Overview
The Strong Field Project (SFP) is a four-year effort by Blue Shield of California Foundation, started in 2010, to build a stronger, more coordinated network of DV service providers in California. The project is developing individual leadership skills, stronger organizations, and networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities across California’s DV field.
On May 22-23, 2012, the Foundation is pleased to provide a new opportunity to showcase emerging promising practices and provide a networking opportunity for leaders with a “Strong Field Project Institute” (SFPI or Institute) for approximately 170 SFP participants and supporters. This invitation-only gathering will provide a venue for SFP participants to share learning and progress from the leadership development program (LDP) and organizational strengths grants (OSG) at the midpoint of the four-year Project. The Institute will help illuminate learnings from the first SFP cohorts, and provide tools for participants to take back and carry forward to strengthen their organizations and leadership and to build a stronger DV field in California. It will also provide a venue for Cohorts to connect and continue to strengthen the important bonds they have developed. It is the Foundation’s hope that the Institute will positively contribute to an evolving SFP narrative that looks beyond 2014.
On May 21, a pre-Institute will be offered for a select subset of approximately 50 SFP Institute participants with content that is developed and provided by BSAV partners Nonprofit Finance Fund and La Piana. Content will focus on financial capacity and creative restructuring. Participants will include representatives from OSG and LDP cohorts. While pre-institute content will be determined by NFF and La Piana, BSAV will partner with NFF and La Piana to help ensure that the framing for pre-institute content is aligned with (and helps set the stage for) the next two days. A dinner for Foundation consultant partners will be hosted the evening of May 21, to provide an opportunity for consultants to share progress on their complementary SFP work with each another.
On May 23, BSCF will host a breakfast orientation for invited funders and policymakers to help engage these important stakeholders in our collective work to strengthen the DV field and end domestic violence in California. Content will include orientation to SFP and possible role for Advisory Group members to share their experience with funders and policymakers. Funders and policymakers will be invited to observe the SFPI on May 23. At this time, no audience engagement with funders or policymakers is planned.
SFPI Objectives
This Institute will serve as an important forum for sharing new learning and models among SFP participants and other invitees identified by the Foundation (including select funders and policymakers) in the first half of the four-year project. The SFPI design calls for active participation by those in attendance, adding to a better understanding of SFP contributions to the DV landscape in California. The Institute will foster peer learning and networking among participants engaged in similar work and those considering innovation in their areas of practice at local, regional and/or statewide levels.
Specific objectives include:
· Participants will learn from Leadership Development Program (LDP) and Organizational Strength Grants (OSG) cohort members about the strategies, frameworks, and tools from SFP projects and work; this will involve peer-sharing of reflections on successes, challenges, and lessons.
· Participants will understand lessons learned from SFP evaluation activities and be able to articulate the SFP story, including its impact on individuals and the community.
· Participants will be provided with structured and unstructured time to build stronger connections with their peers, potentially informing future network building and knowledge sharing SFP content.
· Peer-driven content will be utilized to provide participants with a shared understanding of the California DV field’s strengths and greatest opportunities for improvement.
· Up to 10 select funders and policymakers will build stronger connections to and understanding of the strengths of California’s domestic violence field and its leaders.
Participants are expected to:
· Indicate renewed energy in their personal and organizational goals to end domestic violence;
· Indicate stronger peer networks and connections with colleagues;
· Identify practical tools and strategies presented and discussed that increase their individual and organizational capacity;
· Actively participate in open and honest dialog about the impact of SFP on the broader field; and
· Leave with knowledge and motivation to access SFP tools on new (to be launched) SFP website.
Participants
The primary audience for the SFPI is OSG project representatives from Cohort I and LDP participants from Cohorts I and II. Select other DV organizational representatives who are BSAV grantees, SFP Advisory Group members, BSAV consultants, SFP intermediary partners, and BSCF staff will also be invited. Lastly, select funders and policymakers will be invited by the Foundation to attend, and we expect up to 10 (total) to participate.
For representation from the OSG and LDP cohorts, two to four representatives from each agency will be invited, based on each organization’s of participation in various SFP components. An an effort is being made to limit the total number of participants to 170 in order to create less of a large conference feeling and more of an “intimate” institute feel. An individual invitation list has been developed by the Foundation, with input from CC members.
Structure
The 2012 SFPI will take place on May 22-23, with a pre-institute on May 21, in Southern CA. The venue is the Doubletree Hotel in Torrance, CA – eight miles south of LAX. The space will support up to 200 people total, and include large open space as well as break out space, and have sufficient support for meals, etc.
While a traditional hotel conference space may limit options, we will think creatively about how we can use the physical space to encourage spontaneous creativity (e.g., whiteboards around the conference space with catalytic questions, blank sign-up sheets where participants can organize thought groups or brainstorming sessions).
