coordinating committee meetingnotes
July 19, 2011;11:00am– 4:00 pm, In-person @ BSCF,50 Beale St, SF

Primary Meeting Objectives

  • Assess progress against SFP 2011 goals.
  • Discuss evaluation and implications for course corrections.
  • Elicit feedback on Advisory Group nominees and process for seating new members.
  • Agree on guiding principles for more centralized SFP field-wide communication.

Attendees

  • BSAV: Bess Bendet, Christi Tran
  • JRG:Fran Jemmott, Taigy Gooding
  • CPNT:Michelle Gislason (by phone), Marissa Tirona
  • WFC: Inger Brinck, Maya Thornell-Sandifor
  • DV Field: Tara Shabazz
  • Absent:Beckie Masaki
  • Guests:Phuong Quach, BSCF Public Information Coordinator

Hanh Cao Yu, SPRA

Daneen Cline, BSCF BSAV Program Assistant

Check-in and Review Objectives

Bess welcomed everyone and reviewed goals and objectives. The CC convened in the context of reflection of 2011 goals at mid-point in year, preliminary evaluation findings, transition for the AG and for the Field-building components of SFP, and increased efforts to improve communications among SFP stakeholders, including CC and participants. The check-in question asked about everyone’s “fantasy/ideal vacation.” Members underscored the value of leisure time in one’s personal life and to balance one’s professional life.

Partner Updates on SFP Activities

CC members provided a high-level overview of SFP-specific activities, including

  • WFC highlighted staff changes including Maya’s return from maternity leave and transition from a full-time staff member to a consultant on SFP.
  • WFC had completedthe mid-yearOSG progress reports.
  • The findings suggestedprogress on SFP outcomes; including 100% of grantees have produced new tools and processes to share with field. WFCA will forward CC members the reportupon completion and BSAV-approval.
  • JRG reviewed 2011 Regional Institute participation in Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, and San Jose.
  • JRG updated attendees on plans for managing internal and externalcommunications, including document management(ExtraNet for CC, AG, and SFP participants) and newsletter release/launch.
  • JRG overviewed plans for SFP Statewide Institutes in 2012 and 2014; emphasis on peer learning exchange among SFP participants and showcasing SFP leaders and projects.
  • CPNT discussed the successful launch of Cohort II applications, and reviewed the content of the first of the three “How to Apply” Webinars.
  • CPEDV reviewed upcoming conference agenda and shared that SFP regional institutes will begin in November of 2011; content to-be-determined.
  • BSAV shared update on complementary SFP efforts, including cultural competency work and free TA through La Piana consulting.

Parking Lot questions from the CC based on the Partner Updates:

  1. How can the CC partners align the content of upcoming activities, e.g., LDP October gathering, Annual Institute, OSG convening?
  2. Where/how will we showcase tools produced by OSG participants? Password protected extranet? Or public facing SFP.org? SFP Institute?
  3. Should SFP share individual and/or project profiles on the ExtraNet or public facing website?
  4. Can ExtraNet calendar do more than just list SFP activity; i.e. It needs to include content and point person to make it useful.

Review of 2011 SFP Goals and Objectives

Bess reviewedthe 2011 SFP Goals and Objectives document as a “progress check-in.” Partners divided into three groups to answer the following questions:

  1. Are these the right goals?What’s missing?
  2. How are we doing?
  3. Are there areas we need to focus on more?

Generally, Partners agreed that SFP was doing well overall: progress for most goals was “on target,” and a few goals were “slow to progress” and identified highlights follows:

  • Need to spend more time determining/building vehicles for sharing learning.
  • Need to clarify the processes and utilization of the program workgroup.
  • Need to highlight SFP’s “value added.”
  • Need to clarify goal of a Statewide Institute.
  • Need to begin conversation about SFP sunset

SFP Evaluation Update

Hanh Cao Yu, from Social Policy Research Associates (SPRA), provided an evaluation update, primarily focused on the LDP, which included:

  1. Participant feedback on the program structure and curriculum.
  2. Emerging outcomes to date.
  3. Overarching issues and recommendations for consideration.

Data sources comprised direct interviews with 19 Cohort I participants and CPNT staff, participant evaluations of the in-person convenings and webinars, observations of in-person convenings, and reviews of program materials and facilitator reflection tools.

