CEONet

CEONet Webinar: Donor Misbehavior
2025-10-29 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
When generosity meets creativity, things can get complicated. The ever-popular Robin Ferriby will unpack the increasingly complex ways donors are using their Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). From pushing the boundaries of IRS regulations to walking the fine line between influence and impropriety, this session dives into real-world scenarios that challenge what’s legal, ethical, and allowable. Robin will cover the following topics:

What donors can and cannot do with their DAFs

How to spot red flags before they become legal headaches

Strategies for protecting your organization while maintaining donor relationships

Bring your questions and curiosity. If you have a specific question you’d like to ask before the webinar, please send your questions to ceonet@communitygiving.org
Speaker:

Robin Ferriby, Senior Counsel, Clark Hill, PLC

The webinar is free for CEONet members. Non-members may attend the webinar for $49.
NOTE: All CEONet events are strictly for CEO and Executive Director attendees only

Peer Networking Event - CEO Connects: Changing Our Language, Not Our Values
2025-07-15 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
In every survey, 100% of respondents identify peer networking as the greatest need for community foundation leaders. CEO Connects, a new member-only program provides time for small group discussion. The quarterly calls will be based on a specific topic where presenters will set the stage for 15 minutes, followed by 30-35 minutes of small group peer discussion, and a final 10 minutes of reconnecting.
Our attendees at the recent CEONet Retreat in Minneapolis experienced 4 terrific peer-led presentations and discussions. Shelly O’Quinn of Innovia Foundation will repeat her timely presentation and discussion on how language used to describe the work of the foundation can be modified to appeal to a wider range of perspectives. While the underlying work and principles remain the same, how we talk about the work can invite broader and deeper conversations. Shelly will share her presentation for the first 15 minutes of the call. All participants will go into breakout rooms for peer discussion and then we’ll reconvene for sharing in the larger group. Please note that to allow for open and candid discussion these calls are not recorded.
This is a CEONet members-only event and it will not be recorded. If you’d like to become a member to gain access to this and other members-only benefits, click here.

CEONet Webinar : "Marketing Community Foundations to Professional Advisors"
2025-06-26 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
Professional advisors are an incredibly valuable audience for community foundations. Yet many professional advisors are unaware of the unique value we offer to support their work or have misperceptions about our services. A new effort by the Community Foundation Awareness Initiative aims to address these barriers through a new marketing and advertising campaign. Working in partnership with nearly 40 community foundations, they are building on the success of the “Make More Possible” national branding effort to develop a campaign that targets this elusive audience. During this session, we’ll offer a sneak preview of the campaign and offer insights from focus groups of professional advisors from communities across the U.S.
Speakers:

Peter Panepento, Managing Partner, Turn Two Communications, Inc.
CFAI Community Foundation Partner

Registration is free and limited to community foundation CEOs and Executive Directors.

CEONet 2025 Annual Retreat: Building Bridges
2025-06-09 13:00 - 2025-06-10 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hilton Minneapolis, 1001 S Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55403, United States
Join your CEO and ED colleagues for a one-and-a-half-day Retreat for inspiration, discussion, networking and sharing focused on issues of importance to all community foundation leaders. The theme of this year’s retreat is “Building Bridges” which we will explore and discuss how community foundations across the U.S. and Canada build bridges through collaboration, community impact and stakeholder engagement. This CEONet Retreat offers a unique combination of experiences in which to connect with peers.
Starting at 1:00pm on Monday June 9, we will spend the afternoon on one of two site tours curated and led by our two local community foundation CEO hosts, R.T. Rybak of the Minneapolis Foundation and Dr. Eric Jolly of the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation. The Twin Cities provide a unique backdrop for the ongoing work to heal, restore, and reimagine the areas around George Floyd Square and the Indigenous lands near the Mississippi River. The efforts are a model for creating new opportunities for inclusive community development. At the conclusion of the tour, attendees will relax at a welcome cocktail party. On Tuesday, June 10, we will meet in a traditional meeting space to talk about community foundation leadership. Our agenda will focus on sharing information from colleagues in conventional formats with an emphasis on small group discussions. Anticipate a rich and interactive Retreat with your fellow leaders.

