Explore Upswell
How and Why Humans Form Groups: A Solution to Us vs. Them
Workshop
How and why do humans form groups? How does othering and division take hold, and why do people move from us and them to us versus them? Understanding the ways we’re wired for belonging can help us understand these dynamics, as well as pinpoint divisions and opportunities for healthy belonging in our work and our communities. This session will explore these concepts and more through an interactive mixture of personal reflection and small- and large-group exercises and discussion. We will draw on cross-disciplinary research from fields such as social psychology and cognitive neuroscience, as well as the field of international peacebuilding, …
Racial Equity and Systems Change: Learning from Collective Impact
Workshop
What does it take to create systems change that centers racial equity in the process, participation, and outcomes of a coalition? This interactive session will share lessons and practical tools created with and inspired by the work of hundreds of coalitions across the U.S. The session will be grounded in a definition and approach to systems change, highlight five concrete strategies for centering racial equity, and engage participants in activities to apply these ideas to their own work. Participants will leave with a better understanding of ongoing racial equity change efforts at peer organization as well as tools and resources …
Disability advocate and innovator Michael Thomas talks with us about inclusivity efforts in work, housing, and the community. Specifically, he demonstrates the importance of not only engaging the disability community, but starting with them as a central point to any and all universal design efforts.
Reimagining Capacity Building Towards Thriving Communities
Focus Groups
Strengthening nonprofit organizations and, in turn, the communities they serve, is an integral part of collaborative, cross-sector work. Often, cross-sector collaboration of two or more parties (nonprofit, foundation, government, independent consultants, and business partners) can be most acutely seen through capacity building initiatives. In fact, most staffed foundations invest in organizational infrastructure activities such as leadership development, fundraising, evaluation, communications, and technology for the nonprofits and communities they support. Funders must take the lead in providing holistic support during these initiatives. However, a major pitfall exists with traditional capacity building models that do not always account for the complexity of …
From Chaos to Clarity: Four Pivots for Aligning Coalitions To Achieve Equity
Spark Talk
Dismantling systemic barriers to achieve equitable outcomes requires working alongside a range of diverse players to advance a shared vision. We know that engaging a broad range of perspectives leads to stronger solutions, but sometimes working with a diverse network or coalition can feel chaotic. How do you get diverse stakeholders, each serving different communities and with its own unique mission and goals, to move together in pursuit of equity? In this session, speakers will share their experiences working with a range of diverse networks and coalitions, and offer four pivots in thinking that can equip coalitions and networks to …
Closing Main Stage – Exploring the Future State of the Nonprofit Sector Workforce
Main Stage
The nonprofit sector is the nation’s third largest private employer and makes up nearly 6% of the country’s GDP. Our sector is a driving force for our nation. And our power comes from our workforce, which provides essential services and resources in communities across the country, especially the most underserved. In times of catastrophe—like the pandemic or natural disasters—our workers often risk their lives to provide life-sustaining services to many with no other recourse. Now, in this post-pandemic world—this “new normal”—our workforce is tired, disheartened, and challenged beyond measure to balance the needs of our nation’s families and communities with …