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Associated Grant Makers 38th Annual Member Meeting
June 19, 2007
The Conference at Waltham Woods, Waltham, MA
AGM ANNUAL MEETING 2007
Proceedings of the Business
Meeting, Remarks by
Elizabeth Smith, AGM Board Chair, and President’s
Report
Keynote Address by Kathleen Enwirght, Executive Director, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO)
AGM Annual Meeting connected old friends and new features
The 38th Annual AGM Annual Meeting kicked off to a great start with a lively and engaging keynote address by Kathleen Enright, Executive Director of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO). Kathleen presented the results of a GEO study about what changes grantmakers could make to most effectively support their grantees. GEO conducted paired focus groups (one of grantmakers and one of grantees) in five cities, including Boston, to get perspectives from both sides of the fence about what was most important in grantee-grantor relations, and what changes – large and small – would have the biggest impact.
Leading off with the Tolstoy quote that “everyone thinks of changing the world; no one thinks of changing himself,” Kathleen wryly noted that the quote certainly applied to the philanthropy world.
She then led the audience through an interactive discussion of the key findings from the study, ranging from the common perspective from both grantmakers and grantees that the most needed changes included more general operating support grants; more multi-year grants, and improved relationships between grantees and grantors.
She took us through a “5 Why is that” analysis of why there are relatively few multi-year and/or general operating support grants and pointed out that in most cases it comes down to a question of trust – or the lack of trust between funders and grantees. This observation was reinforced by the audience who shared some of their stories in this area, including one funder who does provide operating grants, but keeps getting project applications from grantees who don’t believe that the funder really means that they will provide general support.
Following Kathleen’s dynamic opening, AGM members and guests had the opportunity to choose from three concurrent workshops – each of which focused on an aspect of the services and supports AGM offers to its members.
Ron Ancrum and Nate Marsh led "Easy, Effective & Efficient: AGM Services for Members a workshop that offered Members an overview of the features, services and benefits AGM Membership includes.
Member Services
Martha Moore and Gail Pinkham led “Call, Click or Chat: AGM Information Services” that provided an overview of the features of the AGM website and the many resources and databases available to Members.
Miki Akimoto led “Let Us Connect You: Affinity Groups and Collaborations” a workshop that provided an overview of the many local and national affinity groups and collaboratives to which AGM can connect its membership. In this participant-driven workshop, members shared information about the work and accomplishments of the affinity groups and collaboratives to which they belong and had the opportunity to invite other members to join them.
National Affinity Group Handout
Local Affinity Group Handout
A delicious buffet lunch followed, and then the annual AGM Business meeting provided members an opportunity to comment on AGM’s proposed rate structure for 2008, and to elect new Board members. Ron Ancrum gave an overview of the key accomplishments of AGM over the past 12 months, highlighting the Diversity Fellowship Program, technological improvements that have enabled AGM to greatly increase the range of information and resources we can offer our members electronically, and programs that bring together both grantees and grantors.
Beth Smith in her closing remarks, outlined key challenges for AGM and the philanthropic sector in the coming years: 1) greater involvement in the public policy sector. The problems that the philanthropic sector is addressing cannot be solved outside the policy arena. 2) Doing more to bring grantees and funders together to listen to each other. 3) Really addressing the continued lack of diversity in the philanthropy world, particularly at the executive and board level. AGM’s Diversity Fellowship is a good start, but much more remains to be done.
Marilyn Chase Anderson, Cathleen Finn, Steve Johnson, David Kronberg, Elena Maria Letona, Kathy McHugh, Lily Mendez-Morgan, Trinh Nguyen were thanked for their service to the Board.
Elizabeth (Beth) Smith finished her term as the Chair of the Board, and officially handed over the Board Chairship to Bill Eaton.
View the new AGM Board
Download AGM's 2007 Annual Report
If you would like a hard copy of AGM's Annual Report, please email Gail Pinkham.
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