Registration Details
CEONet Annual Retreat is a pre-conference session to Council on Foundation’s Leading Locally 2025 and will be held in the same location. The links below will guide you to register on Council on Foundation’s website.
As a partner, CEONet members receive a discounted rate to Leading Locally. CEONet members who are not members of the Council on Foundations can take advantage of the Council member price of $1,199 until February 28, an $800 discount. Please refer to the CEONet Newsletter for instructions and passcodes that will provide you with the discounted rate.
CEONet members and nonmembers are invited to attend the CEONet Annual Retreat. Between now and February 28, the early registration rate is $400 for members and $500 for nonmembers. After February 28, the cost will rise to $500 and $600.

TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE

All registration is administered by the Council on Foundations. To register for Leading Locally 2025 and the CEONet Annual Retreat, visit the Leading Locally 2025 Registration Page and click “Register Now.” Follow the instructions provided to you in the CEONet Newsletter/CEONet Emails. If you need assistance, please contact Diane Miller using this web form.

To register for the CEONet Annual Retreat Only, contact Diane Miller by completing this form.

Recommended Hotels – Coming Soon!

CEONet Webinar: Gifts of Complex Assets
2025-03-20 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
Community foundations are increasingly presented with gifts of real estate, privately held businesses, and other non-cash assets. While these gifts can provide transformational support, they also come with legal, financial, and operational complexities. Join us for an insightful webinar to explore best practices for evaluating and managing complex asset donations. Real life examples will be presented along with recommendations for evaluating whether a gift may or may not be right for your foundation.
Key Topics:

What due diligence should be conducted before accepting a gift?
How can a foundation mitigate risks associated with real estate or business ownership?
When is it appropriate to decline a gift?
What legal and tax considerations must be addressed?
How can a foundation effectively communicate policies to donors?

Speaker:

Robin Ferriby, Senior Counsel, Clark Hill, PLC

The webinar is free for CEONet members. Non-members may attend the webinar for $49.
NOTE: All CEONet events are strictly for CEO and Executive Director attendees only

Peer Networking Event - CEO Connects
2025-02-18 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
In every survey, 100% of respondents identify peer networking as the greatest need for community foundation leaders. CEO Connects, a new member-only program provides time for small group discussion. The quarterly calls will be based on a specific topic where presenters will set the stage for 15 minutes, followed by 30-35 minutes of small group peer discussion, and a final 10 minutes of reconnecting.
Increasingly, boards have asked the community foundation to get more involved in advocacy work. Join your CEONet member peers for conversation to discuss their approaches and what is being asked of them. The call will start with two CEOS sharing examples of successful advocacy work at the local and state levels. Participants will go into breakout rooms for small group discussions with peers for 30 minutes followed by a quick wrap up.
This is a CEONet members-only event and it will not be recorded. If you’d like to become a member to gain access to this and other members-only benefits, click here.

CEONet Webinar : "Community Foundation Awareness Campaign Update"
2024-12-11 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
This spring, we presented a webinar detailing information on a new community foundation brand awareness campaign. Now, we’re ready to share the early results of this effort, which now includes more than 40 community foundations and features local and national ads that are running in markets across the U.S. The campaign, developed and designed by the Community Foundation Awareness Initiative, includes community foundations of all sizes — from small to large, rural to urban, and everything in between. During this session, you’ll hear from some community foundations about their experiences, successes, and challenges and you’ll get an early look at data and learn how they will soon be expanding it to include other target groups (hint: professional advisors).
Registration is free and open to any community foundation CEO or Executive Director.

Peer Networking Event - CEO Connects
2024-10-22 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
In every survey, 100% of respondents identify peer networking as the greatest need for community foundation leaders. CEO Connects, a new member-only program provides time for small group discussion. The quarterly calls will be based on a specific topic where presenters will set the stage for 15 minutes, followed by 30-35 minutes of small group peer discussion, and a final 10 minutes of reconnecting.
In October we will hold our first meeting with the topic of “Foundation Growth.” Two CEOs—Shelly O’Quinn, CEO of Innovia Foundation and Marlene Spalten, President and CEO of the Community Foundation Tampa Bay—will share their unique stories to set the stage. Afterward, all attendees will go into breakout rooms for deeper peer discussion.
This is a CEONet members-only event and it will not be recorded. If you’d like to become a member to gain access to this and other members-only benefits, click here.

