Documents Agenda (PDF - 170 KB) List of participants (PDF - 120 KB) General information PDF - 165 KB) Online resources Presentations

Public policy development and government relations

24-26 October 2005
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Hosted by Community Foundations of Canada and Philanthropic Foundations Canada

WINGS held a network peer learning event on the role of grantmaker associations in public policy development and government relations.

• What is the role of grantmaker associations and support organisations in public policy development towards social issues at large and towards philanthropy in particular?
• What are the factors that are critical to a grantmaker association’s decision to engage in public policy development?
• What are the strategic options available, the forms and levels of engagement, and the corresponding implications for associations?
• How can an association seek to relate with government at different levels and position itself in the broader NGO sector?

This peer learning event examined the opportunities for grantmaker associations and support organisations and looked at examples of successful approaches to influence public policy towards philanthropy and social change.

Online resources

WINGS invites you to help build this initial list of resources by sharing with the network your own organisation’s publication and other material and tools. Thank you very much!

1. The Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium helps to expand knowledge about philanthropy and third sector in Asia/Pacific through the publication of major research work such as Philanthropy and Law in Asia.
www.asianphilanthropy.org/appc/publication.html

2. The Council of Michigan Foundations makes available a number of resources from its various initiatives and partnerships.

• CMF’s Government Relations: includes CMF’s Legislative Statement, national and state goals, position papers and reports, and other relevant tools such as Talking points for grantmakers in communicating with members of Congress.
  www.cmif.org/Government/GovRelationsHome.htm
• Information regarding the newly created Cabinet-level position of Foundation Liaison
  www.cmif.org/Government/Foundation_Liaison.htm
• CMF’s Public Policy Fellowship
  www.cmif.org/Government/PublicPolicyFellowship.htm
• Seeking to engage members in the potential for individual and collective roles in the public policy process, CMF’s Public Policy Committee identified six focus issues.
  www.cmif.org/Government/PublicPolicyHome.htm
• Tobacco Settlement Partnership, Homelessness Prevention, and Great Lakes Community Foundation Environmental Collaborative
  www.cmif.org/CommunityFoundPrograms.htm
• Michigan Community Foundation Tax Credit www.cmif.org/CommunityFoundTaxCredit.htm

3. The Council on Foundations’ Government Relations & Public Policy department supports grantmaker participation in public policy by educating its members about public policy strategies.
www.cof.org

4. The Council on Foundations and the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers jointly host Foundations on the Hill, an annual event designed to inform Members of US Congress about the important role foundations play in improving communities across the country and around the world.
www.givingforum.org/policy/index.html

5. The Czech Donors Forum implements a programme on "Building Favorable Legislative and Tax Environment" which is aimed at specialized activities in the field of legislative preparations.
www.donorsforum.cz/index.php?lang=a&id=1023&kat=6

6. European Foundation Centre (EFC)

• The EFC promotes the legal operating framework of foundations in Europe through the work of the EFC EU Committee’s Legal Task Force.
  www.efc.be/projects/eu/legal/default.asp
• It also promotes a friendly tax framework for foundations and aims to convey information on fiscal developments affecting foundations across the EU with a view to identifying the best fiscal regulations and practices. The EFC EU Committee’s Tax Task Force reviews national developments and common tax issues at EU the level.
  www.efc.be/projects/eu/tax/default.asp
• The Community Philanthropy Initiative has very recently produced a discussion paper looking at the cooperation between community foundations and the public sector in Europe.
  www.efc.be/projects/philanthropy/

7. The International Center for Not-For-Profit Law offers advice and a wide range of tools and publications related to public policy issues in different countries.
www.icnl.org/tools/default.htm

8. Northern California Grantmakers' Public Policy Grantmaking Toolkit helps funders build their capacity to engage in public policy initiatives. The online toolkit includes definitions and strategies of public policy and legal parameters, as well as in-depth information on evaluating public policy grantmaking.
www.ncg.org/toolkit/home.html

9. Ohio Grantmakers Forum makes available on its website reports and other information on how it helps to build bridges to policy makers.
www.ohiograntmakers.org/page5382.cfm

Presentations

Topic 1: Making the case: the role of grantmaker associations and support organisations as policy actors

Robyn Scott, Philanthropy New Zealand (ppt, 1,934 KB)
Monica Patten, Community Foundations of Canada (ppt, 203 KB)

Topic 2: Engaging members in policy work

Oman Jiao, Association of Foundations (ppt, 432 KB)
Hilary Pearson, Philanthropic Foundations Canada (ppt, 173 KB)
Claudia Herrold, Ohio Grantmakers Forum (ppt, 387 KB)
Olive Luena, East Africa Association of Grantmakers (Word, 43 KB)

Topic 3: Working with government and policy makers

Filiz Bikmen, Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (ppt, 171 KB)
Hilary Pearson, Philanthropic Foundations Canada (ppt, 173 KB)

Topic 4: Building capacity to influence public policy

Monica Mutuku, East Africa Association of Grantmakers (Word, 30 KB)
Monika Pisankaneva, Association of Community Foundations in Bulgaria (ppt, 90 KB)

Topic 5: Working with the media and other communication strategies

Vicki Rosenberg, Council of Michigan Foundations (ppt, 132 KB)
Pavlína Kalousová, Czech Donors Forum (ppt, 1,230 KB)
Robyn Scott, Philanthropy New Zealand (ppt, 395 KB)