Contact:
Patti Delaney / BC Office of Public Affairs
617-552-3352, delaneyp@bc.edu
Robert Kenny/Center on Wealth and Philanthropy
617-552-4070, robert.kenny@bc.edu
CHESTNUT HILL, MA (June 2009) -- Economists, researchers, philanthropists, wealth managers, fundraising professionals, CEOs, non-profit leaders and others in the philanthropy arena will convene at Boston College for a second national summit on the state of wealth and giving during an economic crisis, on June 9-10, 2009.
Sponsored by the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy (CWP) at Boston College, in partnership with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and supported by Eaton Vance Investment Council, the two-day event will address the growing uncertainties and concerns that characterize this significantly challenging time in the world of philanthropy. The event is a follow-up to a highly successful national conference on the subject at Boston College in October 2008.
Against the backdrop of a turbulent economy and ongoing turmoil on Wall Street, the forum will outline the top issues being faced by those in the philanthropic community and the latest information and trends in wealth and giving, as well as provide a platform for the discussion of the outlook for the global economy and its implications for non-profits. Also, a panel of active philanthropists will discuss how the economic climate is affecting their own giving and planning.
“I believe that this will be one of the most important conversations regarding wealth and giving 
in the foreseeable future, and one we need to have as a field and as a nation. An extraordinary collection of articulate experts will discuss the most recent findings and their ramifications for non-profit leaders, wealth managers, and philanthropists,” said Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul G. Schervish (at left), a nationally noted expert on wealth and giving. "Our goal is to generate a sober assessment of the problems and prospects facing philanthropy in this unique economic environment.”
Schervish and CWP Senior Associate Director John Havens will share their research findings, experiences and beliefs on what sustains donors in this time of declining financial security.
On June 10, Havens (right) and Melissa Brown, managing editor of Giving USA - the seminal publication for data and trends about charitable giving - will discuss findings about giving in 2008 from the new 2009 Giving USA Report to be released that morning by its publisher, Giving USA Foundation.
Joining Havens and Brown will be a distinguished panel including Ann Kaplan, director of the Voluntary Support of Education Survey, and Steven Lawrence from the Foundation Center.
A selection of notable non-profit leaders will discuss how they are navigating the current climate, including Hans Dekker, president, Community Foundation of New Jersey; Crista Martinez Padua, executive director, Families First; Timothy W. Armour, president and CEO, Cure Alzheimer's Fund, and Robert E. Wahlers, senior director of major & planned gifts, American Cancer Society Eastern Division.
In addition, a panel of experts in wealth management and philanthropy will discuss current strategies and concerns, including Allen Peckham, chief development officer of Partners HealthCare and president of AFP Massachusetts; Mike Elefante of Hemenway & Barnes LLP and Citi Performing Arts Center Board of Directors; Anne Sternlicht, vice president, Eaton Vance Investment Council, and Elisabeth Glenshaw, vice president of the Calvert Foundation and the Vermont Community Loan Fund.
The Center on Wealth and Philanthropy is a multidisciplinary research center specializing in the study of spirituality, wealth, philanthropy, and other aspects of cultural life in an age of affluence. Founded in 1970, CWP is a recognized authority on the relation between economic wherewithal and philanthropy, the motivations for charitable involvement, and the underlying meaning and practice of care.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents more than 30,000 members in 200 chapters throughout the world, working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs. The association fosters development and growth of fundraising professionals and promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession.
For conference details or to register, visit www.bc.edu/cwp or call 617-552-4070.
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