Community Park

International Terrace, Terrace Level

The Council on Foundations is delighted to welcome all attendees of the 2016 Annual Conference to visit the Community Park. We are committed to providing innovative spaces and unique learning environments during our educational gatherings. New this year, we have added a Community Park by design. Community parks foster engagement and the process of working collaboratively with individuals and groups to achieve specific goals. We feel this space is symbolic of the collaborative leadership philanthropic leaders must possess if we are going to address the important issues of our time. No single entity can create economic opportunity, secure our natural resources, and strengthen democratic society without partners. We hope that you will utilize this space to form new partnerships and strengthen old ones, discover new ideas, and learn techniques to help your foundation serve its community even better. In the park you will find picnic tables to schedule a coffee meeting, café tables to organize your notes, and swings for a little bit of play.

Located in the International Terrace, Terrace Level members of our Philanthropic Community can partake in a number of activities and connect with others in service.

Check-out all that the park has to offer.

Registration

The heart of the Community Park is registration. Pick up your all-important conference badge and program at our friendly registration desk. As the hub of information about the Annual Conference, the Registration Desk is here to help during the following hours:

• Friday, April 8 - 4:00-6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, April 9 - 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
• Sunday, April 10 - 7:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
• Monday, April 11 - 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 12 - 7:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Identity Station

Are you an avid tweeter? Want to show your foundation pride? Add some philanthropic flair to your conference badge and express yourself!

Visit the "Why Philanthropy?" Booth

Take a moment to stop and think about why you do the work that you do by visiting the "Why Philanthropy?" within the Community Park. Record a brief video about why philanthropy is important to you and how you see this sector coming together for a better tomorrow.

Service Project

The foster care system can be a confusing and sometimes disheartening place. However, for the last eight years Together We Rise has changed the way tens of thousands of kids experience foster care in the United States through their fundraising and network of passionate volunteers. They strive to to give foster childrean a brighter future and a sense of normalcy and belonging.

At the Council on Foundations' Annual Conference, you will have the opportunity to change the life of a child in foster care by assembling a Sweet Case. Instead of receiving two plastic bags to move from home to home, your participation in decorating and assembling a duffel bag (that includes a hygiene kit, blanket, pillow pet and coloring book) will let a child in need know that they and their belongings mean more than just a trash bag.

Stop by the Service Space within The Community Park to take part in this fun and meaningful activity and learn more about the nation's foster care system.

The Council wishes to acknowledge that the Community Service Project was made possible by a grant and support from Casey Family Programs.

Book Signings

Learn more from some of the great plenary speakers off-stage. The following author signings will be available in the Park:

What's Your SDG?

On September 25, 2015, 193 countries formally adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations. The Council is committed to connecting our members with resources to learn more about the SDGs and understand how these global goals are relevant to their existing programs and strategies, globally and in the US. You and your organization may already be working toward one of the 17 SDGs.

Within the Community Park, take a selfie with an SDG and add your organization to the Sustainable Development Goals wall. See how philanthropy is connected by “Goals to Transform Our World”.