Civic Engagement Lives: Duluth-Superior Rallies for Google Fiber

March 31, 2010

Webmaster’s Note: Today we invited MCF member Holly C. Sampson, president of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, to share how her foundation engaged in a community-wide effort to woo Google.

This past month marked an exciting time for our community. Google announced that it would bring ultra high-speed internet to at least one U.S. community prior to year’s end. The announcement sent more than 600 communities nationwide into a flurry of activity to persuade Google their region was best suited for this project. Duluth-Superior was no exception.

Within a few days of the announcement that the Twin Ports would vie for the effort, Duluth Mayor Don Ness plunged into Lake Superior to show Google we meant business. He also asked our residents to rally together online and in person. And guess what? The community responded.

By week’s end the Facebook page surpassed 15,000 fans. Multiple events took place within the community. People uploaded videos and photos, and they shared their excitement about what this project could mean for the region.

At the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, we quickly got involved. We really felt the Google Fiber Initiative was consistent with our Community Leadership efforts to build a creative economy and our Attracting and Retaining Young Adults Initiative. Our response included writing an editorial voicing our support and sponsoring one of the contests showcasing entrepreneurship in our community. We’re also in the process of uploading a video that applauds the community-wide effort to bring in Google Fiber.

This process has really reminded us of how exciting it is to be part of a grassroots movement that could enhance our overall community. The excitement was contagious – statewide and nationally.

Governor Pawlenty proclaimed March 26 “Google Twin Ports Day.” U.S. Senator Al Franken voiced his support in a comedy sketch. And of the 600-plus communities vying for Google, Duluth’s Mayor Don Ness was chosen to accompany the mayor of Sarasota, Florida, on CNN’s morning show to discuss why our community should be chosen.

While we won’t know for months if Duluth-Superior will receive Google Fiber, I think the one thing we do know is that civic engagement is alive and well in the Twin Ports!

- Holly C. Sampson, president, Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation

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Posted by MCF Webmaster

Waiting for Godot…to Retire

March 30, 2010

A new report shows that baby boomers, confronted with longer life expectancy and retirement savings shriveled by capricious markets, are choosing to stay on in leadership positions in the independent sector.

Unfortunately, this means that Gen X-ers and Millennials, who are counting on those positions to advance their careers, are left waiting for the torch to be passed.

The report, entitled Trading Power (pdf), was produced in partnership with the national Council on Foundations, Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies’ 21/64, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy and Resource Generation. It contains 18 interviews with sector leaders, both younger and older, offering their perspectives on the impact of this trend on the field, and what can be done about it.

The potential fallout from older leaders being “trapped at the top” includes stagnation, as the influx of new ideas typically ushered in with changing leadership slows , and abandonment of the philanthropic sector, as next generation leaders recognize opportunities to advance in different fields.

To stop the physical and psychological denudation of the field, new strategies are suggested. Interviewees note the need to shift thinking from a model of “transferal” of leadership to “expansion” of leadership. Current leaders should look at opportunities for sharing their duties with those down the ladder.

Sabbaticals are recommended as well, both to give baby boomers a much deserved break and to allow those below them to gain leadership experience. In addition, some of the duties learned during sabbaticals could remain responsibilities of younger staff members even after the boss returns.

Join the Conversation: Have you personally experienced the “trapped at the top” phenomenon described in this report? Are you a younger leader waiting for what feels like too long for opportunities to advance? Share your experiences by commenting on this post.

1 Comment | leadership, research | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by MCF Webmaster

Web-based Tools: What Works for Grantmakers

March 29, 2010

As a follow up to the inaugural MCF ComMotion Network meeting last week (a member network for grantmaker communications staff) and the MCN Technology and Communications Conference, here’s a quick entry about GrantCraft’s survey of over 1,500 grantmakers on how they’re using web-based communications tools to connect with the community, grantees and other stakeholders.

The free report, entitled How Do Web-based Tools Fit in Your Communications Strategy?, can be downloaded from the GrantCraft website after registering.

