Events
Webinar Series
Grantmaking Strategies to Support Effective Policy Advocacy—Bolder Advocacy Series
December 11, 2024 @ 11:00 am – 12:15 pm PST
Join us for a webinar series exploring how funders can effectively support a wide array of advocacy strategies within a food and agriculture context. Organized in partnership with Alliance for Justice’s Bolder Advocacy Program, these 4-sessions will provide funders with practical information and skill building opportunities in supporting election season advocacy and policymaker engagement, and how to structure policy related grants.
We encourage attendance at all four webinars to maximize learning, though recordings will be made available for those unable to attend live. SAFSF will host a concluding reflection session to synthesize insights, discuss integrating learnings into 2025 funding strategies, and address ongoing challenges.
This webinar series is available as a benefit for SAFSF members. Not a member? Join our community by contacting our Senior Membership Associate, Holly Enowski at [email protected] to receive an application or for an information call.
Goals
This virtual programming series will enable SAFSF members to:
- Understand why engaging in policy advocacy is essential for foundations and investors to achieve their missions;
- Build support across the foundation for policy advocacy engagement;
- Understand characteristics of grantmaking that support effective policy advocacy;
- Understand how to comply with lobbying restrictions and build relationships with policymakers;
- Build relationships and learn from peers engaged in policy advocacy funding.
Outcomes
After attending this virtual programming series, SAFSF members should feel confident in:
- Recognizing the broad scope of activities and strategies that can be considered policy advocacy;
- Initiating or continuing conversations with foundation board members about prioritizing policy advocacy; and
- How to support grantees engaged in policy advocacy.
Part 3
Funding advocacy is different from funding programs. There are different rhythms, benchmarks, grantees, rules, expectations for funder actions – and levels of risk. Grantmaking structures, policies, and procedures that may have been initially set up to support programs must adapt to the different conditions and needs for policy engagement.
Grounded in Bolder Advocacy’s 16 Grantmaking Characteristics to Effectively Fund Policy Advocacy, speakers will share concrete examples of grantmaking practices that can empower grantees and create the conditions needed for policy change. Recommendations will cover technical funding structures, the content of what gets funded, and considerations across the funding organization.
Speakers:
Sarah Efthymiou serves as Senior Counsel for the Bolder Advocacy Program at Alliance for Justice. In her role, she provides technical assistance, resources, and training to help nonprofit advocates understand their rights and abilities to advocate, lobby, engage in election related activities, and fund advocacy.
Prior to joining Alliance for Justice in 2023, Sarah served as a Directing Attorney at Public Law Center in Orange County, where she provided legal assistance and outside general counsel services to nonprofit organizations and social enterprises.
Sarah holds a B.A. from University of Redlands and a J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law. She is a member of the State Bar of California and currently resides in SoCal.
Allan Oliver is the Executive Director of the Thornburg Foundation. He oversees the Foundation’s Strategic Initiatives in K-12 education, good government reforms, food and agriculture, water, homelessness as well as Community Funding grants for social service organizations.
In addition to serving as Executive Director for 11 years, he has served on Governor Lujan Grisham’s Education Transition team and was named to the Governor’s statewide Census Complete Count Commission and co- chaired the Census Funders group. He has been recognized by Albuquerque Business First as a C-Suite Honoree for his accomplishments. In 2021, Allan was named to the Points of Light Inspiration Honor Roll for his efforts in New Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before joining the Thornburg Foundation, Allan served as Cabinet Secretary-Designate and Deputy Secretary for the New Mexico Economic Development Department and Director of Cabinet Affairs and Deputy Communications Director for Governor Bill Richardson. He also established the Partnership for Responsible Business and the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, a business association with over 1100 members supporting renewable energy technology and responsible business practices. Mr. Oliver earned a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and was named a William Hodson Fellow for International Public Service. He recently completed an Executive Education program at Harvard Business School focused on Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. He also served as an NGO specialist and initiated the municipal development program for the US Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala and served as country director for the National Democratic Institute in Kazakhstan.
He serves on the board of the Santa Fe School for Arts and Sciences, Groundworks New Mexico, and the National Funders Census Initiative. Allan enjoys spending time in New Mexico’s incredible outdoors and most of all enjoys spending time with his son, Max.
Series Registration
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