2012 – The Year to Accelerate Social Change
Today’s guest post is written by Jay Cranman, a hands-on leader, entrepreneur and all-around problem solver. Jay serves as the VP, Venture Development for the Civic Incubator, a platform from which social entrepreneurs are able to launch and scale new ventures. He serves on several Boards for Atlanta-based nonprofits and is passionate about education, the economy, and really good apple pie.
Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to 2012.
Before I look forward, let me first take a moment to reminisce. Today marks my 1-year anniversary with Points of Light. After a 14-year career as a strategy and technology consultant, I decided to make the plunge into the nonprofit sector. And 2011 proved to be quite the wild ride – exciting, scary, fun, and at times overwhelming.
I felt lost much of the time, and only after 12-months do I finally feel like I’m gaining traction. I no longer make rookie mistakes…like calling a surplus a “profit” or an MOU a “contract”. I no longer have to run to Google to learn what BCLC, NCVS, CVC, CNCS, or CSC mean (can someone please buy a vowel). Worst of all, I find myself using terms like “theory of change” and “capacity building” with such ease that my wife no longer has any idea what I’m talking about.
All in, I feel like I belong and am thankful for the patience and grace I’ve been given over the last year.
With my sea legs under me, I’m ready for 2012 to be a breakout year for the Civic Incubator. We continue to push the envelope on social innovation and have set a foundation over the last 2 years from which we can grow.
Over the last 3 months, we have been participating in an accelerator program at Georgia Tech called Flashpoint. It has been a transformative experience for me personally, but professionally it has been a true blessing …where we have experienced the new emerging science of lean startups, customer acquisition and business model canvas.
In addition, we have had the opportunity to work side-by-side with 17 amazing startups, have access to proven entrepreneurs and investors, and have been pushed to new heights of innovation. The program is finishing up in January with pitch events in Atlanta, New York (at Union Square Ventures) and in San Francisco (at Andreessen Horowitz). While we won’t be sharing the stage with the other teams, we will be there in the audience to cheer and root them on.
Most exciting for me personally, we are set to launch our own accelerator program in 2012 focused specifically on civic ventures. Our vision is to launch hundreds of innovative new solutions to social problems and engage hundreds of thousands of people in the process. Yes, you read that right – hundreds of solutions and hundreds of thousands of people engaged. And we are confident that we can hit this goal by combining two of the most promising trends happening today…the power of people to drive change and the disruptive nature of entrepreneurs and startups. Sparks will fly!
And if you are reading this blog, you can say you were one of the first people to learn about the new Civic Accelerator program launching at Points of Light. And if you happen to be an entrepreneur or investor working on an idea to engage people in solving our nation’s most intractable problems, we’d love for you to tell us about the work you’re doing.
By next year I hope to report back that I’ve finally figured out what “Theory of Change” really means. Until then, have a great year and lets all keep swinging for the fences!
A Billion Plus Change Set to Mobilize Skills-Based Volunteers
Nonprofit, corporate and government leaders gather today in Washington, D.C. to mark a major milestone for A Billion + Change —a national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars in skills-based and pro bono volunteer services by 2013 to help build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to effectively meet community needs.
Every day, nonprofits are meeting a wide variety of community needs, yet while they are doing important and innovative work, many often cannot take their ideas to scale, in part because they lack the professional skills needed to operate as efficiently as possible, or to successfully plan for their growth.
Today on Capitol Hill Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) is hosting an event to celebrate over fifty companies that have pledged more than $1 billion in service to nonprofits, and to encourage companies large and small across America to join the campaign by starting or expanding their own skills-based volunteer programs.
“From helping nonprofits with job training programs or with improving access to health or education services, to providing support for IT infrastructure and board development, skills-based volunteering is still about workers giving time to their community. When they use their workplace talents and skills, they enhance the ability of community organizations to be more effective catalysts for change nationwide,” said Senator Mark Warner, honorary chairman of the campaign.
The campaign was launched in 2008 and continues as an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Reinvigorated in 2011 with expanded leadership under the honorary chairmanship of Senator Mark Warner, it is now housed and managed by Points of Light. The initiative is powered by the support of Deloitte, HP, the Case Foundation and IBM with additional founding support from State Farm.
Today we celebrate all the companies that have come together to transform how businesses leverage their employees to make a lasting impact on society by engaging, inspiring and mobilizing professional talent to build the capacity of non-profit organizations to better meet community needs.
“We have been overwhelmed by the initial enthusiasm for A Billion + Change. Volunteers nationwide served 8.1 billion hours in 2010, yet only around 16 percent of all companies make it a regular practice to offer their employees skills-based volunteer opportunities. Skills-based volunteerism helps companies build the human capital of their workforce and invest in their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of the Points of Light Institute, which manages and houses A Billion + Change.
