CalNonprofits Policy Convention 2018

The CalNonprofits 2018 Policy Convention will take place at The California Endowment (1000 N. Alameda Street) in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 18. The Convention features Vu Le, creator of the popular blog NonprofitAF.com, and Tamika Butler, CEO of Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, as its keynote speakers. The theme for the 2018 Policy Convention: Nonprofits Standing Up for California. You can register hereEarly bird rate extended through August 20: $145 Members / $175 Not-yet-members. Regular rate: $155 Members / $175 Not-yet-members.

Among the sessions at the Convention, as described on the Schedule:

Nonprofit Law: The Devils and Angels in the Details

Are you aware of recent changes to laws and requirements for nonprofits? Do you know which regulations your organization needs to comply with? Join Tania Ibañez, California’s top nonprofit regulator in the Attorney General’s office, and our expert panel of nonprofit lawyers. The focus is Q&A, not just presentation, so bring your questions! 

The Census is Coming! The Census is Coming!

For every person registered in the Census, almost $2,000 in federal money flows to their area, so hundreds of billions of federal funds, congressional representation, and more are at stake with the 2020 Census. Our state faces unique challenges in getting an accurate count, and nonprofits will play a key role to play in making sure all of California’s residents count. Panelists will talk frankly about the challenges and opportunities for nonprofits, what to do now, and how we can make sure our communities are counted.

Behind the Scenes in Sacramento

Have you ever wondered about the real stories of how legislation works behind the scenes? What do lobbyists do for nonprofits, and how? Why is “the floor” is an exciting place? What do legislative staff do? What are the most effective ways to get your community’s perspective included in the policy-making conversation? Now is your chance to get the scoop from insiders! Meet two of Sacramento’s most dynamic nonprofit lobbyists to hear how they get it done in the halls (and coffee shops) of the Capitol.

I’m excited to participate on the Nonprofit Law panel with Tania Ibañez, Senior Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Charitable Trust Section of the California Attorney General’s Office; Liz Bluestein, Vice President of Public Counsel; and Rosemary Fei, Principal at Adler & Colvin. I hope to see many of our readers there.

Words from CalNonprofits CEO Jan Masaoka

 

I feel like I’ve been the same nonprofit conference 100 times in the last several years. The agenda is full of consultants giving out conventional wisdom on storytelling, boards, major donor asks, teambuilding, self-care, and “leadership.” There are a few “inspirational” speakers who say things like “When we have laser-focused targets, clarity and alignment, we can drive transformational change.”

 

Ideas aren’t scrutinized or debated; they are just allowed to rain down on our heads like a gentle shower. It’s all about what you can do inside your nonprofit, or even inside yourself.

 

I want to see more discussion about what we do OUTSIDE our organizations. I want to see debate, and scrutiny and criticism of proposed strategies and concepts. I want to hear discussion in plain language. I want a real discussion where there’s back-and-forth, not just “rich dialogue.”

 

Which is why I am always relieved to attend the CalNonprofits Policy Convention. Instead of consultants, there are public officials like the senior attorney in charge of nonprofits in the Attorney General’s office. Instead of abstract talk about leadership, there are lobbyists explaining how things really go down behind the scenes in Sacramento. Instead of differences being discussed in polite, tepid, overly-nuanced tones, there is a Debate where sides rail against each other on donor-advised funds (you get to the nub of an issue about ten times faster in a debate than in a panel). Instead of “the importance of balance in your life,” there’s a session on “How to Get Your Student Debt Forgiven.” Instead of a “networking” period with bad cheese and stale crackers, there’s an ice cream social.

 

Rock stars Vu Le, Tamika Butler, Ditas Kitague (head of Calif Census), and Perla Ni will be there; see speakers list here: https://calnonprofits.org/convention-speakers

 

I’ll be there, too. This is a discussion about what what we can do — in unflinching terms — outside our organizations, to protect nonprofits and the work we do. I hope I’ll see you there.

 

Register here: https://calnp.memberclicks.net/index.php…

When you see me there, let me know you saw this article on Facebook! jan