Foundations can be powerful allies and financial supporters of your community’s entrepreneurial initiatives. According to research from the International Economic Development Council, more than a third of organizations in the economic development industry receive financial or in-kind support from a foundation.
SourceLink is pleased to announce our next Quarterly Conversation, Working with Foundations to Capitalize Entrepreneurial Strategies, Thursday, March 14, 12:00pm Noon-1:00pm CT.
We welcome Frank Spillers, co-owner Global Horizons LLC, who will guide our conversation with a panel of experts to help you learn more about how foundations help build sustainable entrepreneur-focused economic development in our communities.
Joining our panel are:
Pam Bishop, whose work at the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, focuses on economic development in Minnesota’s south central 20-county region, including Rural Entrepreneurial Venture (REV) communities and Grow North.
Lauren Pradhan, founder of Grow North MN, a resource and connection hub for Minnesota's food and agriculture entrepreneur and innovation ecosystem. Pam and Lauren will share their experience in working with each other.
Chris Harris manages the Market Gaps grants at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation funding entrepreneurship support organizations looking to expand successful programs to reach more entrepreneurs. Chris can share how the Foundation evaluates grant applications and what future trends may be in store.
Pam Lewis is director of the New Economy Initiative, which is one of the country’s largest philanthropic partnerships and is managed by the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan. Pam focuses her attention on building an inclusive network of support for entrepreneurs and small businesses to diversify and strength the regional economy of southeast Michigan. Over the last 10 years, NEI has awarded more than $110 in grants to area organizations that support innovation and entrepreneurship in the southeast Michigan region.
Learn more about:
- The mission, programs and impact of each foundation
- Types of funding resources foundations offer
- Metrics that win investments
- Insider information … tips for building relationships with foundations
- Trends/ challenges in grant making community we should know about
Please join our Quarterly Conversation, an exclusive benefit for Sourcelink affiliate members!
About guest speakers:
Pamela K. Bishop is the vice president of economic development at the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) a donor-supported foundation, investing for economic growth in the 20 counties of south central and southeastern Minnesota. The Foundation has provided more than $111 million in grants, loans and programming within the region during the past 32 years. SMIF's key interests include early childhood, community and economic development.
Lauren Mehler Pradhan is the Founding Director and General Manager of Grow North MN, a program of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship (HCE) at the Carlson School, University of Minnesota. Grow North is making Minnesota a key leader and destination for food and agriculture innovation and entrepreneurship by connecting and advancing this entrepreneur ecosystem.
Christopher Harris is a senior program officer in Entrepreneurship for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he manages the Market Gaps grants, which seeks to expand the most effective and scalable entrepreneurial support models across the United States. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation, created by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, and is the world's leading foundation for entrepreneurs.
Pamela D. Lewis is the director of the New Economy Initiative (NEI), Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, one of the country's largest regional economic development initiatives led by philanthropy. Funded by 13 national and regional foundations, NEI makes grants to support and convene organizations that serve metro Detroit entrepreneurs and small businesses, from neighborhood-based businesses to high tech and high growth enterprises.
Moderator: Frank Spillers, co-owner, Global Horizons LLC
Frank Spillers is a coach, teacher, trainer, author, and speaker on building and sustaining civility through a process called “Relationship Economic Development.” He has spent his career as a business owner and economic developer at the local, state, and federal levels creating growth environments, specializing in rural America.
With 30 years of experience, Frank’s passionate specialty is developing leadership skills and behavioral changes for successful individual, business, community, school, and worship center growth. His energy and enthusiasm have fired up audiences around the country, having been referred to as the “Zig Ziglar” of rural community development. Frank and co-owner and wife, Kim, home office from Atlantic, Iowa.
About SourceLink Affiliate Quarterly Conversations
SourceLink’s Quarterly Conversation conference calls take place in September, December, March and June. Each quarter, the agenda will include topics, speakers and discussions suggested by SourceLink communities so we can share best practices and collaborate with each other. Questions? Contact Pola Firestone, polafirestone@joinsourcelink.com.