To see a full list of the companies and non-profits that have pledged visit: http://www.abillionpluschange.org/
For more information visit the Billion Plus Change Facebook Page.
Economic Development and Opportunity Sessions at NCVS!
Today we are highlighting another important conference focus area, with sessions specifically about
Economic Development and Opportunity
.
Sessions in this category will focus on volunteer solutions that sustain economic development and opportunity faced by our communities. E
VISTA Coffeehouse (5660)
Monday, June 6, 2011 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Twitter Hashtag: #vista
Description: Stop by the VISTA Coffeehouse for a cup of coffee while you relax with colleagues, continue the dialogue after a workshop and catch up with friends. Record your story of service and be a part of VISTA’s history.
Building Economic Security through Volunteer Efforts (5072)
Monday, June 6, 2011 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Target Audience: Training staff
Session Level: Advanced
Session Type: Workshops
Speaker(s): Rebecca Haase, Reyes Irizarry
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #NCVS5072
Description: Now more than ever, there is a need for cost-effective, outcome driven, volunteer programs that improve the economic security of low-income families. The Community Service Society/RSVP has successfully created the Financial Advocacy Program which capitalizes on the skills of older adults while meeting urgent community needs. Volunteers are trained to provide education and support in the area of economic security for low-income families through financial coaching and public benefit counseling. The workshop will present the core concepts used to create and maintain these model programs which include a rigorous training and assessment process, and effective site development and volunteer placement.
Reclaiming the American Dream: How We Can Recommit to Being a Nation of Opportunity Through Service (5293)
Monday, June 6, 2011 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Intermediate
Session Type: Workshops
Speaker(s): Kirsten Lodal
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #reclaimthedream
Description: A recent poll found that half of Americans no longer believe in the American Dream which suggests that if you work hard you’ll get ahead. This panel will examine why faith in the American Dream has waned and what role service plays in restoring that ideal. Using case studies from LIFT the panel will look at the ripple effect that investments in poverty relief have on education health and other low-income issue areas and how service programs can work together with public and private partners to employ simple solutions to strengthen our country’s economic recovery and continued prosperity.
Strategies for Engaging People in Service (5367)
Monday, June 6, 2011 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Target Audience: Project or program director
Session Level: Intermediate
Session Type: Workshops
Speaker(s): Mimi Castaldi, Mary Tritsch
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #NCVS5367
Description: Looking for new and creative ways to increase engagement in your cause? AARP will share the range of strategies the association has used to involve the 50+ community, and Americans as a whole, in the fight against hunger. These include innovative partnerships, statewide on-the-ground efforts, online outreach and even games and contests! While the examples provided focus on hunger, the strategies are easily transferrable to other issue areas.
VISTA Coffeehouse (5661)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Twitter Hashtag: #vista
Description: Stop by the VISTA Coffeehouse for a cup of coffee while you relax with colleagues, continue the dialogue after a workshop and catch up with friends. Record your story of service and be a part of VISTA’s history.
Engaging Resident Volunteers in Sustainable Neighborhood Revitalization (5382)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Intermediate
Session Type: Workshops Speaker(s): Laura Mellem
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #EngagingResidents
Description: Beacon of Hope Resource Center’s Neighborhood Revitalization MODEL- Mapping, Outreach, Development, Engagement, Leadership will be presented. The MODEL has been implemented in neighborhoods across New Orleans with more than 750 resident volunteers working to eradicate blight, foster rebuilding and repopulation, and improve quality of life in their neighborhoods.
Citizen Solutions for Economic Opportunity (5528)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Intermediate
Session Type: Workshops
Speaker(s): Diahann Bilings-Burford, Jeff Johnson, Marta Urquilla, David Eisner, Gary Maxworthy, Kim Davis, Zach Rosenburg, Ida Rademacher
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #NCVS5528
Description: Fostering and advancing economic opportunities in under resourced communities is a constant challenge. Several communities, however, are achieving strong results for their residents, drawing on existing resources and the power of volunteers. This session will highlight the practices of asset-based community development and will present examples of how some communities have effectively promoted new economic opportunities, focusing especially on the roles volunteers can play alongside nonprofit organizations and community members to effect change.
Pathways to Innovation: Reclaiming the American Dream (5561)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Beginner
Speaker(s): Kirsten Lodal, Richard French, Eric Schwarz, Elizabeth Irvine, Scott Miller, Amy Baker, Bethany Billman
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #NCVS5561
Description: In this session several presenters will pitch innovative solutions to the challenges of economic development and opportunity followed by discussion. Included are: Painting Change; Circles of Opportunity, A New Solution to America’s Mortgage Crisis, Citizen Schools, A Garden in Every School.
