TFN's 2020 Annual Conference : We've Gone Virtual

By Pat Smith, President and CEO

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I hope that this message finds you well, safe and healthy in these uncertain times.

Our team at TFN has been hard at work these past few weeks helping the network and our community of funders navigate the implications this global pandemic has and will continue to have on the people and places we serve — joining in calls urging action and decrying racism, creating space in our working groups and PLACES Alumni network to lift up learning and share strategies, and amplifying voices and resources from across the sector that focus on disproportionate impacts faced by low-income communities and people of color.

Like so many of you, we’ve also had to pivot to an all-online format for our learning through the rest of the year.

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve re-imagined our TFN Annual Conference as a virtual learning experience.

Even though we would have loved to have hosted our funders and friends at our in-person conference, originally slated for last March in San Diego, we are still looking forward to sharing, learning and connecting with you. We are bringing you a wealth of learning opportunities throughout the month of May as part of TFN’s 2020 (Virtual) Conference: Bridge the Divide.

TFN’s annual conferences have always brought together leaders in philanthropy who are committed to creating communities that are sustainable, prosperous and equitable.

As we face these challenging times, which have brought unprecedented challenges to the health and economic well-being of communities across the globe, our network will continue its work bringing people together to find common ground and inspire collective action — even if that means coming together in a virtual space.

This year’s conference theme, Bridge the Divide, was intended to lift up philanthropy’s unique potential to bridge differences, foster connections and build partnerships — and address urgent issues such as climate change, economic disparity and racial injustice.

Our new virtual lineup delves into these issues, with an added emphasis on creating a space within our virtual events to share and learn about how coronavirus is shaping our world.

We are also carving out a virtual space that hopefully offers a chance for inspiration and respite, such as a May 11 performance by the San Diego-based Playwrights Project and a chance to “quarantine and chill” with us during our Sunday Night at the Movies event.

View our full schedule of events here.

We hope you’ll join us to learn, share and be inspired.

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