The report breaks down the popularity of certain tools, and it includes a wealth of one-liner anecdotes about how grantmakers have used online technology to connect more effectively. According to the report, four of the most popular ways of using web-based tools to connect with stakeholders is through online surveys (55%), followed by online videos (34%), social networking (32%) and webinars (28%).

The report cautions that, although online technologies can be well-suited for engaging those in rural communities, grantmakers should keep in mind bandwidth issues that may limit access to online media, especially video and webinars.

Finally, keep accessibility issues in mind when considering online communications. Some groups don’t have access to the internet at all.  And persons with disabilities and others are often under-served when sites are not made accessible with new adaptive technologies.

If you’re investigating web-based tools for your organization, check out GrantCraft’s  “What’s a Wiki Anyway?” page.  It has a list of different tools and services grantmakers reported using in the survey, and links to learn more.

Join the Conversation: At the MCF ComMotion Network meeting, members discussed how they’re using social media and other technologies to engage their stakeholders. If you’re a grantmaker, what new technologies have proven useful to you? If you’re a nonprofit, what’s been your experience with grantmakers using new communications tools to evaluate grants or to communicate with you? Please share your thoughts by commenting on this post.

- Cary Lenore Walski, MCF web communications associate

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Posted by MCF Webmaster

Minnesota Latino Nonprofit Economy Report and Briefing

March 25, 2010

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) recently announced the release of the Latino Nonprofit Economy Report.  The result of a partnership between MCN and Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER), the report will be released on Monday, March 29, 2010, at a briefing at Neighborhood House in St. Paul.

I asked Ruth Duran Deffley, MCN’s membership and chapter coordinator, a few questions about the report:

 1.  Why did MCN and HACER come together to produce this report?

MCN produces an annual Nonprofit Economy Report that describes the role of nonprofits in Minnesota’s economy by analyzing employment, wage, and financial data. The report features a statewide analysis, as well as regional profiles. But it does not break down the analysis by different minority groups.

In 2000, MCN and HACER partnered to produce the first Latino Nonprofit Economy Report, a useful tool to understand Latino nonprofits and how they impact Minnesota’s economy. MCN has produced two other state minority group reports: the Asian/Pacific Islander Nonprofit Economy Report and the African Nonprofit Economy Report.

2.  What surprising or interesting information about the Latino nonprofit community is revealed in the latest  report?

Latino nonprofits continue to grow in Minnesota, but not at the same rate as the Latino population. Many Latino nonprofits are very small and are therefore difficult to track and count. Latino nonprofits run the gamut of services provided: physical and mental health, education, job skills, advocacy, arts and theatre, economic development. They are diversified in budget size and activity area, responding to the needs of the communities they serve.

3.  What should Minnesota grantmakers know about Latino nonprofits?

Latino nonprofits have a broad impact, both in number of people served and in types of services provided.  These organizations play an important role in the nonprofit sector and have a positive impact on the Latino community.  The current economic climate makes it challenging for new Latino nonprofits to emerge and for existing ones to thrive. This is consistent with what the entire nonprofit sector is experiencing in Minnesota, but it is especially affecting Latino organizations.

Registration is now open for the March 29th briefing on the Latino Nonprofit Economy Report.

-Stephanie Jacobs, MCF member services manager

Comments Off | diversity, economy, nonprofits, research | Permalink
Posted by Stephanie Jacobs

The Art of the Steal: A Lesson in Ethics and the Public Trust

March 22, 2010

This week, some of MCF’s staff went to see The Art of the Steal, a film documenting the fight over The Barnes Foundation and its $25 billion collection of post-Impressionist and early Modernist art.  This private collection includes seminal works by Cézanne, Picasso, Renoir, Degas, Manet, Monet and Van Gogh, but this isn’t a movie about art.

It’s about governance, transparency, donor intent and the interpretation of these principles by people who are entrusted to act in the best interest of the foundation.

Over his lifetime, Dr. Albert Barnes amassed an incredible collection of art at his foundation in Merion, Pennsylvania, unrivaled by many of the large, prestigious art museums in the United States, including the nearby Philadelphia Museum of Art.  But Barnes did not amass this collection to be viewed extensively by the general public; he established the foundation to “promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts.”