VITA – Bigger Bucks for Your Community or Show Me the Money! (5161)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Intermediate
Session Type: Workshops
Speaker(s): Karen O’Neil
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #bigbucks
Description: Extra cash in the pockets of low-income workers is a benefit not only to their families but to the community as a whole. Partnerships with the IRS through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program can have a positive economic impact on your community. VITA offers volunteer opportunities attractive to Boomers provides short term volunteer assignments yearly opportunities to learn new skills and improves or uses the volunteer’s computer skills. Learn how to show the impact of your VITA program to the community and your funders with verifiable outcomes based on hard data.
The Corporate-Nonprofit Partnership Model in Action (5681)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Beginner
Sponsor: Capital One
Twitter Hashtag: #NCVS5681
Description: Sponsored by Capital One, participants will visit Columbia Parc where the St. Bernard public housing development once stood pre-Katrina. This immersion learning session will explore the elements of a holistic community development model.
VISTA Coffeehouse (5662)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Twitter Hashtag: #NCVS5662
Description: Stop by the VISTA Coffeehouse for a cup of coffee while you relax with colleagues, continue the dialogue after a workshop and catch up with friends. Record your story of service and be a part of VISTA’s history.
Civic Pathways Out of Poverty Into Opportunity (5185)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Intermediate
Session Type: Workshops
Speaker(s): Christopher Gates, Steve Patrick, Kara Carlisle
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #CivicPathways
Description: Service can and should be more purposefully focused on workforce development goals and post-secodary educational achievement for low-income youth and young adults. PACE, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, has just published a white paper on this issue describing these ‘civic pathways’. This work was sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the New World Foundation.
Developing Sustainable Economic Impact: Case Studies in Innovation (5197)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Target Audience: All roles
Session Level: Intermediate Session
Type: Workshops
Speaker(s): Michael F. Curtin
Sponsor: Chase
Twitter Hashtag: #dcck
Description: Persons who are unable to work, whose earnings are inadequate or for whom jobs are often require additional assistance in order to meet their basic needs for food. This session will provide examples of innovative programs that are designed to reduce poverty, promote self-sufficiency, and make communities and people more self reliant. It will provide case studies in economic empowerment that include meal distribution service, job training and development, and sustainable growing practices.
Forum Preview: Citizen Solutions for Economic Empowerment
On Tuesday, June 7th at 2:00 p.m. there are six amazing conference forums for you to choose from.
One f them is:
Citizen Solutions for Economic Empowerment
, a forum focused on economic recovery.
The session will focus on advancing economic opportunities in under-resourced communities as this is a constant challenge.
The forum will highlight the practices of asset-based community development and will present examples of how some communities have effectively promoted new economic opportunities, focusing especially on the roles volunteers can play alongside nonprofit organizations and
community members to effect change.
The Panel will be facilitated by Jeff Johnson, award-winning journalist, social activist and political commentator.
Participants will join the discussion in a live TV audience format, which will include the ability to ask pre-screened questions.
Attendees will likely range from coordinator and manager level employees to vice presidents representing the business, nonprofit, government and philanthropic community.
Panelists include:
David Eisner President and CEO
National Constitution Center
Diahann Billings BurfordChief Service Officer
City of New York
Marta Urquilla Senior Policy Advisor
White House Domestic Policy Council’s Office of Social Innovationand Civic Participation
Ida Rademacher Vice President for Policy & Research
CFED
Sample Panel Questions
What are some examples of ways that you have seen service have an impact on
the economic viability and growth of local communities?
Why is this opportunity useful? What did it do?
How are communities and nonprofits best positioned and prepared to receive this
type of service?
How are organizations thinking of developing themselves to leverage this impact?
What are the largest economic needs that can be addressed through service?
6. What are the untapped resources that you see can be best used to improve the
assets of communities and their residents ?
This is a new level of expertise that community based orgs need to develop. What
are skills and competencies that they should be thinking about to leverage against
it?
How do we collaborate with fellow organizations on focuses such as this?
How do you set yourself up to manage effectively, usefully and efficiently without
taking all your time, money resources?
What are the different ways volunteers will be recruited (what is nuance to recruit for
these projects)?
How do you support and orientate volunteer leaders to do this work?
What is broad skill set you are looking for in a volunteer to align efforts?
How do you successfully achieve this in your nonprofit?
How do we recognize them/celebrate their successes?
Citizen Solutions for Economic Empowerment Economy Plenary
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
2:00 – 3:30pm CST
Morial Convention Center, 900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130
Room 243-245
