THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON WHEN IT WILL BE RE-SCHEDULED.

We are excited to bring back another day-long training built off of the lessons from The Giving Practice's DIY guide, Powerhouse Convening: New Doorways to Funder and Community Engagement. In this session, Ted Lord, the author of Powerhouse Convening and the facilitator of this training, will lead you in a deep dive into strategies and approaches for working better together. 

There are simple steps you can take to design and hold gatherings that amplify impact. Full hearted-engagement is the spark that can turn meetings into movement. In this training, the group will discuss the tensions that go with inviting greater shared ownership and co-creation: the fear of losing control, the discomfort that comes with group processes that invite discovery and the idea of sense-making versus a delegation of action steps. Expect laughter as we share stories of unexpected wins and unintended consequences.

Session Goals

• Participants will recognize they already know a lot about how to design and host powerhouse convenings
• The session will model peer learning through shared sense-making among board and staff from different organizations, potentially leading to a network of colleagues that might be called upon for support and dialogue
• Participants will practice a variety of tools and techniques that support generative convenings
• The session will leave participants with more energy than they arrived with

Facilitator, Ted Lord

Ted Lord has been integral to the growth of The Giving Practice since its founding. His multi-year work with Cascadia Foodshed Financing Project, national child welfare CEOs, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Building Community Philanthropy, the Road Map funders group and Philanthropist Forum centers around supporting collaboratives, especially in their adventures to discover how to contribute all their capitals (influence, expertise, and relationships in addition to pooled and aligned funding). He believes learning together and humor are essential in sustaining voluntary associations beyond their early blue-sky enthusiasm.

Ted’s work with new and established groups to discern and articulate learnings, and then design engagement strategies that unleash their passions has led to a series of recent posts on balancing conversation and meetings. His staff and board coaching is based in his CEO stewardship of two public foundations (Pride Foundation 1992—2000; Humanities Washington 2006—2008) and is supplemented by change management skills developed as interim CEO of nonprofits (Camp Fire, Hedgebrook and DAWN) and a master's degree in nonprofit leadership from Seattle University.

Please contact Elyse Gordon with any questions.