The 2012 Corporate Funders Seminar was held on May 24^th and was hosted by the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers (NCNG). This annual seminar is only one of the myriad of networking and educational opportunities that the talented staff at NCNG provide for member agencies throughout the year. This year’s seminar was well attended by a variety of organizations comprised of Corporate and Community Foundations from across the state of North Carolina. Lisa Jones Christenson, Ph.D. and Carol Seagle, PH.D. from the Kenan Flagler Business School’s Center for Sustainable Enterprise presented a comprehensive look at how to assess Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

The day was divided into two sessions. During the morning session attendees participated in an exercise that allowed them to map out the stakeholders in their organizations and to determine whether their results and their Stakeholders align. Time was spent analyzing why the Return on Investment (ROI) is critical to Stakeholders and how this impacts grant making. This exercise not only allowed participants to calculate individual ROI and to map individual Stakeholders during the session but also provided valuable tools for further research into this component that is critical to the work of Foundations. The afternoon session focused on benchmarking and strategic grant making. In addition to great training and valuable resources, participants also enjoyed the added experience of networking with peers from across the State. They were able to ask questions, share scenarios and exchange contact information.

NCNG never fails to deliver great value to their members. Please consider taking advantage of future opportunities made available through NCNG.