On June 3, 2009, over 200 people gathered to celebrate Associated Grant Makers’ 40th anniversary. The occasion was marked with reminiscences, reflections on the current economic and philanthropic landscapes, and thoughts of the future for the voluntary and nonprofit sectors.

* Please note the entire event was recorded and is available as a podcast at at the bottom of the page.

The program was opened by AGM’s board chair, Bill Eaton (Trustee, Sailor’s Snug Harbor), who reminded participants of the profound differences between the times of AGM’s founding in 1969 – the year of Richard Nixon’s inauguration, the first man walking on the moon, and the rudimentary birth of the internet – and our present time when the we have just inaugurated the nation’s first African American president, and the internet is a tool we use daily. And yet, there remain constants in terms of being in a period of social change, and the need to respond to changing community needs.

Janet C. Taylor (Managing Trustee, C. F. Adams Charitable Trust), a member of the original AGM staff, and former President of AGM, provided a glimpse of the early days of AGM which started as an organization of 4 staff, 15 grant making members, and a budget of $54,000. She reflected on the ways in which AGM built its capacity and services in the early years, including the launch of the Summer Fund, the Grants Makers Directory, and multiple reports to increase funders’ understanding of their community.

Kathy McHugh (Executive Director, Cabot Family Charitable Trust), former Board Chair, shared her recollections of the important role that AGM played in helping her learn how to be an effective grant maker, and more importantly connect with the community of other funders and grant makers.

Gale Druga (Associate Director of Foundation & Corporate Relations, HEARTH) talked about her experiences with the AGM Nonprofit Partners Program, and how the tools and resources available to her helped HEARTH secure grants and grant opportunities she might not otherwise have known of. In addition to the speakers, a video, Voices of AGM was shown, providing further memories and reflections about the role of AGM in the community. The video will be posted online shortly.

All the voices heard in the opening part of the program clearly spoke to the importance of AGM as a place where communities are formed, and networks strengthened, AGM as a center for vital information, and AGM as a meeting point for funders and grantees to continue to dialog and jointly solve problems.

In the second part of the program, Pam Cross (reporter and weekend anchor, WCVB Channel 5) moderated a discussion with Susan and Alan Solomont, local and national activists and philanthropists. The Solomonts discussed their personal approaches to philanthropy and volunteerism, emphasizing the importance of being engaged in your community and with the organizations you support. They pointed to the exciting trends of young people’s increasing civic engagement such as the tripling of AmeriCorps applications this year. They spoke optimistically about the ways in which the philanthropic landscape is changing as the millennial generation comes into the workforce and positions of responsibility. As with previous speakers, the Solomonts pointed to the critical centrality of community, connection and engagement.

The program was followed by an informal reception to give people a chance to network, connect with new and old friends, and share memories of AGM. We thank our sponsors, the AGM Anniversary planning committee, and all our Members and Partners. We look forward to working with you for the next 40 years to continue to advance effective and responsible philanthropy.

Listen to the Event!

You can download an audio (mp3) version of the event using the links below. For your convenience, we have split up the event into four sections.

Special Thanks to ClickResults.org for recording and preparing this Podcast!

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