CONFERENCE 2009: A GREAT SUCCESS... THANKS!

Nearly 400 Education Grantmakers Made Connection and Found Inspiration

In the midst of the most challenging economic downturn in memory, hundreds of education grantmakers invested their time, money and inspiration to connect in Chicago.

And what a time it was!

Three incredible days—October 5-7, 2009—brought many rich opportunities with an outstanding line-up of plenary speakers including US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. We also found a thought-expanding line-up of concurrent learning sessions embracing the full education continuum—pre-K, K-12, out-of-school time, and higher ed—along with explorations of the actual craft of education grantmaking.

A short sampling of the sessions, attended by a record number of education grantmakers, includes:

• Going Big: Critical Considerations for Creating Bold, Transformative Initiatives
• Rethinking Time and Learning: Innovations in Expanded Learning Opportunities
• Building Systems for College Access and Success: A Practical Approach
• The Role of Philanthropy in the Destruction of Schooling and the Creation of Learning
• Early Childhood Leadership: Taking the Long View in a Short-Term Landscape
• Opportunity to Learn for All Children: State and Federal Strategies to Achieve Resource Equity
• Beyond Beautiful Exceptions: Creating Platforms that Scale Innovation to Transform Systems

With 28 concurrent learning sessions, four site visits, five plenary speakers and five network convenings, participants said that they found valuable, diverse and relevant lessons and approaches applicable to their daily work, while building and strengthening relationships with friends and colleagues.
 

Join us October 27-29, 2010 in New Orleans

If you're an education grantmaker, and a GFE member, watch for opportunities to help shape next year's conference in Louisiana; and watch for early registration discounts.

If you're not a member, join us! Contact Barbara Dibs, GFE Member Services Manager: (503) 595-2100, or barbara@edfunders.org.