The pandemic initiated a reckoning in philanthropy, revealing the urgency for more equitable nonprofit investment strategies. Trust-based philanthropy, an approach prioritizing trust, collaboration, and minimal restrictions, took off as a buzzword in 2020, but has retained staying power as a new paradigm to build organizational capacity and shift the power dynamics between grantmakers and grant recipients.

For some funders, this was straightforward: restricted funds were converted to general operating support, lengthy applications were streamlined into accessible forms with brief reports, and check-in calls or visits replaced traditional interim submissions. Others have taken smaller but significant steps, like eliminating duplicative information or accepting another funder’s materials.  Similarly, many nonprofits began advocating for better approaches to grantmaking that build relationships and support communities with more meaningful methods.

This session’s focus will be on practical and purposeful steps that take your organization closer to a trust-based philanthropy paradigm. Whether you are a grantmaker or grant recipient, we’ll guide you on effective strategies that center trust, diminish unequal power dynamics, and empower nonprofits, grantmakers, and any changemakers to lead with trust and the impact of their work. Learn how to build a trust-based philanthropy culture in your work, and shift from a donor-centric model to practices centered on your mission and community.

Learning Objectives

Presenter

Sarah Angello
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Resilia

Science is catching up with wisdom. For thousands of years, humans have recognized the power of somatic and embodied (SE) practices to support individual and collective well-being. And in recent years, advances in neuroscience have allowed us to better understand the neurobiology behind the healing and resilience-building that body-based approaches can offer.

In this session, we will go beyond the brain and explore why the entire nervous system and body are important to consider when developing a program or services and when developing an organizational culture that is trauma-informed and healing-centered. Facilitators and participants will build a shared understanding of stress and trauma, as well as key components and functions of the nervous system. We will also examine models, such as the polyvagal theory, to help understand the connection between our bodies and mental/emotional health.

Participants will discuss foundational SE practices, and the session will offer a space to practice with some of these simple strategies. Participants will also reflect on which embodied practices might be most supportive to their own well-being at work, as well as what approaches can best contribute to workforce wellbeing in their teams and organizations.

Additionally, facilitators will engage in discussion around the connections between SE approaches and anti-oppression work. Specifically, this conversation will center around how mind-body practices can help uproot and unlearn unconscious biases and how embodiment is a strategy for sustainability in equity, diversity, and inclusion and antiracism work.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Kelly Martin
Director of Practice Excellence
Social Current

Karen Johnson
Senior Director of Change in Mind
Social Current

In today’s diverse work environment, organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of fostering an inclusive culture that values and leverages differences. Effective intercultural communication and understanding are essential for the success of any organization, particularly human services organizations that work with people with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) has emerged as a valuable assessment tool for organizations seeking to understand and develop intercultural competence among their employees. By utilizing the IDI, organizations can assess and enhance their employees’ ability to navigate cultural differences, foster an inclusive environment, and advance their equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives.

This workshop is designed to equip board members, executives, directors, and managers with the knowledge and skills to effectively use the IDI to deepen EDI principles across the organization. The session will provide participants with a fundamental understanding of the IDI, its application within the organizational context, and strategies for integrating intercultural competence into everyday practices for staff at all levels as indicated below:

How IDI data and experiences can drive employee satisfaction, outcomes, policy change, board engagement, and overall cultural humility:

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Julius Mullen
Chief Inclusion Officer
Children & Families First

Edgard Martinez
EDI Program Manager
Children & Families First

This session will focus on both transactional and transformative strategies that create the conditions for an organizational culture that fosters authentic healing, resilience, and equity. It will directly address a critical need in community-based and human services organizations: To understand and mitigate the effects of stress, adversity, and trauma, especially as they relate to historically oppressed and marginalized groups.

Presenters will delve into innovative strategies based on the intersection of trauma-responsive practices and antiracism, equity, and belonging. This session is a blueprint for actionable change and will discuss the practical application of concepts at various levels within the organization. Participants will be guided through various ways of implementing and sustaining a culture that is both trauma-responsive and equity-focused. The goal of this approach is not only to enhance staff well-being and retention but also to significantly improve the experience and long-term engagement of employees and service recipients.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Kesha Carter
Chief Diversity Officer
CCSI

Elizabeth Meeker
Vice President, Consulting & Technical Assistance
CCSI

For professionals navigating the human services ecosystem and wanting to level up their logic model game, this interactive presentation offers invaluable insights. Participants will gain expert guidance to foster a deeper understanding of logic models and emphasize their potential for usefulness in program/service delivery.

Let’s cut to the chase—a well-constructed logic model isn’t just a piece of paper; it’s a powerful tool. Think of it as the master key unlocking success, allowing you to realize the full potential of your plans and initiatives. During this session, presenters will spill the beans on insider tips for crafting a logic model that transcends mere aesthetics, ensuring it’s not just a showpiece but a conduit to improved outcomes.

This session’s focuss will be on maximizing value, transforming these activities into practical and purposeful steps rather than mere tasks on your to-do list. Building a logic model is step one; what comes next? We’re here to guide you on extracting every ounce of usefulness. Presenters will delve into effective program evaluation, data analysis, and presenting results to your team. Learn how to move toward continuous improvement and ensure your logic model becomes an ongoing asset.

Get ready for hands-on exercises that transition from creating a basic logic model for your service to crafting one that resembles the grandmaster of all logic models for your organization. The presenters will even throw in a template to simplify your life.

