Media Grantmaking — The State (and Future) of the Field
Rapid changes in the financial landscape – as well as shifts in the media and technology sectors and the upheaval in journalism – require funders to stay on top of emerging trends and opportunities in order to have significant impact moving forward. In such a moment of flux, it is especially necessary to have a robust understanding of who is funding what, in what ways, and where the gaps exist.
How can we draw on the strength and wisdom of our colleagues so that we may serve our missions more effectively?
GFEM and the Media Democracy Fund are convening a two-day interactive funder strategy meeting to address this question and, collectively, generate a way forward. Media Grantmaking: The State (and Future) of the Field, will take place at the offices of the Open Society Institute in New York City on June 23rd and 24th.
Sessions Include:
• State of the Funding Landscape for Media - Policy, Content, Infrastructure
• Thinking Differently in Order to Fund Differently
• State of the Field – Practitioner Presentations and Group Discussion
• Future of the Field: Break-out Discussions – Practitioners and Funders
• Funder-Only Session: Next Steps for Media Grantmaking
Over the course of the two days, the format will emphasize peer-to-peer exchanges and conversation as we explore current and future media philanthropy. Participants will be informed by leading practitioners and will share their own knowledge of media funding for content (including documentary films, journalism, audio, web sites, mobile content, installations and more), media policy (advocacy, education, government policy and access), and media infrastructure (innovative platforms, development, training, capacity building and support of small or large-scale information delivery and telecommunications systems).
Speakers Include:
• Helen Brunner, Director, Media Democracy Fund
• Alyce Myatt, Executive Director, Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media
• Mary Smith, Program Officer, National Endowment for the Arts
• Vince Stehle, Program Director for the Nonprofit Sector, Surdna Foundation
• Bruce Ferguson, Director, F.A.R. (Future Arts Research), Arizona State University
• Katy Chevigny, Executive Director, ArtsEngine
• Deepa Fernandes, Executive Director, People's Production House
• Laura Flanders, Host, Grit TV
• Jan Schaffer, J-Lab, author of New Media Makers: a Toolkit for Innovators in Community Media and Grant Making
• Gigi Sohn, President and Co-Founder, Public Knowledge
• Katrin Verclas, Co-Founder, MobileActive.org
Funders will share innovative approaches to strengthen grantmaking and how they have deployed effective tools to ensure their giving has significant and measurable impact during challenging times.
Informed by experience and generative conversations with colleagues and leading media practitioners, the aim of these two days together is to provide a unique space for strategy development during what is undeniably a dynamic moment in history. The desired outcome of the convening is for all attendees to share their knowledge, collectively address funding challenges, and to leave better able to navigate new funding and media environments.
This is a funders-only event. There is no fee to attend. To RSVP for the convening or request more information, please contact GFEM Program Director, Jeff Perlstein, at jperlstein@gfem.org.
Join us on Tuesday Evening from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. for Dinner and Conversation – Practitioners and Funders
Leading practitioners and funder colleagues from the media sector come together for dinner and informal conversation that will enrich the second day of our convening. For the dinner, please rsvp to Joy Moore at jnmoore@gfem.org.
