Public Policy Action Institute (Part I)
The 5th annual institute will bring together nonprofit leaders and policy advocates to share and develop winning strategies to address critical federal and state legislative and regulatory issues facing our community. Sessions will focus on connecting and communicating with the new Congress and administration, educating lawmakers about the nonprofit community, funding and evaluating advocacy activities, preparing for tax reform and tax exemption challenges, and creating effective advocacy campaigns.

Special registration is required.
Full Institute (Days 1 and 2): $150 IS members and $200 nonmembers.
Day 2 only: $100 IS members and $125 nonmembers.

Global Civil Society Reception and Dinner
Join colleagues committed to improving lives around the world at this year’s Global Civil Society Dinner, which will feature an examination of how the just-completed 2008 election may affect the United States’ reputation and role in the international community.

Reception: 6:00 p.m.
Dinner: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Cost: $95 per ticket

Public Policy Action Institute (Part II)
See description above.

2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Election 2008: What Does it Mean for America’s Future?

Opening Plenary
The 2008 elections will usher in a new administration and changes in Congress that will have dramatic implications for the future of our nation and the work of the nonprofit community. The conference opens with an insightful analysis of the just-concluded elections by independent pollster Andrew Kohut, followed by a thought-provoking discussion about what the elections revealed about the hopes and concerns of the American people, the work facing the next President and Congress, and how the nonprofit community can help to move our nation forward.

Panelists include:

• Henry Cisneros, executive chairman, CityView
• Andrew Kohut, president, Pew Research Center; director, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Global Attitudes Project
• Judy Woodruff, senior correspondent and 2008 political editor, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

Moderator:

• Alberto Ibarguen, president and CEO, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Host Reception at The National Constitution Center
Reconnect with colleagues and meet new ones as you explore The National Constitution Center. Located on historic Independence Mall, The National Constitution Center is an interactive museum that explains the history and relevance of the United States Constitution and offers breathtaking views of Independence Hall and the surrounding area through forty-foot high glass walls.

Annual Business Meeting
Help set the direction of the Independent Sector coalition for the coming year, and elect new members of the board of directors.

Convener:

• Brian A. Gallagher, chair, Independent Sector; president and CEO, United Way of America

A Conversation with Luis Ubiñas

Join a discussion with Luis Ubiñas, who became president of the Ford Foundation this January, as he describes his personal and professional journey and his opportunity to build on the foundation’s record of supporting innovation, creativity, and social justice.

Discussant:

• Luis Ubiñas, president, Ford Foundation

Interviewer:

• Joel Fleishman, professor of Public Policy Studies and Law, director, Samuel and Ronnie Heyman Center for Ethics, and director, Duke Foundation Research Program, Duke University

Luncheon Plenary
In her keynote address, Independent Sector President and CEO Diana Aviv will examine the challenges facing our organizations and our communities, particularly in light of the just-completed 2008 elections.

Keynote:

• Diana Aviv, president and CEO, Independent Sector

John W. Gardner Leadership Award Dinner
Honor Robert Greenstein, founder and executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, as he receives the Gardner Leadership Award for his work in promoting rigorous analysis of budget and tax policies in order to help lawmakers, the media, and the public understand how policy decisions at the national and state levels will affect low- and moderate-income people.

Included in conference registration; additional guest tickets available at $150 each.

Table sponsorship opportunities available. For more information, please contact Lyubov Mullen at 202-467-6141 or lyubovm@independentsector.org.

“Beyond Election 2008: A New Look at Race and Gender in America”

Closing Plenary Luncheon
This year’s presidential election is viewed by many as a watershed moment in American politics, with a woman and African-American as the two leading contenders for the nomination of a major party. Others have lamented how the pundits, and even some of the candidates themselves, have rehashed simplistic categorizations of race and gender and often pitted one group against another. Just one week after election day, this session’s diverse panel will explore the impact of the historic vote on the state of race and gender in America, generational differences in perspectives on race and gender, and the responsibility of the nonprofit community in building a truly inclusive society.

Panelists:

• Randall L. Kennedy, Michael R. Klein Professor of Law, Harvard Law School
• Sterling Speirn, president, W. K. Kellogg Foundation
• Luz Vega-Marquis, president and CEO, Marguerite Casey Foundation
• Marie Wilson, president and founder, The White House Project

Moderator:

• Kelvin Taketa, president and CEO, Hawai’i Community Foundation
  

Within each theme track, a plenary session offers a "big picture" view, forum sessions delve deeper into the issues, and workshop sessions drill down to offer practical solutions. CEO sessions, available to chief executives of IS member organizations only, allow for peer-to-peer discussions on the challenges of leadership.

Breakout Session Tracks

To allow participants to expore key issues in more depth, the forums and the workshops focus on one or more of four tracks:

Demonstrating Accountability – Strengthen both your organization’s ability to operate ethically and to communicate those achievements to staff, board members, donors, government officials, and the public. Sessions will look at areas such as the new IRS Form 990; challenges to tax-exempt status; questions about who should control charitable assets, and why; and methods for strengthening self-governance.

Fostering Innovation – Explore exciting approaches and ideas that can help organizations find creative ways to improve their work. Sessions will include a look at new vehicles, such as alternative reality games, for addressing social problems; innovative approaches to enhancing productivity and impact; strategic collaborations to advance mission; and techniques for harnessing creative potential.

Increasing Effectiveness – Learn how organizations are increasing their ability to improve lives in communities across the globe. Among the topics in this track is an examination of corporate philanthropy’s future; funder collaboration; taking advantage of a diverse staff; and developing and renewing leaders.

Strengthening Democracy – Discover how charities and foundations are deepening civic engagement and responsibility to strengthen communities and improve lives. This track will feature sessions on harnessing momentum from this ground-breaking election year; participating in community journalism and innovative media; forging partnerships to increase regional economic prosperity; and bringing the nonprofit community’s policy agenda to the incoming President and Congress.

CEO Track

Chief executives of IS member organizations can join in-depth, peer-to-peer exchanges on issues relevant to running our organizations. Its sessions, spread throughout the conference, include measuring effectiveness, the need for engagement with public policy, and conversations with sector leaders.