Kick off your conference experience alongside members engaged in the Blacks in Ohio Philanthropy Affinity Group. This intimate convening is for members who identify as Black or African American to connect, learn and build community. Pick up a boxed lunch and connect with colleagues to start your conference experience!

Plan to read a curated book selection in advance of the conference. Pick up a boxed lunch and engage in informal discussions with peers about your learnings to begin building connections at Philanthropy Forward ’25. This year's title is: A New Era of Philanthropy: Ten Practices to Transform Wealth into a More Just and Sustainable Future by Dimple Abichandani.

Take a moment to settle into the conference space and plan your learning journey.

Exchange insights on the current landscape of your work with your executive peers. 

Develop your statewide network of corporate philanthropy peers and exchange insights on your work.

Build on this year’s newly created Donor Service Peer Group and share insights in this in-person format.

Bring your questions for peers in operational roles and exchange insights in timely conversations.

Connect with staff in grantmaking roles about current opportunities and challenges in your daily work.

Meet your small group colleagues in the ballroom to begin building relationships at Philanthropy Forward ’25. Information on your assigned small group will be shared in early September before your conference arrival.

Celebrate the individuals and organizations making a positive impact on the philanthropic sector in Ohio. The conference will open with the Ohio Philanthropy Awards, celebrating this year’s Emerging Philanthropist; Philanthropy Innovation; Public Policy Award; Michael G. Shinn Award for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in Philanthropy; and Ohio Philanthropy Award before the evening reception.

End your afternoon with drinks and refreshments in the East Foyer.

Current CEOs and executive directors are invited to join a dinner for this peer group. Dinner will be hosted by Clearstead. Final location will be shared in your conference email the week prior to the program.

Dine with your colleagues who have been engaged in philanthropy for less than five years on the waterfront at Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar. When registering for the conference, please check this choice to participate in this dinner experience. All dining will be self-pay on-site.

Join a small group of Philanthropy Forward attendees for dinner. Philanthropy Ohio will make a reservation for your table of 10 but all dining will be self-pay on-site at the venue. This is to streamline our RSVP process. Depart on foot at 6:30 p.m. for reservations at 6:45 p.m.

Join a small group of Philanthropy Forward attendees for dinner. Philanthropy Ohio will make a reservation for your table of 10 but all dining will be self-pay on-site at the venue. This is to streamline our RSVP process. Depart on foot at 6:30 p.m. for reservations at 6:45 p.m.

Connect with colleagues in the hotel lobby for casual networking.

Visit Ascend Fitness on the 3rd floor for a 45-minute yoga class to start your morning.

Join your small group for coffee and breakfast in the ballroom to connect and plan for your day.

Orient yourself to the philanthropic movement in our host community – Cleveland – and connect how the work here sets a precedent for shaping philanthropy in the future.

Visit the conference exhibitors to learn about their offerings.

Following the 2024 general election, the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and Thrive Mahoning Valley convened over 40 organizations to begin developing local social safety nets and community-building efforts. Learn how the organizations are building relationships dedicated to long-term change, community support and advocacy.

Build your capacity to engage donors across multiple generations, focusing particularly on the unique approaches needed to connect with younger donors. From building student philanthropy at the high school level to creatively engaging young professionals and families, you’ll gain valuable insights that will help you effectively connect with multiple generations throughout your development process.

Discover how a powerful collaboration among local and national funders launched Learn to Earn Dayton, a supporting organization of The Dayton Foundation, which has been a driving force for positive change in education. Learn how aligned vision, trust-based collaboration and shared leadership fueled this success, and walk away with actionable insights on how funders can co-create high-impact initiatives that go beyond grants to drive systemic change in education at the local, state and national levels.

This session will highlight how the Siemer Institute is investing in the potential of children through housing stability while developing trust-based partnerships, improved equity in grantmaking and streamlined grant reporting processes. Learn how adopting similar strategies can help your organization accelerate generational impact, foster more authentic relationships with nonprofits and lead more equitable, results-driven funding efforts.

Take your community foundation from a charitable bank to a community catalyst. In this session, you'll learn community leadership competencies and how to activate them in your foundation. Speed the pace of change on the issues you care about with this interactive session.

Visit the conference exhibitors to learn about their offerings.

Explore the concept of crowdgranting, a unique funding approach that merges crowdfunding efforts with matching grants from a partner organization. The People’s Project, a partnership between the Community Foundation of Lorain County and Patronicity, exemplifies this innovative approach, enhancing community-focused grantmaking, amplifying impact and fostering community trust.

Explore philanthropy’s role in sustaining quality education for all as policies restrict curriculum, threaten inclusivity and cause a crisis in public education. To ensure equity and innovation, funders must reinforce their commitment to the instructional core – teachers, students and curriculum.

