Learning Together: The Value in Community Convening

In philanthropy, transformational change does not happen in a vacuum. There’s inherent value in gathering people together — and not just for funding. Convening is essential to creating the kind of insights, partnerships, action and decision-making that can move philanthropy forward. This kind of connection is at the core of what Orange County Grantmakers does as we advance equity by creating alignment between local philanthropists and nonprofits.

This year, I had the opportunity to expand on this work as part of the host committee for the GEO 2024 National Conference held in Los Angeles. The conference brought together hundreds of funders from across the country for equity-centered conversations about supporting thriving nonprofits and communities.

It was a powerful three days of learning grounded in community. The conference also served as an important reminder that sometimes — even more than the content — it is the experience of sharing space with those who have the same interests and passion that matters most.

Convening sparks insight and discussion

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When we work in isolation, our ability to affect real, long-term change is limited. Change begins with the kind of reflection, commitment, and engagement experienced at the GEO national conference, where I had the pleasure to attend several sessions that encouraged us all to take a breath and pause.

In this shared space, we had a chance to think beyond everyday life and build a deeper understanding of issues — like what happens when philanthropy and society just throw dollars at symptoms and not the root causes? Dynamic speakers such as ALOK raised this point in their plenary session, “Finding Joy in Transformation,” which challenged what we know and reminded us that philanthropy is an exchange.

Other sessions, including “Scaling Change Through Community,” resonated deeply because of the connection to the work we’re doing at OC Grantmakers in equity-centered areas. The speakers emphasized that as the collective giving movement continues to grow, there is also an increasing subset of collaborative funds that encourage decision-making led by the communities being served.

At OC Grantmakers, community leadership is pivotal to our work. For example, we bring together funders and nonprofits for issue tables in which we have an in-depth dialogue around challenges like food security and early childhood with a goal of developing clear solutions. Community leadership is never an afterthought. It’s a model that has proven successful in Orange County, and our efforts are reaffirmed by the conversations at GEO about the bold things that can happen when we approach philanthropy through the lens of partnership and collaboration.

Convening leads to connection and meaningful action

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There’s nothing quite like hearing or seeing others nod along to the same inspiring statement or quote. In a session focused on capacity-building for BIPOC-led organizations, I saw funders and nonprofit leaders alike nodding in alignment — but also, at times, shaking their heads in disagreement.

When you’re in the same room with other leaders who have faced the same challenges as you and walked in your shoes in a similar role, it unlocks a certain freedom and curiosity. The GEO conference created this kind of safe space for learning and unfiltered dialogue. In that room, we had opportunities to challenge ideas, and ask questions about what it really means to meet the moment and reverse the impacts of systemic discrimination toward BIPOC-led nonprofits.

Like GEO, OC Grantmakers has a yearly convening that fosters connection and collaboration. Called the Annual Summit, we bring together hundreds of impact agents — funders and nonprofits — to learn, share, network, and most importantly, have big conversations on issues of equity. From insightful speakers like ALOK who encourage authenticity to session topics that create space for dialogue and disagreement, we’ll bring takeaways from GEO to shape a powerful agenda that drives action.

But to unlock the true power of convening, we need to take experiences like the GEO conference and model this environment of inclusive and community learning all year long. OC Grantmakers does this through everyday programming like our Beyond Equity series. At our 2023 summit, the concept of ethical storytelling resonated deeply — as a result, we continued the conversation through a learning workshop that deconstructed media stereotypes of marginalized groups and discussed how the ways in which we talk, teach, and tell stories can uphold harmful systems of oppression.

There’s power in learning together. In the world of philanthropy, providing spaces to meet, agree or disagree, and discuss solutions is one of the most valuable ways we can move forward together in creating community change.