在这里的九年里, 我做过好几份不同的工作, including program officer and portfolio director. 在这些角色中, I had the opportunity to see firsthand how this organization, 以及慈善领域, 在很多方面都发生了变化. It’s been exciting, exhilarating and, yes, daunting at times. Now my job is to support a team of program officers who are actively leading an evolution of their own roles at the Foundation. They are “on the ground” in new ways and with a host of new responsibilities. 从东部平原到山区城镇, from Denver neighborhoods to Alamosa county, our program officers are working more deeply with communities in order to realize our vision that 在科罗拉多州 each of us can say: “We have all we need to live healthy lives.”
Evolving how our program staff work to achieve impact is reflective of advancing philanthropy practices in the field and what we’re learning about ourselves and the state of health from communities. 随着慈善事业的发展, the approach to “doing grantmaking” has changed dramatically in recent years. 我们的组织也在变化. 自 Karen joined us two years ago as president and CEO，基金会已经 接受更广泛的健康观, taken a health equity lens to all we do and committed to much deeper community engagement 在科罗拉多州. 我们采用了 a new vision for our work and incorporated new core values. We’ve enlisted a new approach to 听 to communities. And, we’re regularly tapping into a variety of data points, such as a Center for Effective Philanthropy Grantee Perception Report, to understand how well we’re doing and how people experience us.
去年, I wrote about how we’ve reset the expectations of how our program officers show up and work in communities. 今天，我们取得了一些进展. 我们的 投资组合总监Jehan Benton-Clark has led an effort internally to redefine the role of the program officer through the new 社区参与 IMPACT Practice Model, which provides the guiding principles that represent the actions and behaviors that program staff should embody.
几年前, this role centered on developing strategic funding approaches, 进行尽职调查, making recommendations for funding and managing grants. Today, program officers are the eyes and ears on the ground for the Foundation. And, community engagement is both a process and an outcome for us.
我们是沟通者, required to have timely and honest conversations regularly with the people, organizations and entities that comprise communities. We are learning to listen deeply and gain an understanding of how Coloradans are really experiencing life and how that impacts their health. We are seeking potential new applicants and opportunities to create connections between people and organizations who might be more impactful together. It involves working at all levels of community, from legislators and policymakers to community leaders to residents with the highest needs.
Through a new team structure and by implementing the IMPACT Practice Model, our program staff are focused on developing a stronger understanding of local communities and contexts. While this will take time, it’s already fostered tremendous connections and knowledge for us. It means that our program staff are frequently on the road. And connecting doesn’t stop there, as Karen is also taking regular 公路之旅 to continue connecting and learning about how communities across our state are doing.
那么，接下来还有什么呢?
A cornerstone of the IMPACT Practice Model is 听. For me personally, 听 is something I keep at the forefront all the time. 无论是通过一对一的对话, attendance at community events or a facilitated large-group discussion, 听 is key to helping us understand more. It also is key to demonstrating respect and humility – we don’t know all the answers, but we can hold space for those who have ideas, 经验和智慧分享.
We hope to bring you more stories of how program officers are working and what they’re learning as they apply the IMPACT Practice Model throughout this year. 与此同时, I invite you to share any thoughts you have about our grantmaking approach with me directly or with our program officers as you see them in your communities.