Concurrent Sessions Round D

Concurrent Sessions Round D – Tuesday, March 16, 2010
10:45 am – 12: 15 pm

Greening Challenges and Opportunities for Private Foundations, Large and Small
(Emerging Issues/Special Topics)
Are you looking to implement paperless grantmaking in order to streamline your processes, saving time and money? Looking for ways your organization can reduce its carbon footprint? GMN’s Kermit Squad has taken on these green challenges and more, piloting a variety of practices in a diverse range of organizations. In this session geared toward private foundations, we will demonstrate the flexibility and feasibility of greening for the environment and your bottom line, as well as have an honest conversation about obstacles and barriers. Whether you’ve tried to implement more sustainable and efficient practices in your department or have just started pursuing the idea, this session will be an opportunity to learn successful methods of implementation and how to navigate and overcome barriers. Come for a conversation with those who have initiated greening strategies. We will help you capture the low-hanging fruit or equip you with the information needed to help your organization become a leader in greening!
Presenters: Yolanda Morris, Grants Manager, Wilburforce Foundation; Christopher Percopo, Grants Administrator, Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust; Scott Pietka, Grants Administrator, Firelight Foundation; Anela Shimizu, Operations Manager, Hau'oli Mau Loa Foundation

Reading Nonprofit Financial Statements: How to Be a Financial Detective
(GM: Basics and Beyond)
Learn the fundamentals of reading the audited financial statements of your grantees and potential grantees. This interactive workshop will include such topics as the audit, balance sheet, income statement, contribution categories, and much more to help gauge organizations’ financial stability and identify red flags.
Presenters: Thomas Blaney, Partner, CPA, CFE, O'Connor Davis Munns & Dobbins, LLP and Christopher Petermann, Partner, CPA, O'Connor Davis Munns & Dobbins, LLP

Recruiting, Retaining, and Developing Your Grants Management Staff
(Professional Development)
This session will focus on grants management professionals who manage or supervise other staff members and in particular, a fully-staffed grants management department. Join a panel of seasoned grants management directors for a conversation on how to identify, lead, and inspire a grants management team to greatness.
Presenters: Adrienne Fisher, Manager, Grants Administration, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Byron Stuck, Director of Grants Management and Inquiry, Legal, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Rikard Treiber, Associate Corporate Secretary and Director of Grants Management, Carnegie Corporation of New York

What's New In Grants Management Software?
(Technology)
There are a lot of new players and niche vendors developing online applications and grants management software and services. Now is the time for your foundation to reassess its use of grants management systems to take advantage of new features and functions, save time, reduce costs, and streamline your grants management processes. This session will provide an overview of the latest trends, vendors in the market, and new features that your organization should consider whether you are improving the use of your existing software or selecting and implementing a new product or hosted service.
Presenter: Martin Schneiderman, President, Information Age Associates, Inc.

When Good Grants Go Bad: Conducting Site Visits
(GM: Basics and Beyond)
The economic crisis has tightened belts throughout the nonprofit sector emphasizing the importance of prudent and diligent grantmaking. Attendees at this session will learn how grants managers can add value to their organizations by participating in grantseeker and grantee site visits. They will also receive tools for conducting visits before, during, and at the end of the grant lifecycle, and next steps for when grant funds appear to have been diverted.
Presenter: Timothy Stiles, Partner-in-Charge, Global Grants Program, KPMG

NPower – Grantmaking in the Cloud: The Reality Beyond the Hype
(Exhibitor Session)
Cloud computing is the most hyped topic in the computer industry today. It promises to revolutionize the way we store, access and use information, but is it ready for your mission-critical data. Before going through cycles of inflated expectations and disillusionment, find out what benefits and limitations you can expect today. NPower, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a trusted adviser to the community for over 10 years, talks about the hype and the reality of cloud computing and what it means for you and your organization. Find out why over 8,000 nonprofits are using donated and discounted licenses from the Salesforce.com Foundation. Learn about the opportunities and challenges that these organizations have to manage.

In November 2009, NPower released its second major revision of its application that supports the end-to-end grants management using technologies from Salesforce.com, Microsoft, and Amazon. The new release of Foundation Grants Manager allows for greater customization and wizards that allow users to efficiently manage applications, budgets, payments, and grantee reports. Since its official release in the Summer of 2009, FGM has been deployed to nine foundations managing a total of over $220 million dollars in grantmaking activity.
Presenter: Mark Topping, Director of Operations, NPower NY