First and foremost, Barnes thought of his foundation as a school for artists, a place where sincere students could view important and influential works of art away from the tourism of art museums.  Henri Matisse said the Barnes Foundation is “the only sane place to see art in America.”   Barnes was explicit in his trust documents that the collection should not be sold, moved, or loaned for any purpose, unless those demands became unreasonable or impossible due to unforeseen circumstances.

Therein lies the crux of the struggle to control the Barnes collection.  While Barnes loyalists say that to remove the collection at all would be a direct contradiction to Barnes’ original intent, several powerful people and institutions in Philadelphia, including the former Governor of Pennsylvania, several well-known philanthropists, and the Pew Charitable Trusts, have vied to move the collection to Philadelphia, where it would be more accessible to the general public (and a huge tourist attraction for the city.) They claim that The Barnes Foundation is financially unstable and has no other choice but to move the collection.  The film chronicles this fight, leading up to the dramatic decision as to the future of the foundation.

The Art of the Steal is definitely a movie with an agenda and a point of view (read this New York Times article for a full review of the film).  Funded and produced by several former students and teachers of the Barnes, the film is one-sided and paints the other side in an unflattering light.  Many of the people that the film accuses refused to participate in the movie, but some have made statements in response to the movie, including the Pew Charitable Trusts and Bernard Watson, chairman of the Barnes Foundation board of trustees.

No matter on which side of this argument you fall, The Art of the Steal provides an excellent case study on the topic of ethics.  Whether you have heard of this controversy before or not, you will walk away from the movie questioning how people can ensure that foundations and nonprofits maintain accountability with the public and whether a controversy like this could have been avoided.

At the Minnesota Council on Foundations, our members created, endorsed, and do their work by the Principles for Grantmakers & Practice Options for Philanthropic Organizations to prevent situations like this from happening.  Updated in 2009, the Principles are a how-to of principled philanthropy. Not only do they outline what philanthropic organizations are legally required to do, the Principles are also aspirational, encouraging foundations to reach for more than what the law says is necessary.  All MCF members are required to subscribe to the Principles.  In the preamble of the Principles, it reads:

“We acknowledge the fundamental roles and responsibilities of engaged individuals and the public, private and nonprofit sectors in a just and equitable society.  As a community of grantmakers, we embrace philanthropy’s role in a civil society.”

It is controversies like the one depicted in The Art of the Steal that remind those of us in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors that we must work daily to uphold the public trust.  We must take responsibility for the privilege of sustaining a just and equitable society.  We must respect and honor the people who turn to our organizations in search of support and guidance.  And we must appreciate the opportunity to assess ourselves against written and unwritten standards of ethical principles and practice, and value the chance to reach for a higher standard.

The Art of the Steal is playing now at the Landmark Edina Cinema.

- Stephanie Jacobs, MCF member services manager

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Posted by Stephanie Jacobs

Put On Those Thinking Caps — The Minnesota Idea Open Starts Today!

March 18, 2010

Time to put your thinking caps on people, Minnesota Idea Open is officially open for business!

Today is the premiere day for a new venture launched by The Minnesota Community Foundation with the purpose to get Minnesotans involved in solving the growing problem of obesity in the state. The winning idea will receive a $15,000 grant to make idea into reality and the person submitting it will get $500.

So here’s what you do: Think of an idea that would get people in your community to move more and eat better. Be creative in your thinking. Make the idea feasible and adoptable by other communities. Go to the website and submit your idea.

You can submit your idea for Minnesota Idea Open: How do we get people to eat smart and be active? from today till April 9th. Judges will select the two or three best ideas. Beginning May 3rd you’ll be able to put in your vote for the winning idea. The winning idea will be implemented within the following 12 months by an organization which will act as a fiscal agent for the grant. If the project brings positive outcomes the plan is that it will be able to be duplicated in other communities.

So, get your Think on and get people moving! If you want a chance to scope out the “competition”, check out this hysterical promotional video that the team at Minnesota Idea Open has put together. For ongoing updates, follow them on twitter @MNIdeaOpen!

- Annette Lennartsson, MCF administrative assistant

Comments Off | community foundations, nonprofits, programs, public policy | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Annette Lennartsson

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