CEONet Webinar: A.I. and Fundraising
2024-10-02 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
We’ve all heard about how A.I. can improve the efficiency of our workflow and operations. How can you use A.I. in your community foundation’s fundraising efforts? Join our webinar led by fundraising expert Josh Hirsch, where you’ll discover cutting-edge strategies to revolutionize your fundraising efforts using AI. Topics to be covered in this webinar:

AI-Enhanced Campaign Design
Personalize Donor Engagement
Donor Retention Strategies
Social Media and Digital Fundraising

Moderator:

Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, President and CEO, Community Foundation of Broward

Speaker:

Josh Hirsch, M.S., Senior Strategist for Soukup Strategic Solutions and on faculty for The Fund Raising School at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

The webinar is free for CEONet members. Non-members may attend the webinar for $49.
NOTE: All CEONet events are strictly for CEO and Executive Director attendees only

CEONet Webinar: A Conversation with 4 Recently Retired CEOS—History, Challenges, Successes, Projections, Succession Planning
2024-06-06 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Webinar
As part of our continued focus on CEO Excellence and succession planning, we are speaking with four recently retired community foundation CEOs about what they’ve learned in their careers, the surprises, and successes.
Our panelists are:

Eileen Ellsworth, former CEO, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia
Brian Fogle, former CEO, Community Foundation of the Ozarks
Diana Sieger, former CEO, Community Foundation of Grand Rapids
Nina Waters, former CEO, Community Foundation for Northeast Florida
Moderated by Kristi Knous, President & CEO, Community Foundation for Greater Des Moines

You can expect a lively informative discussion.
Registration is free for CEONet members. Non-members may attend the webinar for $49.

CEONet Webinar : "Community Foundation Awareness Campaign"
2024-05-21 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Webinar
Community foundations face a common challenge: very few people in our communities understand what we do and what we stand for. A new effort aims to change that. More than 25 U.S. community foundations are partnering with the Community Foundation Awareness Initiative to launch a branding and advertising campaign that aims to raise the public’s awareness and understanding of our work. During this session, you’ll get a sneak preview of what the campaign will look like, learn about how it will work, and gain access to fresh insights from focus groups of potential community foundation donors from across the U.S.
Speakers:

Peter Panepento, Managing Partner, Turn Two Communications, Inc.
Katrina Crocker, Vice President of Communications, Central New York Community Foundation

Registration is free and open to any community foundation CEO or Executive Director.

CEONet Webinar: Transfer of Wealth Studies
2024-04-18 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Webinar
Transfer of Wealth Studies
Of the estimated $84 trillion to be passed down from older Americans to millennial and GenX heirs through 2045, $16 trillion will be transferred in the next decade. For some states TOW studies have been around for a long time. In other states, they are relatively new. Who benefits from them? Who can use them and how? What are some outcomes? Our panel will share their insights and experiences with TOW studies, and we will talk about the mechanics of how the studies are constructed.

Moderator:
Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, President and CEO, Community Foundation of Broward

Conversation Starters:
Eileen Connolly-Keesler, President and CEO, Community Foundation of Collier
Mary Rutherford, President and CEO, Montana Community Foundation
Benjamin Winchester, Extension Educator, Evaluation & Rural Sociology, University of Minnesota
Jeff Yost, President and CEO, Nebraska Community Foundation

Registration: Members free, Non-members $49.

CEONet 2024 Annual Retreat: Wrestling with the Big Issues
2024-04-11 09:00 - 2024-04-12 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | San Diego Foundation, 2508 Historic Decatur Rd, San Diego, CA, 92106, United States
Join your CEO and ED colleagues for a one-and-a-half-day Retreat for inspiration, discussion, networking and sharing focused on issues of importance to all community foundation leaders. The theme of this year’s retreat is “Wrestling with the Big Issues” which features a keynote address from Lucy Bernholz, who will share her latest perspectives including those from her Blueprint 2024, a responsive panel of CEOs talking about how their programs are positioned for the future, and a workshop on fresh approaches to leadership that avoid burnout and provide tools to lead well in the “next normal” of impact-driven leadership. As with all CEONet Retreats, time is built into the schedule for open discussion with your colleagues. Our Retreat is at The San Diego Foundation in Liberty Station, walking distance from hotels and other activities.

