The Atlanta Host Committee has chosen eight “Atlanta Places That Matter”—unique and significant sites—for you to visit and see philanthropy in action. Reserve a ticket to the showcase of your choice when you register for the conference. (space is limited)

Monday, May 4, 2009

1:30pm–6:00pm

The AIDS Memorial Quilt: Weaving Social Action into Art
The largest community arts project in the world is the AIDs Memorial Quilt. This extraordinary object, measuring 1.2 million square feet, contains more than 40,000 panels, each a profound handmade memorial tribute by a friend, family member, or admirer of a person who lost his or her life to AIDS. Internationally headquartered in Atlanta, the quilt has been a pivotal tool for healing, personal expression, and social organizing. The quilt was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and covered the entire National Mall in Washington, DC, that year, when it was exhibited in full. In addition to being a major educational tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS, it has become a powerful backdrop for talking about the role of community engagement and the arts in civic dialogue. Join us for a tour of the quilt and a discussion with Julie Rhoad, director of the NAMES Project Foundation, which oversees the preservation and growth of the quilt.

The Atlanta University Center: A Historic Place in African-American Education
Not only the cradle of the civil rights movement and the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., Atlanta is virtually synonymous with African-American aspiration and achievement. Located along Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive in the historic West End, Atlanta University Center (AUC) represents the largest consortium of historically black institutions of higher learning in the world. The partner institutions include Spelman College, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Clark Atlanta University, and the Interdenominational Theological Center. These historic institutions, which have earned excellent national reputations and consistently high rankings among the top colleges and universities in the country, contribute to the area’s diverse and well-educated workforce. Participants in the AUC site session will enjoy a special guided tour and knowledge-building dialogue designed to introduce them to the deep and rich history and accomplishment of these historically black colleges and universities.

NEW TIME: The High Museum of Art: Innovative Future Partnerships for Museums and Cultural Institutions
Riding high on an unprecedented three-year partnership with the Louvre in Paris, the High Museum’s director, Michael Shapiro, will share his work in advancing the field of American museums with international partnerships and new ideas for acquisitions and exhibitions with regional institutions. The High Museum has more than tripled its size recently, opening a series of new buildings designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano. Participants will have the opportunity to tour a special exhibition, meet behind-the-scenes with a key curator who has built an important collection of civil rights era photographs in partnership with individuals, and see the “green roof” that has added to the institution’s energy efficiency.

A Triple Header for Education: Progressive Educational Models That Work—and Play
Join us for a high-energy, interactive site visit that will explore the current state of education in the United States, examine three unique educational models that are achieving success in Atlanta and around the country, and afford participants the opportunity to ask hard questions.

The session will be hosted by the Ron Clark Academy, Teach for America, and KIPP Schools, three nationally respected organizations that are leading the movement for educational reform and change from the bottom to the top. Each host will discuss their unique ingredients of success and how they are forging paths of educational achievement by using innovative methods, unleashing the creativity and passion of their instructors, creating high-expectation environments that raise the horizons of possibility for each of their students, insisting on discipline and the involvement of caregivers in the educational process, and creating truly nurturing, supportive learning environments.

This visit will include a tour of the Ron Clark Academy in south Atlanta, observation of innovative classroom instruction techniques, a highly interactive panel discussion, an introduction to cutting-edge classroom technology, time for lots of questions, and interaction with some amazing students.

Warning: By the conclusion of this site visit, all participants will be “slide-certified”!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

1:30pm–5:30pm

The Atlanta Beltline: How a City Derailed Got Back on Track
One of the most comprehensive economic development efforts ever undertaken in the City of Atlanta and the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment currently underway in the U.S., the BeltLine combines transit, parks and trails, neighborhood preservation and revitalization, mixed-used development, affordable housing, public art, cleaner air, and an improved tax base—all advancing quality of life along 22 miles of historic rail segments that encircled Atlanta in its early years. After the Civil War, some tracks—including many portions of the BeltLine—were abandoned and largely forgotten. Until now. Climb aboard the BeltLine tour bus to witness firsthand the transformative effect the project will have on BeltLine neighborhoods and the City of Atlanta. Participants will hear from experts who will detail the intricacies of this 25-year, $2.8 billion project; explore current park and trail projects including the infamous Bellwood Quarry site; learn about the extensive community engagement process being undertaken; and, get a full understanding of the public-private partnership necessary to make this project a success. There is simply no better way to learn about the BeltLine than to take this tour!

