CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS!

NEW YORK CONFERENCE

Tuesday-Thursday, July 10-13, 2017

Session Proposals Due: Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Please submit proposals to

IHRFG is excited to announce the call for proposals for our 2017 New York Convening. IHRFG’s convenings provide grantmakers and donors with opportunities to explore critical human rights issues and exchange best practices in human rights philanthropy.

If you want to give high-level input on themes to cover and recommend dynamic, must-hear speakers with critical perspectives, we also invite you to complete our two-question Call for Ideas.

FRAMING QUESTIONS:

In light of the global trends of closing civic space and rising authoritarianism, funders must chart out new strategies for supporting human rights movements in this challenging environment.

We are therefore seeking proposals on the following questions:

·  What are the causes of right-wing populism and nationalism? What tactics do authoritarian regimes use (such as fake news, revisionist histories, and attacks on pluralism), how do these tactics work, and how can they be resisted?

·  How are funders and human rights organizations finding space to maneuver within an increasingly repressive environment? What lessons can be culled from funders, organizations, and movements operating in challenging contexts and how can they be applied to emerging situations? How can funders continue to move resources in the face of increased restrictions (and real or perceived risks)?

·  What practices can funders use to support resilience and security among their grantees (including non-traditional philanthropic models)?

·  How can grantmakers fund movements or groups that are not staffed NGOs or registered organizations? How can funders support transformative leadership?

·  How can funders and human rights organizations break out of their silos? What lessons can be learnt from cross-movement initiatives or collaborations?

·  What tools and strategies do movements use to coordinate advocacy, campaigns, and litigation for human rights? How can funders help expand the constituency for human rights through strategic communications and grassroots organizing?

We also invite IHRFG members to submit proposals aligned with the framing context but are not specifically on the questions listed above.

We are particularly keen on receiving proposals from first-timers, and from members in the Global South and East. Proposals that showcase single initiatives or organizations will not be accepted.

SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

Please complete the attached proposal form in .doc or .docx format and email it to Keith Armstrong by Wednesday, March 8.

Please be sure to visit IHRFG’s website for important information before submitting the proposal.

We also encourage you to join one of the scheduled informational sessions to learn more about the proposal process and conference, ask any questions, and/or pitch a topic:

Wednesday, February 15, 1:00 pm EST (other time zones)

Tuesday, February 28, 9:00 am EST (other time zones)

If the conference advisory committee – comprised of nine IHRFG members – recommends your proposal for the upcoming conference, IHRFG staff will work with you to develop the session, identifying interactive and dynamic formats.

Our events are open only to grantmakers who meet the eligibility guidelines for membership, and therefore only proposals submitted by grantmakers will be accepted.

NEW YORK 2017 CONFERENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

·  Mona Dave, Asia Program Officer, National Endowment for Democracy

·  Hanan Elmasu, Programme Officer, International Human Rights, Oak Foundation

·  Nyambura Gathumbi, Programme Manager, Hivos East Africa

·  Ruby Johnson, Co-Director, FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund

·  David Mattingly, Vice President for Programs, Fund for Global Human Rights

·  Joy Messinger, Program Officer, Third Wave Fund

·  Maitri Morarji, Program Officer, Women’s Rights, Wellspring Advisors

·  Gabriela Ruiz, Nicaragua Country Consultant, American Jewish World Service

·  Anthea Zervos, Program Officer, Open Society Foundations

SESSION ORGANIZER(S)

Name / Title, Institution / Email Address

PROPOSED SESSION TITLE

SESSION DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND

Please describe the topic of your session and provide relevant background information and/or context (maximum 200 words). Please include specific examples and/or case studies to illustrate abstract concepts.

OBJECTIVES

Please list the objectives you aim to achieve by the end of your session. What are the key questions and/or issues that your session will probe?

PROPOSED PRESENTERS

If you have not identified your presenters, please provide a profile of the intended speaker.

Name / Title, Institution / Email Address / Role in the Session

SESSION FORMAT

Please share your initial thoughts on session format here. IHRFG staff will work with you to identify dynamic and engaging designs to develop your session. (Please refer to the attached list of possible formats.)

Please submit proposals to

by March 8, 2017


FORMAT EXAMPLES OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Debate
Tightly moderated exchange of the pros and cons of an issue or practice. Review IHRFG’s Debate Format guidelines.

Mock Trial

A topic or question is re-crafted as a “charge” and the guilt or innocence (or pros and cons) of the charge are examined through a prosecutor, defense attorney, witnesses, judge, and jury. Review IHRFG’s Mock Trial guidelines.

Interview

Instead of formal presentations, the moderator poses specific questions to each speaker to elicit the intended information. The discussion can be scripted or free-flowing.

Lightning Talk

Dynamic 10-minute presentation in plenary on a discrete strategy, approach, practice, or tool in human rights grantmaking, optionally with PowerPoint or other media presentation. Review IHRFG’s Lightning Talk guidelines.

Role-Play
Short skits that illustrate a point. Role-play can help participants understand different viewpoints and practice strategies in conversation and conflict management.

Real-Time Consulting
Facilitated exchange with 5-10 peer funders who help you solve a problem, execute an opportunity, or tackle a challenge that you’re facing at your institution or with a grantee partner. Review IHRFG’s Real-Time Consulting guidelines.

Share-and-Shift (also known as “World Café)
This format allows for simultaneous exchanges on more than one topic in several rounds. Each table or room pertains to one topic and includes one or two facilitators/presenters. Participants meet simultaneously in one round for a set period of time then rotate to the next table or room.

Socratic Method, including polling/voting

The moderator poses a series of questions to the audience to elicit information and opinions, and/or to collect votes.

Skills-Share / Skills-Build

Workshop or training on a skill or practice in grantmaking and/or human rights activism/advocacy.

Strategy-Storming

Creatively facilitated brainstorming session with up to 30 peer funders to develop strategies and set follow-up actions to overcome an obstacle or implement a process affecting the human rights field or grantmaking. Review IHRFG’s Strategy-Storming guidelines.

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