New England Conference on Black Philanthropy
To be held in New Haven, Connecticut

(AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSWIRE)NEW ENGLAND - The New England Conference on Black Philanthropy, in partnership with the National Center for Black Philanthropy, Inc., will be held Tuesday, June 1st through Thursday, June 3rd, 2004 at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale ( 155 Temple Street, New Haven, Connecticut). The theme of the 2nd annual conference is "The Power of Individuals to Build Communities." The conference will host approximately 300 professionals in the field of philanthropy including members of nonprofit organizations nationally and in the Northeast region.

Ron Ancrum, President of Associated Grant Makers in Boston, Massachusetts says in order for philanthropy to be effective, it is critical that citizens are empowered to make a difference in their own communities.

"African American donors want to feel invested in the outcomes of their philanthropy in the communities in which they live and have a personal alliance," said Ancrum. "The African American community is increasingly being targeted for philanthropic outreach. This conference will be a key provider of professional education for grant makers on how they can increase their value through partnering, collaborating, brokering and other strategies. If you teach individuals to focus on assets instead of deficits, they will unite around a common vision of future success."

The goal of the conference is to encourage and cultivate giving by promoting philanthropy within Black communities in the Northeast, to increase the capacity of Black development professionals, highlight the critical roles individuals play in charitable giving, and cultivate greater institutional investment in Black communities.

There will be over 25 workshops and sessions offered at the conference. Including a full-day session on building endowments for nonprofit organizations, conducted by The National Center for Black Philanthropy and sponsored by Wachovia Wealth Management. That session takes place Tuesday, June 1st and is open the the public at no fee. Pre-registration is required.

The workshops below are just a sample of some of the workshops offered.

The NECBP will cover issues such as:

l Strategies for Engaging African American Donors
l Young Gifted & Black: How to Reach Generation X
l Family Wealth Building
l Teaching Children How to Give
l The Church and Black Philanthropy
l Black Philanthropy and the Arts

K. C. Burton, Senior Program Associate for The Annie E. Casey Foundation in Baltimore, Maryland said the conference is instrumental in advancing the mission to improve results for families and particularly children who live in disadvantaged communities.

"There is increasing evidence that the most effective foundations focus on a specific place - a neighborhood or community - with an emphasis on strengthening families. They act as a catalyst to foster collaboration and coordination among the various community stakeholders and use their unique standing in the community to leverage the financial capital to support these strategies, "stated Burton. "This conference is an opportunity to convene and partner with like-minded individuals and institutions that focus their Black philanthropy efforts to respond to a pressing social need and are committed to increasing philanthropic resources-both financial and human - in the Northeast region."

Conference activities will also include a look at the spirit of giving in Black New Haven with a Yale Walking Tour and a sail/reception aboard Connecticut's Flagship and Tall Ship Ambassador, Freedom Schooner Amistad.
For more information contact Lisa McGill, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven at lmcgill@cfgnh.org or (203) 777-2386.

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