US Partnership Open Space notes

Sun Mar 12 05:14:17 PST 2006

No, Diane, they're not up yet, but they will be soon. Steve Cochran is coordinating this, with Chris
Weaver's help. You can check <uspartnership.org> along the way.

One thing I'd like to know from the rest of you OS-folks: do you keep track of outcomes from the
Open Space gatherings? As a facilitator I always want to do this, if only for curiosity's sake; I
learned early how tenuous the line between faciltiation and engagement in substance is! It's so easy
to let enthusiasm open too many doors than I can go through responsibly.

----- Original Message -----
From: Diane Brandon <diane.brandon at comcast.net>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Sent:         Sun, 12 Mar 2006 07:56:06 -0500
Subject: Re: relationship-based funding

> Patricia, have the Partnership convocation action plans been made 
> available online?
> Diane
> 
> On Mar 12, 2006, at 6:51 AM, Patricia Haines wrote:
> 
> > I think that what Harrison's story fromSouth AFrica is what Chris and 
> > the US Partnership convocation
> > folks are seeking - a dialogue and mutual understanding. We have some 
> > research to do about what's
> > happening in the larger philanthropic world with respect donor/grantee 
> > relationships. We'll be
> > checking this out in the coming months.
> >
> > Once Chris tries the idea out with his local community foundation, 
> > I'll do the same with mine. And I
> > have this growing vision:  what might an Open Space convened by the 
> > Council on Foundations look
> > like? or perhaps by the Duke or Indiana or Yale philanthropy programs? 
> > ARNOVA?
> >
> > I'm a newcomer to Open Space, but a participant referred to what 
> > happened in Raleigh at the US
> > Partnership 1st anniversary Convocation as a "miracle". All of us have 
> > been working in our own ways
> > for years toward what is now being called "sustainability", in its 
> > myriad dimensions. In addition to
> > the extraordinary richness of the action plans that emerged in 
> > Raleigh, getting to know others - and
> > being able to keep in touch with them via email - generates the energy 
> > of HOPE - and I, for one, now
> > wake up each morning eager to check my email!
> >
> > The OSLIST is part of this. In addition to hope you all give me 
> > concrete examples and solid things
> > to ponder on  - thank you all. - Patricia
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
> > To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > Sent:         Fri, 10 Mar 2006 16:47:31 -0500
> > Subject: Re: relationship-based funding
> >
> >> I don't know where this fits exactly -- but in the early 90's as RSA 
> >> was
> >> coming out of Apartheid, everything was in turmoil, not the least of 
> >> which
> >> was the Non-profit world, funders and recipients. I don't know who's 
> >> idea it
> >> was, but we did a day long OS with all parties. Everybody predicted 
> >> that it
> >> would be recipients with hat in hands chasing down funders. But that 
> >> never
> >> happened. Instead there was this marvelous dialogue with everybody 
> >> involved
> >> concerned with the New South Africa and the necessary social support
> >> programs to uphold it. It would have been better for 2.5 days, but we 
> >> did
> >> what we did, and it seemed to do a lot.
> >>
> >> Harrison
> >>
> >> Harrison Owen
> >> 7808 River Falls Drive
> >> Potomac, Maryland   20854
> >> Phone 301-365-2093
> >> Skype hhowen
> >> Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
> >> Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
> >> Personal website www.ho-image.com
> >> OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
> >> archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of 
> >> Chris
> >> Weaver
> >> Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 2:32 PM
> >> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> >> Subject: Re: relationship-based funding
> >>
> >> a couple follow-up thoughts to my last post:
> >>
> >> what i am really longing for in this, diane, is authenticity.  i've 
> >> done a
> >> lot of successful grant-writing and spent a lot of time on planet 
> >> 501(c)3
> >> (for our international friends that's what a non-profit organization 
> >> is
> >> called in the usa).  all the individual players care a lot, but the 
> >> system
> >> runs on "making things look good," which results in vast herds of 
> >> "dead
> >> moose" inhabiting the non-profit world.  executive directors 
> >> sugar-coat
> >> their reports to their boards.  marketing folks make the brochures and
> >> annual reports look beautiful.  grant-writing is such a specialty 
> >> because it
> >> is a difficult art to tell foundations what they want to hear.  
> >> evaluations
> >> are constantly striving to squeeze positive measurable data out of the
> >> essential complexity of life.  and when all is said and done, almost 
> >> nobody
> >> is genuinely honored for their hard work and dedication in the honest 
> >> and
> >> authentic way that they deserve, and the people who are served remain
> >> largely behind a thick rose-colored glass wall.  yes, wonderful and