Designed for executives and board members with limited investment oversight experience, this session demystifies the fundamentals of building and maintaining a strong investment program. You'll explore the 10 essential traits of a well-structured approach and gain the foundational knowledge needed to steward your organization’s financial resources effectively.

How do you turn a strategic plan into real, measurable change? Learn about the key actions and tools that enabled the Kettering Foundation to completely transform its culture, operations and strategic execution through intentional change management, buy-in and shared ownership in just two years.

Enjoy lunch with colleagues while receiving the latest updates on Philanthropy Ohio’s work and governance at the Annual Meeting. Listen to Philanthropy Ohio President & CEO Meghan Cummings share her vision for the organization both now and into the future.

Enjoy dessert with colleagues in the foyer before you depart for afternoon site visits and training. Buses will board at 1:50 p.m.

Build your capacity for advocacy action through this on-site workshop opportunity. Bolder Advocacy will guide you through the essential aspects of how philanthropy can support advocacy efforts. Afterward, you will participate in small group discussions based on foundation type, allowing you to share and gain insights about your organization’s approach to advocacy.

Cleveland’s population decline has left many vacant properties throughout the city; however, these spaces present exciting opportunities for creative land reuse. See firsthand how nonprofits and the community are transforming vacant lots into green spaces, parks and urban farms.

Join Saint Luke’s Foundation staff for an immersive “windshield tour,” highlighting the power and opportunity of place-based investment. Through conversations with strategy partners and a bus tour of Cleveland’s near east side, you will gain an appreciation for how the foundation’s power-sharing philanthropic approach is investing beyond the dollar to make Cleveland a better place for all its community members.

Visit the Cleveland Foundation's new headquarters and hear how the country's oldest community foundation is paving the way for the future of community-embedded philanthropy in a dynamic, changing environment. After over 100 years, the Cleveland Foundation moved out of a Playhouse Square office building and into the MidTown community, marking a fundamental change in its investment in and engagement with the local community. Enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres and network with colleagues during this festive reception.

When the reception concludes at 7 p.m., you can either return to the Marriott or linger in MidTown to explore the newly opened Midtown Collaboration Center. Visit a local brewery, enjoy live music and explore the area surrounding the Center. Buses will depart every 30 minutes from 7 – 8:30 p.m. for those who choose to stay and see how Cleveland Foundation is activating this public-facing space.

Visit Ascend Fitness on the 3rd floor for a low-impact stretch class to start your morning.

Join your small group for coffee and breakfast in the ballroom to share insights and plans for your day.

Hear the four principles of successful collaboration in this compelling and practical keynote address. Learn how adopting a network leadership approach can help you be an architect for our best collective future.

Visit the conference exhibitors to learn about their offerings before your final day of learning.

Develop a practical, customized board-building action plan to strengthen your internal leadership pipeline and the nonprofit organizations you support. Walk away with actionable strategies to align your philanthropic goals, at your foundation or corporation, with leadership development and community impact.

Hear a panel of nonprofit leaders discuss the funding, capacity and policy needs that affect their work. Learn how funders can collaborate with nonprofits to effectively foster thriving communities. In these challenging times for the nonprofit sector, it is essential to hear directly from nonprofit leaders to understand the needs of grantees and community partners.

Morning Plenary Speaker Jane Wei-Skillern will lead this workshop to develop your network leadership capacity. Through interactive small group exercises, you’ll take the principles from the morning plenary on how to support successful collaborations and plan your best course of action for the next steps in your work.

Turn your mission into action! In this fast-paced workshop, you’ll learn how to set clear policy goals, craft a focused advocacy plan and build relationships with policymakers. You’ll leave with concrete first steps to begin advocating with confidence.

Visit the conference exhibitors to learn about their offerings.

Take a moment to reflect on your conference learnings through a lightly facilitated conversation with peers. Consider how you will implement your takeaways and build on your connections before you depart.

Learn about the Self-Sufficiency Simulator, which provides county-level data on what families need to be financially stable. This session will demonstrate how funders can use this tool to inform grantmaking, evaluate programs and support policies that improve economic mobility and stability.

Develop a foundational understanding of best practices in design and data visualization to tell your most impactful philanthropic story. Learn about the 5-second rule, visual processing, tool selection guidelines and commonly used tools.

Conclude your final day at Philanthropy Forward ’25 in conversation with seasoned philanthropic leader John Brothers. Reflecting on a decade in corporate giving and deep engagement in community, John will share his insights on how to redeem the failures of our current systems and redesign them for a more just and inclusive future. You’ll leave challenged and inspired by an approach that embeds listening, embraces change and empowers communities.