Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin  
phone: 415.479.5710 | email: info@cvnl.org
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 > Nonprofit Resources > Marin Nonprofit Conference 2009


2009 Marin Nonprofit Conference:

RETHINKING CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

produced by Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership
with generous support from Marin Community Foundation

Thursday, October 29, 2009, 8am-5pm
Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael

 

Innovation

Debatable

Strategies

Connection

 
7:45-8:30 am
Registration, Breakfast and Exhibitor Marketplace
 
8:30-
9:45 am
Welcome and Keynote Address:

"Values, Mission, and the Unconventional Leader" with Ephren W. Taylor II


Session 1
10:00-
11:15 am
 
Session 2
11:30-
12:45 pm
12:45-2:00 pm
Lunch
Lunchtime Remarks and Roundtable Discussions
Networking and Exhibitor Marketplace
Session 3
2:00-
3:15 pm
Session 4
3:30-
4:45 pm

 

The 6th bi-annual Marin Nonprofit Conference will be held on October 29, 2009.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
"Values, Mission, and the Unconventional Leader"
Ephren W. Taylor II

Amidst waves of social, political, and economic change how can leaders rise to the challenge and deliver on a vision for a better future? 


INNOVATION TRACK:

Re-Examining the Social Contract: A New Approach to Changing Communities
Paul Harder, Harder + Company

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As the world changes around us, we need to think in new ways about the traditional roles of government, community groups and philanthropy.  Rather than hoping things get back to “normal”, let’s think about changing our expectations of the old social contract to accommodate the challenges and opportunities of the new century.  How could the future of our communities be different?

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Building the Leaderful Organization: Shifting our Leadership Paradigm
Maureen Sedonaen, Youth Leadership Institute (YLI)

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Building on the work of Joseph Raelin’s framework of “The Leaderful Organization” this session will explore an organizational model that involves everyone in leadership. We will focus on building leadership models that encourage collaboration, teamwork and inclusivity, and allow us to break free of the heroic or figurehead leadership trap. Lessons from leaders will be interwoven into the session as real life examples and learning tools. Maureen will also discuss how to shift the leader paradigm, how to create an organizational plan and the role of people as critical success factors in making your organization “Leaderful".

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The Underestimated Asset: Exploring the Potential of Donated Time
Amy Smith, HandsOn Network; Julie Burk, Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership

In California and across the US more than just the earth is moving under our feet, the engagement of volunteers is as well.  Come join this facilitated discussion on the evolving and fast changing landscape of volunteer management, volunteer leadership and self organizing.  Hear about trends being seen nationally and discuss with your peers how best to leverage opportunities to engage citizens in advancing your organization’s mission.  We will tackle topics like: Who is the primary customer?  How are corporate partnerships changing?  What is self organizing and why do we need to pay attention?  We hope this thought provoking session will challenge the conventional approach to engaging volunteers and ultimately help you chart a course for volunteer engagement success.

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Making Hard Choices
Jan Masaoka, Blue Avocado

Decisions about resources, personnel and programs can keep nonprofit leaders up at night but much of the advice out there is empty of nutrition. Everyone talks about "hard choices" but what's seldom discussed is what makes a decision difficult, and how to make choices in the absence of either adequate information or consensus. Jan Masaoka will explore some unconventional ideas about how to accept the reality of our decision-making environment and move forward anyway.

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DEBATABLE TRACK:

DEBATE: Should Nonprofit Boards Fundraise?
Emily Hall, Olive Grove Consulting; Robert Zimmerman, Zimmerman Lehman;
Moderated by: Mariana Moore, Mariana Moore Consulting

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Download Session Handouts 2

Conventional wisdom holds that the role of the Nonprofit Board includes fundraising.  While this theory is held largely sacred in our sector, does it work for most of our organizations?  Can the majority of volunteer boards be successful fundraisers?  Is that the goal?  Can nonprofits financially sustain themselves without the support of their volunteer leadership?  Robert Zimmerman and Emily Hall will take the opposing viewpoints on Board Fundraising in a formal debate moderated by Mariana Moore. Questions for the debaters may be submitted to the moderator in writing during the session.

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Getting Sacred Cows Out of the Boardroom: Why Most Boards Don't Work and What We Can Do About It
Leyna Bernstein, Leyna Bernstein Consulting; Morrie Warshawski, Arts Consultant/Writer

Building a board can feel like herding cats, not cows. No matter how hard we work, boards never seem to reach their full potential. Is it just a matter of getting the right people or the right training? We don't think so. Join us for a spirited discussion of the real reasons boards rarely work well. We'll share some of our own insights into the structural challenges of governance, and facilitate a peer-to-peer conversation about what we can do to overcome them. You'll come away thinking about boards in a new way, and with some practical ideas to implement in your own back forty.

