About

For nearly two decades, SoCal Grantmakers has offered the philanthropic sector’s premier training for early career grantmakers, Fundamentals of Effective Grantmaking. We are proud to announce that Fundamentals will return this fall! 

Fundamentals is a content-rich, intensive training for foundation staff new to philanthropy (less than two years) and seasoned philanthropic professionals looking to refresh their core grantmaking skills. Our interdisciplinary curriculum is intentionally designed and led by high-profile leaders in the philanthropic sector. Participants can expect to: 

  • Learn the essential grantmaking skills, ideas, and competencies most in demand in today’s sector. 
  • Explore transformational leadership training styles to acquire the interpersonal skills and mindsets needed to be an effective leader in the 21st century. 
  • Develop a professional network of philanthropic peers working across industries and issue areas in California and nationally. 
  • Apply learnings in real-world case studies and situations.

This year, Fundamentals will consist of three full-day sessions taking place in person on October 29, October 30, and November 12, 2024. Our signature professional learning program will also include a Visit with a Grantmaker, where participants will engage in an internal site visit with another foundation to learn about their grantmaking approaches and practices. 

Fundamentals is a fast-paced and highly interactive learning community where all participants are required to be present and engaged in every session. Registrants must attend all three full-day Fundamentals sessions and the Visit with A Grantmaker session to receive a certificate of completion for the program. 

We strongly advise all interested participants to review and hold all session dates to avoid scheduling conflicts. Sessions will not be live-streamed or recorded. Additionally, space is limited to preserve the intention and size of this learning community. We encourage you to secure your spot before the registration deadline on Friday, October 18, 2024. 

Session Topics: 

(*Subject to Change)

  • Foundations As Public Service Institutions: Understanding the evolving Philanthropic Landscape 
  • The Art of Grantmaking: Making Connections and Navigating Philanthropy
  • Establishing Authentic Relationships with Nonprofit Partners 
  • Numbers Tell a Story: Understanding the Basics of Financial Statements 
  • The Balancing Act: Managing Challenges and Crafting your Personal Narrative 
  • Centering Equity in Grantmaking 
  • The Art of Advocacy: Philanthropy’s role in the Public Policy Engagement 
  • Adopting A Compassionate and Philanthropic Career and Lifestyle 

Visit with a Grantmaker 

Your Visit with a Grantmaker session will take place between November 4 - November 8, 2024. Each participant must attend one 2-hour session. Assignments are made based on availability and on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Confirmation of VWG assignments will be sent on Monday, October 28, 2024. Due to space limitations and out of respect for our hosts, we kindly ask that no requests for changes be made after assignments are received.  

Testimonials  

As someone new to both philanthropy and the professional world at large, it was wonderfully helpful and inspiring to meet and learn with my new peers.

I really enjoyed the whole experience and look forward to participating in more SCG workshops and events.

I am happy I was able to participate in this training. It was so informative and engaging.

Presented by:  

evolve

evolve is SCG’s suite of programming that champions transformational leadership made possible by the generous support of the Angell Foundation.