Overall, participants were grateful for the opportunity to work on their own development as leaders and had overall high praises for the program to date. Participants are deeply invested in seeing success at the individual and organizational level as well as the program level. They offered thoughtful feedback and suggestions for how the program could be improved, both for thecurrent and future cohorts.

Discussion by CC included potential for LDP and OSG to develop a number of “cornerstone” organizations in the field; with implications for Cohort II selection and accepting Cohort II organizations that also participated in Cohort I.

BSAV AG Nominees and the AG Matrix

Fran reviewed the BSAV Advisory Group nomination process with the CC.She provided CC with a matrix of nominees that depicted gender, race, region, length of years in the field, and title. CC members provided feedback, corrections,and suggested nominees.

SFP 2012 Statewide Institute – Latest Thinking

Fran updated the CC and led a discussion around:

  1. Celebrating COHORT I and COHORT II accomplishments (BSAV’s direction).
  2. “Pushing-out our learning” to the broader field.
  3. Networking OSG and LDP members.

Partners stressed the need for the following programmatic necessities:

  • Clearly defined objectives for the Institute (should drive the agenda and the approach).
  • Hands-on learning experiences for individuals; ensuring opportunities to apply the learning.
  • Mentorship and TA for presenters, to help them prepare.
  • Maximizing peer-led opportunities.
  • Targeted group discussions/networking opportunities (particularly for rural groups and ethnic groups).
  • Optional, not mandatory, participation

Follow up from Statewide Institute discussion will include JRG drafting objectives for CC review and further discussion at CC meetings.

SFP Communications

Bessnoted desire to streamline/centralize SFP communications, based on feedback from evaluation, Advisors, and prior CC conversations. She also noted desire to balance this desire for consistent and coordinated messaging with desire for programmatic autonomy for SFP Partners. Bess also introduced Phuong Quach as a new BSCF Public Information Coordinator, enhancing Foundation ability to communicate with key stakeholders. BSAV is considering a centralized communication platform, i.e., one organizationdistributing all SFP field-wide communications (not ALL SFP communications, but all field-wide communications). Shenotedthat BSAV was not sure how to proceed yet. BSAV agreed that any plan for centralized SFP communication would be informed bythe following guiding principles:

-autonomy balanced with clarity

-consistency of message

-coordination

-prioritizing the end-user experience (i.e. the information consumer)

Final Comments, Next Steps

At Bess’s request, CC members suggested the following agenda items for two future CC convenings:

  • August 15 CC conference call
  • Finalize September joint CC/AG dinner/discussionlogistics.
  • Will Eugene Kim present on “collective intelligence” or “network strategy.”
  • Review SFP Statewide Institute objectives.
  • Update LDP and OSG Cohort II application processes.
  • Timeline and selection criteria.
  • Provide content and logistics for OctoberPlanning Retreat.
  • Update on AG nomination process.
  • October 3-4 CC Planning Retreat
  • Repository for Knowledge.
  • What kind of knowledge/learning? How is it shared?
  • SPR progress memos and implications for individual partners and larger project.
  • Strength Finders Assessment.
  • Looking ahead in 2012 and beyond.
  • Assign shared leadership roles for CC members for Planning Retreat agenda.

Follow-up Action Items

  • BSAV– none.
  • CPEDV
  • Share a list of presenters at the Partnership’s statewide DV conference so the CC can see which Cohort 1 participants are contributing.
  • CPNT
  • Speak with CPEDV and WFC about program alignment for the LDP 2011 Policy and Advocacy October convening.
  • JRG
  • Send WFC current list of BSAV Grantees.
  • Update Calendar to include discussion topics.
  • Update AG Nominees list and AG Matrix based on CC Partners’ feedback.
  • Update the 2011 Goals & Objectives document based on everyone’s thoughts.
  • Resubmit to BSAV for approval and subsequent dissemination to CC partners.
  • Identify objectives and strategies for the 2012 SFP Statewide Institute.
  • SPRA
  • Send full LDP evaluation update memo to CC Partners.
  • WFC
  • Share OSG mid-year progress reports with CC Partners once BSAV approves release.

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