> >> critically important things happen...but in my view too much of it 
> >> happens
> >> in spite of the current paradigm, and with a lot of precious energy 
> >> wasted.
> >>
> >> with our new little initiative, i look forward the experience of 
> >> donors,
> >> project staff, and "clients" too sitting in circle, telling honest 
> >> stories,
> >> LAUGHING, and giving voice to the complex living thing called the 
> >> reality of
> >> the work.  when that happens, we will be able to roll up our sleeves 
> >> and
> >> take it to the next level.
> >>
> >> chris
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Diane
> >> Brandon
> >> Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 6:54 AM
> >> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> >> Subject: relationship-based funding
> >>
> >>
> >> Chris, can you give a real or imaginary example of how this (State of
> >> Grace Documents as relationship-based alternatives to grants & other
> >> traditional funding mechanisms.) might work? The non-profit work I'm
> >> part of receives grants from "Community Foundations", where "donor
> >> advised funds" are granted to projects. In the "relationship-based
> >> alternatives", would the donor have their funds in their own
> >> investments, and work on a State of Grace document as a sort of MOU
> >> (memorandum of understanding) between them and the project or program
> >> they are funding? How would they not have many organizations seeking 
> >> to
> >> do this with them? The community foundations serve as intermediaries,
> >> to save the wealthy person with a mission in mind from having to
> >> organize those seeking funds, and from having to know all the
> >> investment/donor laws, etc.
> >>
> >> I like what you're suggesting, but I'd love to hear some further
> >> descriptions, pros and cons. Is anyone doing it yet?
> >>
> >> Diane Brandon (coordinator of a regional coalition that uses
> >> participatory methods like FS, WC, AI -- and OS soon)
> >>
> >> PS Melinda Salazar, who I mentioned some time back on this list, and
> >> who is now a member, is having Steve Cochran facilitate her OS on
> >> Teaching Peace at the high school in Durham NH on April 1.
> >>
> >>
> >> On Mar 9, 2006, at 6:29 AM, Chris Weaver wrote:
> >>
> >>> Thanks, Harrison & others, for the welcome when I posted a few weeks
> >>> ago.  It's lovely to be remembered after a couple of years off-list, 
> >>> &
> >>> delightful to see the online community thriving away in its 
> >>> inimitable
> >>> way.
> >>>  
> >>> A couple current highlights & interests:
> >>>  
> >>> I continue to work with youth, particularly teenagers.  I'm working
> >>> with some wonderful folks to develop a new form of "community-based
> >>> indigenous education."  I promote a return to the ancient idea that
> >>> the initiation from childhood to young-adulthood is a key moment for
> >>> the vast living intelligence of nature to re-enter the consciousness
> >>> of the human village.  Our youth can do this and are doing this for
> >>> those who notice.  Open space is a really good tool for
> >>> intergenerational, inclusive "culture creation," so that the youth 
> >>> can
> >>> be widely and deeply honored and supported in their role, and 
> >>> welcomed
> >>> back properly by the Elders and the village.  (Our project 
> >>> weblog will
> >>> soon be up ~ I'll let y'all know.)
> >>>  
> >>> Last week (thanks to Patricia Haines & the list) I attended the open
> >>> space convocation of the US Partnership for the UN Decade for
> >>> Education for Sustainable Development at the EPA campus near
> >>> Raleigh, North Carolina.  All I can say is that Steve Cochran has 
> >>> done
> >>> something extraordinary, the unfolding of which will make itself 
> >>> known
> >>> on this list and far beyond in the weeks & months to come.  
> >>> Harrison's
> >>> post about the new climate change research brings the opportunities
> >>> around open space and the Partnership into an even sharper focus.
> >>>  
> >>> I am championing one initiative that came out of the convocation,
> >>> which I am excited to mention, although it's in early development. 
> >>> Inspired by my sketchy recollection of Michael Herman's "Giving
> >>> Conference" in Chicago a couple years back, I'm working with Maureen
> >>> and Zelle, Patricia, & others on a new way to bring potential donors
> >>> together with grassroots sustainability project leaders, using open
> >>> space, and resulting in State of Grace Documents as 
> >>> relationship-based
> >>> alternatives to grants & other traditional funding mechanisms.  If 
> >>> all
> >>> goes well we'll pilot this in North Carolina (probably here in
> >>> Asheville) by summer.
> >>>  
> >>> That's my news from the Northamerican southeast highlands, as the
> >>> birds call in the dawn from the Atlantic.  Enjoy your day, everyone.
> >>>  
> >>> Chris Weaver
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> > "Never doubt that a group of committed citizens can change the world - 
> > indeed, it's the only thing
> > that can." - Margaret Mead
> >
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that can." - Margaret Mead

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