Registration Details
Member registration – $725
Non-member registration – $1,025
Optional Pre-Retreat Site Visit, Wednesday April 10 -$50
***Please review your current membership status HERE before selecting which ticket type to register under.***

Recommended Hotels
Courtyard by Marriott, Liberty Station and Homewood Suites, Liberty Station

Detailed Agenda and Speaker Profiles

Pre-Retreat Site Visit—TCC Project
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
2:00pm—5:00pm
In partnership with the San Diego Foundation, we will visit the Transformative Climate Communities Project. A coalition of 11 applicants, with the San Diego Foundation taking the lead, submitted to the state of California, a proposal of 8 projects and 3 plans for housing, green space, building upgrades, and transportation improvements for San Diego’s Historic Barrios. Our site visit will begin at the San Diego Foundation where we will be transported to the district for a walking tour and hear about several projects including the Holistic Healthy Homes, Tierras Indigenous Community Land Trust, and the workforce development center. We’ll talk about the San Diego Foundation’s unique role in this initiative and the work-strategies process used to make this community driven portfolio of projects a success. After the tour attendees will be transported back to the Courtyard by Marriott, Liberty Station.
The fee is $50 per person and is limited to the first 25 people who sign up. If you are already registered for the Retreat and want to attend the Pre-Retreat Site Visit—TCC Project, please purchase a ticket to register. If you have not already registered for the Retreat, and want to attend the site visit, please add the Pre-Retreat Site Visit—TCC Project to your purchase to register for both.
Wednesday April 10, 2024, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Welcome Cocktail Reception-Courtyard Liberty Station Patio
Thursday, April 11, 2024—9:00am—5:00pm
Speakers:

Lucy Bernholz is a senior research scholar and director of the Digital Civil Society Lab, which is part of Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (PACS). Lucy is author of “Philanthropy and Digital Civil Society: Blueprint” which is the annual industry forecast. Lucy has authored many papers and briefs on philanthropy. She was a co-author of “On The Brink of New Promise: The Future of U.S. Community Foundations, a seminal study on community foundations, now nearing its 20th anniversary of release.

CEO Responsive Panel

Simeon Bannister, Rochester Area Community Foundation
Mark Stuart, The San Diego Foundation

THRIVE IMPACT Team

Tucker Wannamaker, Chief Executive
Sara Fanslau, Chief of Impact
Aaron Cohen, Relationship Leader

THRIVE IMPACT is defining the next normal of workplace leadership for impact-driven organizations. With the speed and complexity of change happening at an exponential rate, the old ways of leadership don’t work in the new day we find ourselves in. Using neuroscience-backed tools and practices, they help teams create impact from the inside out by aligning at all levels – starting at the individual level and then moving outwards to teams and organizations, arriving at the end result of true community impact.

Thursday Agenda
9:00am—10:00am
Welcome—Kristi Knous, Chair CEONet and Diane Miller, ED CEONet
Icebreaker Introduction Exercise
10:00am—12:00pm
Keynote Speaker: Lucy Bernholz
Using the Blueprint 2024 as a framing document, Lucy will speak to the larger issues facing civil society with a philanthropic lens. As part of Lucy’s presentation, there will be table discussions using the “sensemaking” exercise found in Lucy’s monograph. There will be time for Q & A as well as reporting out.
Lunch—12:00pm-1:00pm
1:00pm—2:00pm
Speakers: CEO Panel
In response to some of the morning topics, a panel of CEOs will offer their perspectives on how they are addressing key issues through their programming at the local level. Q&A follows the discussion.
2:00pm—5:00pm
Facilitators: THRIVE IMPACT
Through this 3-hour interactive workshop, THRIVE IMPACT will introduce tools for the next normal of impact-driven leadership. CEOs will learn and be able to apply principles of conscious leadership and co-creative leadership in the room. These principles, when applied, can lead to key outcomes in your lives and organizations such as reduced burnout, increased resilience, greater alignment, and the ability to unlock the collective wisdom of your team.
5:00—5:15 Wrap Up
6:00pm —8:00pm
Casual Dinner at the Presley
Margaritas, beer, and wine, make your own taco bar. Outside patio. 10-minute walk from San Diego Foundation.

Friday April 12, 2024
Friday morning will be a lightly facilitated time for attendees to assimilate their learning and prioritize their top takeaways with input from their peers.
Friday Agenda
8:00am—8:30am
Breakfast and CEONet Overview to lead into the final session with THRIVE IMPACT
8:30am—10:30am
Facilitators: THRIVE IMPACT
Reflecting, Learning, and Crowd-Sourcing Wisdom Experience
Through this 2-hour facilitated conversation, CEOs will be able to reflect on their core learnings from the retreat, work on how you might apply those learnings back home in your organizations and connect with each other in small groups to share wisdom and innovations.
11:00am—Adjourn (San Diego airport 15 minutes away)