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DEBATE: Should Nonprofits Merge?
Paul Connolly, TCC Group; Patricia Marrone Bennett, Resource Development Associates; Moderated by: Diane Brown, The Non-Profit Assistance Group

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Download Session Handouts 3

In the current economic climate, many voices are calling for organizations to merge. Opinions vary regarding the need for mergers as well as the reported impact and success.  Organizational Development experts continue to question the impact and potential of mergers on both organizational effectiveness and efficiency.  Participants will be provided with an opportunity to submit questions to the moderator during the debate. 

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STRATEGIES TRACK:

Technology as Movement Building
John Kenyon, Nonprofit Technology Educator & Strategist; Nonprofit Consultant

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Movement Building has long been the foundation for social movements and change.  In the modern era of rapidly evolving technology are the traditional strategies and structures we’ve used to build momentum still effective?  Has the advent of the virtual era and the capacity of new technology created a demand for new strategies or called into question the very need for organizing “structures”?  This dynamic panel will explore how we can best stay abreast of the changing landscape and leverage new technology to move our organizations and their missions forward.  

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Deconstructing the Development System: A New Fundraising Structure for a Forever Changed Economy
Elliot Levin, Partnership Resources Group

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Fundraising staff typically operate in an organizational space somewhere between the executive office and program departments.  This silo marginalizes the most effective fundraising assets of any organization—those on the front lines.   Deconstructing the Development System will examine the old conventional wisdom of the fundraising organization and present new, successful models that integrate program staff, volunteers and even support people toward achieving funding goals in a changing economy.  The session will provide new tools for maximizing an organization’s fundraising assets, strategies and overall morale.

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Brand-Based Decision Making: Putting Strategic Planning in Its Place
Sarah R. Moore, Sarah R. Moore Non-Profit Communications Consulting; Diane Tompkins, The Curious Company

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Is it possible that we’ve been our organizations’ own worst enemies by not remembering who we are, what we do and why it matters?  Conventional wisdom tells us that smart strategic planning sets the course for the success of our organization. But we contend that along the way, the passion that should drive us gets lost.  Strategic planning as it has been practiced is long on process and consensus.  Brand strategy, on the other hand provides immediate clarity that integrates and galvanizes our organizations’ diverse disciplines to make meaningful impact a reality.  Come join us as we share how to use brand strategy to inspire your staff, programs and communications to create a seamless, coordinated, effective force for change.

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Leadership Conversation:  Exploring a New Social Contract
Paul Harder, Harder + Company; Linda Davis, Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership

Executive Directors and Board Leaders are invited to register for this follow-up conversation to the morning’s Re-Examining the Social Contract: A New Approach to Changing Communities.  This facilitated discussion will look at the social contract in Marin and explore the evolving role and potential of the nonprofit sector.    

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CONNECTION TRACK:

Executive Forum: Bringing Leadership to Management
Melissa Breach, Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership

Designed for Executive Directors and other Senior Management Staff, this facilitated conversation will explore how we can best demonstrate excellence in leadership in day to day management of our organizations.  Topic areas will include team management, donor relations, and decision-making.

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Advocacy Leaders Roundtable
Wilma Chan, Children Now

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What is the relationship between your organization’s cause and the wider issues of government reform and social change?  What is our collective role in addressing the structural barriers to equality and social justice? How can individual organizations collaborate to influence policy and decision making?  Join local leaders of advocacy organizations for a conversation to explore how we can work together to create meaningful change in our communities, our state, and our nation.

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New Ideas Come from the Heart
Evan Kavanagh, Spirit Rock Meditation Center

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Western Culture tells us that if we work smarter we could do better. Whether it is delivering services more efficiently, using fewer staff resources, or doing more with less from our funders, we should be able to squeeze more service out of every dollar.  Can we do what feels like “cutting to the bone” and maintain our heartfelt dedication to our work?  What works (or doesn’t) about the way we’re working now?  What actually connects us to our creativity?  It is our connection with our heart that helps us find new and different ways to care for our constituents. Let’s explore how to grow our heart-connection to our work so that we can better serve our communities even in these heart-rending times.


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Special Needs:
Patrons requiring wheelchair seating, a headset for our hearing system, or other special needs may make arrangements with the Center Staff at the time of ticket purchase or call 415.479.5710. Excellent wheelchair seating positions are available in the Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium.

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