Philanthropic Leaders Convene in San Jose to Examine Tax Reform and Implications for Philanthropic Giving

The Council on Foundations 2013 Family Philanthropy Conference opens Sunday in San Jose, Calif., one of America’s most dynamic model cities for innovation and philanthropic investment. The conference creates a forum for family foundation leaders to share ideas, establish partnerships, and reimagine their philanthropic giving within a systems thinking context. Vikki N. Spruill, the Council’s new president and CEO, will open the conference with remarks that detail the recent strategic redesign of the organization.

Additional conference highlights include:

Systems Thinking: Help Your Giving Create Greater Change (Sunday, January 27, 12–2 p.m.): Vikki N. Spruill discusses organizational redesign to better serve and lead, and introduces David Peter Stroh, founder and principal of Bridgeway Partners, will outline systems thinking tools and guidelines for systems evaluation, in relation to the growing complexity of our world, to help foundations work in new ways.

REPORT RELEASE: How the Next Generation Plans to Change the World (Sunday, January 27, 2:30–4:30 p.m.): 21/64 and the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy release a new report,“Next Gen Donors: Respecting Legacy, Revolutionizing Philanthropy,” which provides an in-depth study of the next generation of donors inheriting an unprecedented $40 trillion and poised to be the most significant philanthropists in history. 

Tax Reform: What's at Play and What's at Stake? (Monday, January 28, 8–10 a.m.): 
Sue Santa, senior vice president for public policy and legal affairs at the Council on Foundations, moderates a panel discussion about the implications of sequestration, the debt ceiling, and comprehensive tax reform on incentives for charitable giving. She’ll be joined by Gloria Johnson-Cusack, executive director, Leadership 18; Frank Micciche, vice president of partnerships and coalitions, Fix the Debt Campaign; John Tyler, general counsel, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; and Mike Halligan, executive director, Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. This session offersan inside look at one of the major influences on the fiscal cliff debate, the recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles Commission, and includes a presentation by the Fix the Debt Campaign.

Voices of the Next Generation (Tuesday, January 29, 7:30–9 a.m.): Join us for a lively conversation with engaging Next Gen philanthropists and civil society leaders. Katherine Lorenz and Daniel Luriewill talk about continuing their families’ philanthropic endeavors while leaving their own mark. Emi Kolawole of the Washington Post will lead the discussion.

Innovations in Education: Silicon Valley Style (Tuesday, January 29, 8–11 a.m.): Meet and talk with innovators working with students who face challenges such as poverty, the need to learn English, and limited educational role models. You’ll also experience creative partnerships that bring new resources to schools and take away ideas that can be implemented at home.

Think Differently, Think Black Sheep (Tuesday, January 29 - 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.):
Explore a new way of approaching your giving with Peter Sims, best-selling author of Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries, founder of the BLKSHP, and cofounder of Fuse Corps. 

WHAT
Council on Foundations 2013 Family Philanthropy Conference

WHEN
January 27–29, 2013

WHERE 
The Fairmont San Jose 
170 South Market Street 
San Jose, CA 95113