Key Takeaways:

Join this session for an engaging and practical exploration of logic models, where presenters will break down the barriers between theory and real-world action, making it all about building useful models and getting real results.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Shannon Wichlacz
Senior Evaluation Associate
CCNY Inc.

This is the first session of a two-part advocacy training during SPARK 2023. This training will equip participants with the information and skills to effectively participate in Social Current’s Hill Day, immediately following the conference, Oct. 18. This session is required for those participating in Hill Day, and all SPARK 2023 participants are invited to join.

In this first training session, participants will learn the fundamental aspects of effective advocacy and develop a strong foundation for future advocacy efforts.

The session will focus on the following key topics:

This training overlaps with Session B Workshops.

View Part 2 of the training.

Presenters

Blair Abelle-Kiser
Senior Director of Government Affairs
Social Current

Derry Kiernan
Field Mobilization & Policy Manager
Social Current

One of the major challenges all nonprofits face today is the retention and development of staff at every organizational level. If you ask, “Does your organization have a professional leadership development program to identify, assess and develop today’s leaders for tomorrow’s challenges?” less than 50% of nonprofit organizations would say yes. However, if you ask about a plan to increase donors and dollars, or to achieve strategic goals, or a budget to maintain financial solvency—all would say yes. This educational and inspirational workshop will identify the five key steps to proactively identify and develop new leaders within your organization. The benefits are significant:

This workshop will provide you with a plan to utilize your own staff as mentors and coaches as well as to promote the new leadership development plan within your organization. The “culture of resignation” has a real solution. Come meet presenter Dennis Miller to hear his incredible true story as well as to share in his knowledge and expertise.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Dennis C. Miller
Founder & Chairman
DCM Associates Inc.

Terrence F. Cahill, Ed.D
Managing Director
DCM Associates Inc.

From the very personal accounts of a clinician and police officer, who are married, this workshop will provide an overview of how one Maryland police department created a grant-funded Family Wellness Academy called “The Net.” Rooted heavily in brain science and the understanding of trauma, the Family Wellness Academy curriculum provides attendees with a comprehensive understanding of how a career in law enforcement can change a loved one. It is important to acknowledge the historically high rates of suicide within the first-responder community to grasp the essential communication skills needed to care for them. With the help of a rotating staff of local clinicians, attendees become better prepared to ask loved ones not just, “Are you okay?” but also to navigate potentially intense responses.

Workshop participants will leave with a greater understanding of how to further clinical engagement opportunities with law enforcement as well as their larger network of support, including family and friends. In addition, this workshop will discuss the elements of trauma-informed care and brain science that resonate with law enforcement, how to enhance cultural competency for those who work with first responders, and the Family Wellness Academy curriculum. Lessons learned and opportunities for future collaboration will also be explored.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Meghann Holloway
T/Cpl Wellness Coordinator
Presenting independently

Kelly Berger
Executive Director, Caminos Programs
Board of Child Care

An organization’s ability to provide quality care and services is completely dependent on its ability to care for, equip, and retain its team members. The Buckeye Ranch serves families across a broad continuum of care with multiple, diverse service lines. Since the early 2000s, they’ve established organization-wide standards for serving families through the implementation of their principles of quality care, which are: Strength based, family centered, trauma informed, and culturally responsive. Their understanding of trauma’s impact on the brain has informed the care model and given them a scientific lens through which to implement the principles in their work. As increased turnover and a growing workforce crisis threatened their capacity to provide quality care, they turned attention to the application of these principles as well as the corresponding neuroscience to their team members.

The Buckeye Ranch’s 2020 strategic plan included investments in a deliberate approach toward operationalizing and applying these principles in working with their employees. This effort involved an expansion of their understanding of social-neuroscience to inform the creation of work environments that are not only trauma informed, but also strength based, family centered, and culturally responsive. They have taken a multi-pronged approach to this work, which includes: Restructuring the organization to make professional development a priority, intensive focus on supervisor and manager development, strategic investments in understanding and utilizing team member strengths, and deep dives into organizational self-reflection as well as resource allocation toward culturally respectful responses with their staff. In this presentation, they will offer a brief overview of the brain science informing this work and key strategic initiatives designed to increase employee well-being.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Pamela Scott
Director of Professional and Clinical Development
The Buckeye Ranch

Kimberly Miller
Executive Vice President of Innovative Strategies
The Buckeye Ranch

Kristina Knight
Trauma-Informed Care Administrator
The Buckeye Ranch

In this session, a seasoned panel of peer reviewers for COA Accreditation, a service of Social Current, will guide participants through:

Panelists will help participants gain a deeper understanding of these areas, allowing the (re)accreditation process to be a less stressful and more rewarding experience. This session is for those interested in learning more about the accreditation process from those who are in the field. Through many years of experience, panelists have learned simple tips to allow for a smooth accreditation for the organization’s reviewers as well as for the staff who are responsible for organizing the process. Participants will be guided through four key areas to make the process less stressful, easier to organize, and even a little fun. Join this session for an exciting look at these topics and a smooth future site visit.

Learning Objectives

Moderator

Darrell Woodliff
Director of Volunteer Engagement
Social Current

Presenters

Brandy Gustoff
Chief Operating Officer
Omaha Home for Boys

Stan Capela
Retired Vice Present for Quality Management & Corporate Compliance Officer
HeartShare Human Services of New York

Keith Kozerski
Chief Program Officer
Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Justin Loehr
Senior Director of Campus Life Services
Omaha Home for Boys