relationship-based funding

Diane Brandon diane.brandon at comcast.net
Sun Mar 12 04:56:06 PST 2006 

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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