Project, The Pew Charitable TrustsSession

Designer(s): Neville Vakharia, Director, Cultural Data Project, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Meeting Room: Platinum Ballroom C, 2nd Floor

Non-profit Working Group Reception – 9:00 pm EST

The Nonprofit Media Working Group was formed as a result of The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s generous grant to the Council to manage and support the activities of a working group of grantmakers, practitioners, scholars, and legal experts focus on remedying any identified barriers to greater philanthropic support of nonprofit news and information services. The reception will allow participants to learn more about the working group and to offer input on this topic directly to Knight representatives and working group members.

Meeting Room: Olympic 1, 3rd Floor Tower

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Communication Strategies to Transform Philanthropy – 10 am EST

What happens when a foundation decides to directly engage the general public? Can it work and how do you know if it has? Four foundations talk candidly about the strategic and critical role of communications, the successes they’ve had, and the lessons they’ve learned. Skeptics are welcome.

Presenter(s): Ann Golob, Director, Long Island Index, Rauch Foundation; Sandy Herz, Director, Strategic Alliances, Skoll Foundation; Andrew Sherry, Vice President/Communications, James S. and John L. Knight Foundation; Marta L. Tellado, Vice President for Communications, Ford Foundation

Moderator(s): Howard Schneider, Dean, School of Journalism, Stony Brook University

Session Designer(s): Nancy Rauch Douzinas, President, Rauch Foundation; Ann Golob, Director, Long Island Index, Rauch Foundation

Meeting Room: Platinum Ballroom I/J, 2nd Floor

Closing Lunch Plenary – What’s the Big Idea? Vignettes about Philanthropy – 3:00 pm EST

Special remarks from: Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor, City of Los Angeles

Ignite sessions encourage speakers to share their passions in a fast-paced, succinct manner. For the first time ever at a Council conference, we are presenting an Ignite session on philanthropy so speakers from various backgrounds and experiences can share their passions, inspire us to think in new ways, and perhaps even provoke us with their insights and ideas. Fasten your seat belts and join us!

Presenter(s): Lucy Bernholz, Managing Director, Arabella Advisors; Emmett D. Carson, CEO and President, Silicon Valley Community Foundation; Wendy Cohen, Senior Director, Film Campaigns, Participant Media; Andy Goodman, Cofounder, The Goodman Center; Josh Kun, Professor, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California; Robert Lewis Jr., Vice President for Program, The Boston Foundation; Albert Ruesga, President and CEO, The Greater New Orleans Foundation; Sue Santa, Senior Vice President for Public Policy, The Philanthropy Roundtable; Constance Steinkuehler, Senior Policy Analyst, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy ; Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor, City of Los Angeles

Moderator(s): Mayur Patel, Vice President of Strategy and Assessment, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Meeting Room: Diamond Ballroom, 3rd Floor