The Center for Puppetry Arts: From Kermit the Frog to Distance Learning
The Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest nonprofit institution in the United States dedicated to the art of puppetry. The center’s resources include extensive exhibition galleries devoted to the international and historical art of puppetry, the nation’s only library devoted to puppetry, three theatres offering over 800 nationally acclaimed original performances for children and adults, and a network of classrooms with hands-on facilities for teaching the craft of puppet making. The center also has active distance-learning studios that reach young people in 44 states and 3 countries, teaching language arts, science, social studies, and drama, all based on national curriculum standards. The Jim Henson estate recently announced that its collection will go to the Center for Puppetry Arts. Site visitors will tour the facility, see an excerpt from a performance, learn puppet-making techniques, tour the high-tech distance-learning studios, and participate in a panel discussion about arts and learning.

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation: The Gift of Rap! Exploring Hip Hop and Philanthropy
Founded in 1997 by Afeni Shakur, mother of the multi-talented Tupac Shakur, the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation works to bring quality arts training to our young people. A broad range of training is offered at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts and Peace Garden, located in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The center opened on June 11, 2005, as a sanctuary that fosters an environment that encourages freedom of expression and enhances the lives of youth through the arts. Disciplines include creative writing, vocal technique, acting, stage set design, dance, poetry and spoken word, and the business of entertainment. The celebrated peace garden provides visitors with a reflective, commemorative, and tranquil haven. Replete with annual and perennial plants, trees, native plants, environmental the green space also serves as a center for community gardening and botanical education. The foundation is currently working to create and preserve an institution for hip hop and urban culture at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts.

Participants will be provided with a guided tour of the performing arts center and the peace garden. Following the tour, participants will meet in the garden gazebo to discuss the changing dynamics in philanthropy and learn more about the legacy of Tupac Shakur and his mother, Afeni.

Atlanta Places That Matter: The Martin Luther King, Jr., Historic District: Building the “Beloved Community”
The Martin Luther King, Jr., Historic District and National Historic Site is one of the most visited historic sites in the entire National Park System. The district includes King’s birth home, the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, the King Center for Non-Violent Social Change, the National Park Service Visitor Center and many of the cultural, business, and religious institutions that shaped King’s determination to lead the fight for freedom for all Americans. By experiencing the places where he was born, worked, worshipped, and is buried, visitors will be helped to understand King, his leadership of the civil rights movement, and the effects of his teachings on this important 20th-century social movement to build the “beloved community.”

As a tribute to his legacy and in recognition of the importance of place, Atlanta is now the home of the recently acquired King papers and has embarked on a plan to build a Center for Civil and Human Rights. Visitors will be invited to participate in a discussion about the papers and the plans for the new center.

Want some real, hands-on learning? Choose to attend one of three different site sessions selected by the Annual Host Committee. Each site is the result of a philanthropic-private partnership. Reserve a ticket to the site session of your choice when you register for the conference. (space is limited)

Monday, May 4, 2009

Download the pdf version of the agenda.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Download the pdf version of the agenda.

Download the pdf version of the agenda.

Philanthropic Awards Celebration

Tuesday, May 5
5:30pm-7:00pm

Join the Council on Foundations as we celebrate and honor the people, programs, and foundations that have changed lives and transformed communities at home and around the world. We will recognize the following:

• Distinguished Grantmaker Award
• Critical Impact Award
• Henry Hampton Award for Excellence in Film & Digital Media
• LEAD Award
• Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking
• Paul Ylvisaker Award for Public Policy Engagement
• Lifetime Achievement for Philanthropy and the Arts
• Wilmer Shields Rich Awards for Excellence in Communications*

*Note: The Wilmer Shields Rich Awards for Excellence in Communications will be presented before the Philanthropic Awards Celebration, but the recipients will be acknowledged at this event.

Contact: Evelyn Gibson, 703-879-0691, evelyn.gibson@cof.org.

Networking Event at the Georgia Aquarium

Monday, May 4 6:00pm–7:30pm Join the Council on Foundations and the Atlanta Host Committee for a networking event at the Georgia Aquarium. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and beverages while strolling through the exhibits at the world's largest and most engaging aquarium.

Resource Central

Located in the Marquis Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis, Resource Central is the “hub” of the Annual Conference. It’s the first place you’ll stop to pick up your registration material, but it’s also a great place to visit throughout the conference to:

• See the latest products, services, and programs available from our exhibitors
• Learn more about the benefits of being a Council member and discover how the Council can help you navigate the current economic crisis
• Register for preconference events
• Pick up tickets for the site sessions and “Places That Matter” tours
• Engage in lively Roundtable Discussions about topics that matter most to you
• Browse our bookstore and learn about the Council’s latest programs and services
• Check your email or use the Internet at our Cyber Café
• Leave notes or announcements at our message board located near the Registration Desk
• Network with your colleagues and enjoy refreshments
• Review copies of foundation communication materials