The Foundation is supporting costs for the venue, and participant meals, and lodging through a contract with JRG. Foundation grants to CC intermediary partners include resources for CC members’ participation in and advising on SFPI.
Pre-institute logistics will be coordinated by JRG and content will be developed by NFF and La Piana.
Roles
All SFP Intermediary Partners (CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, the Women’s Foundation of California, and JRG) will play an advisory role to the Foundation on the SFPI content and structure. They will also recommend invitees. All SFP Coordinating Committee members will be invited to attend.
BSAV will drive the agenda and content with an eye towards providing a peer-led learning and knowledge sharing opportunities and achieving SFPI objectives. Foundation CEO Peter Long will play an integrated role (i.e. not “getting up to speak”) as either a participant or facilitator. BSAV staff will help orient funders and policymakers to how we want them to show up in this space.
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and Women’s Foundation of California will:
(1) help identify likely OSG and LDP presenters for peer learning
(2) play a presenting role framing OSG and LDP content during the conference
(3) as appropriate, play a role in providing focused coaching for any presenters, facilitators.
LDP and OSG participants will play roles as storytellers and peer-leaders, sharing learning. Select participants (identified with input from CompassPoint and WFCA), in particular, will play lead roles facilitating and presenting. The OSG convening presentation structure is one possible model (with perhaps a bit more interactivity).
SFP Advisory Group members will be asked to provide input on SFPI content and potentially play other roles, including presenting content and collecting stories from participants.
The Partnership, with other key players, will play a presenting role framing the discussion of SFP at the midpoint of the effort.
Jemmott Rollins Group will be responsible for all logistics and will staff the Institute, on behalf of the Foundation. This will include, once presenters are identified (with input from CC members), ensuring that coaching is provided to presenters. JRG will invite recommendations for philanthropy and policymaker invitees from SFP intermediary partners.
BSAV consulting partners La Piana and Nonprofit Finance Fund will develop content for the pre-institute.
BSCF Public Affairs team will partner with JRG and BSAV to put in place appropriate social media tools (possibilities include live blog, tweeting, video) as well as possible micro-documentary production of SFPI. BSCF staff will consider the appropriateness of sharing successes via social media strategies including blogging, tweeting and messaging on Facebook.
SPR, the SFP evaluator, will help to construct the evaluation measurement for the pre-institute and the two day institute.
Approach/Theme
The SFPI agenda will integrate story-telling to build on the Storytelling themes that have emerged from Regional Institutes and LDP content. The agenda will weave in the SFP story, the leadership stories of LDP participants, the organizational journeys of OSG participants, and the story of a stronger field. SFPI will emphasize a strength-based approach and the power and potential of a strength-based field that is FOR something, not just against DV.
The narrative may begin with setting the stage, including SFP’s history and conception to bring all participants into a common understanding and shared interest in how the story unfolds. The initial story narrative develops over the past decade, including years of research, planning and launch. SPR, the Women’s Foundation and CompassPoint will provide framing for the present implementation phase. The SFP narrative will develop and be shaped by participants through presentations about what they’ve done and learned. The “end” of the story will unfold looking at the future –from a strengths-based perspective- as the 2012 SFPI sets the stage for the next chapters to be shared at a second (and likely final) SFPI in 2014. Each participant will hold a thread that is woven into the developing narrative. The red stones ceremony may be used to engage everyone in the narrative and to help build a sense of connectedness.
The SFP institute will also provide important space for each Cohort (Cohort I of LDP, Cohort II of LDP, and Cohort I of OSG) to have some cohort-specific time. In addition, some white space to allow everyone to network will be provided.
Important planning activities and dates are provided below.
Finalize agenda for SFPI / 3/30/2012
Provide SFPI update to CC / ongoing
Define CC partner roles on SFPI / 2/29/2012
Construct presentation template for presenters and facilitators (objectives and method/structure options), which includes story telling methodology instructions / 3/5/2012
CP and WFC to begin exploratory outreach to potential presenters for SFPI / 3/5/2012
BSAV, via JRG, sends formal invitation to presenters and facilitators via email / 3/12/2012
Conference Call #1 with potential presenters and facilitators to address conference expectations and to assess AV and material needs / 3/16/2012
SFPI presenters finalized and contracts signed / 3/19/2012
Conference Call #2: LDP presenters, facilitators, Deborah Meehan and Damon to discuss methods, format, etc / 3/26/2012
Conference Call #3: OSG presenters, Deborah Meehan and Damon to discuss methods, format, etc / 3/27/2012
Conference Call #4: OSG and LDP presenters and facilitators/final run through / 5/7/2012
CP and WFC coach presenters / ongoing
JRG to send final version of agenda to SPR for evaluation measurement / 5/8/2012
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