RSVP for Funding & Social Change

press release: The Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (“the CommNS”) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will host its annual day-long event on April 17, 2018. This year’s event is focused on the topic of "Funding and Social Change", and is co-hosted by the Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Community and non-profit efforts are increasingly relied upon to address societal problems and meet basic needs. However, securing funding for this work continues to be a competitive challenge. Additionally, traditional giving practices have been challenged for their efficacy to create systemic change.

Join Wisconsin scholars, practitioners, and community members to explore assumptions, patterns, values, and possibilities related to funding and social change.  

Registration is currently open at https://sohe.wisc.edu/events/funding-and-social-change/. Community members, nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, scholars, and students are all invited and encouraged to attend. Sliding scale rates are available.

Co-keynote speakers for this event are Tonya Allen (chief executive officer and president, The Skillman Foundation) and Penn Loh (senior lecturer and director of the Master of Public Policy Program and Community Practice, Tufts University). These speakers will explore the way that funding traditions and practices have influence in our communities and in our democracy. They’ll also use examples from their work to help participants to envision new and creative ways to support meaningful change for a better society.

The day of activities will include an interactive morning session at the UW South Madison Partnership Space (2312 S Park St) featuring reflections on funding and social change from community partners working in Dane County and throughout Wisconsin.  

Lunch, including the keynote presentations and announcements about efforts to coalesce Wisconsin scholars, practitioners and participants in the community and nonprofit sector; and afternoon break-out sessions, will take place at the School of Human Ecology (Nancy Nicholas Hall, 1300 Linden Drive).  Break-out sessions will focus on the overall theme of “Funding and Social Change” through focus area “lenses” such as: Community Well-Being and Sustainabilty, Program Evaluation, Youth Development, Nonprofit Studies, Creative Place-Making, and Food Systems.  

The event will wrap up with an evening reception including a “cypher” to debrief our learning and look ahead, facilitated by the POWER Collective of UW-Madison, at Harvest Kitchen's private event room, featuring samplings of delicious food prepared by the Culinary Ladies Collective.

Participants are asked to register by April 10. In order to have the richest conversations possible, event organizers warmly invite Wisconsinites from across the state invested in community and non-profit work from a wide variety of capacities to attend and participate. All organizations and initiatives represented at the event will have the opportunity to share information with other attendees about their efforts.

Location: (8:30-11:00 AM) UW South Madison Partnership Space, (11:30-5:00 PM) UW School of Human Ecology, (5:30 to 7 PM) Harvest Restaurant.

Cost: Sliding scale, up to $25.  Donations accepted to support free and reduced fee attendance for community members.