US Partnership Open Space notes

Sun Mar 12 07:57:45 PST 2006

Patricia wrote: "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?"

I suppose that as faithful stewards of the Open Space we all should be
making best effort to keep track of all the details, before during and
after. But speaking strictly for my self I have to confess that I just lose
track. Part of this is laziness I am sure, but it may go a little deeper. I
have found that the true impacts of an Open Space rarely show up in a manner
that lends itself to the normal sorts of evaluation. One might hope, for
example that all the Action Items were fully implemented. This might look
great on paper, but the truth of the matter is that when the Open Space is
over, the world continues -- and what may have seemed like a no-brainer
action to be taken turns out to be a brain-dead idea in the light of the
then current reality. Whatever that might be.

Another snare along the way to "evaluation" is that (at least in my
experience) the true impact of an Open Space rarely if ever shows up when
you might expect it -- and certainly not "on schedule" -- with the beginning
of the next quarter. It may be two or three years, and the fire continues to
burn underground -- and then just when everybody has forgotten that there
ever was an Open Space -- out it pops.

It is also true that in most of the Open Space gatherings I have
facilitated, I really don't understand what is going on -- and certainly not
at any useful level of detail. Strange language, strange culture, strange
discipline -- All I can do is hold space.

One thing I am sure of, however. There has never been an Open Space which
did not make a substantive, positive impact on the people or organization
involved. Even if absolutely none of the 99 recommendations for action were
implemented it will remain true that everybody remembers that there was a
time when they deeply connected. It may never happen again, indeed they may
choose to make sure that it never happens again, but the memory will remain
and serve a benchmark for the future. In those situations where folks choose
to go back and be miserable (and some do) they will always know that it can
be different. 

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 
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Patricia
Haines
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 8:14 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: US Partnership Open Space notes

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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"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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