Community Leaders Share Insights into Atlanta's COVID-19 Response in FORGING FORWARD Webinar
ATLANTA, Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Distinguished community leaders Ann Cramer, Terry Mazany and Deborah Ryan recently participated as panelists of FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference series focused on idea sharing, innovative solutions and a path forward from COVID-19. The webinar was moderated by Brian Crimmins, Global Managing Partner of ONE HUNDRED and CEO of Changing Our World, and a recording is available to view here.
Representing the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (CFGA), Terry Mazany, Senior Vice President, Philanthropy at CFGA, shared how trusted relationships within the community, existing infrastructure and civic partnerships enabled CFGA to quickly respond to urgent needs created by the "pandemic trifecta" of the COVID-19 health crisis, the economic shutdown, and social injustice. The Greater Atlanta COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, which is jointly managed by United Way of Greater Atlanta and CFGA, has raised $25 million since March and donated nearly $18.5 million to 321 nonprofit grant recipients working on the frontlines.
Ann Cramer, Atlanta community leader and former director for IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs, addressed how COVID-19 highlighted and exacerbated existing disparities in health, education, housing, food and jobs, many of which have resulted from years of racial inequity. She has seen many companies, individuals and foundations reassess how they give money. This re-awakened need to address the roots of racial disparity in Atlanta, in part through building philanthropic coalitions, is "not just a revelation but a call to action."
Deborah Ryan, Atlanta Managing Director at Changing Our World, spoke about how Atlanta's nonprofit leaders are stepping up and calling out the lack of transparency about who makes funding decisions. To the funders' credit, people are listening and are starting the dialogues that, while difficult, are needed to address the deep-rooted economic and social inequity in Atlanta.
Even with these efforts to tackle the complicated challenges caused by COVID-19 in the Atlanta community, the panelists agreed there is much work to be done. Actual recovery is still not on the horizon. The looming threat of future COVID-19 case surges and the growing mental health crisis mean community foundations and other donors must continue to act quickly, with agility, and in coordination.
As Mazany summarized: "Challenges are massive; stakes are high; failure is catastrophic – and philanthropy is vital… while individual giving is essential, to tackle issues of this magnitude, if you can do it by yourself, it probably isn't worth doing."
Beginning this October, Changing Our World and ONE HUNDRED will launch a monthly Atlanta-focused FORGING FORWARD series. These webinars will enable nonprofit, philanthropic, and social impact leaders in our community to deep dive on issues and community-based solutions for real and lasting positive impact.
Our first webinar is planned for Tuesday, October 27th at 11.30 am EDT. The topic will be Fundraising in a time of national change: How are Atlanta nonprofits planning for their future?
Registration link: October 27 Atlanta Forging Forward Webinar Registration Link
About Changing Our World, Inc.
Founded in 1999, Changing Our World is a leading fundraising and social impact firm with extensive experience designing, building and managing the implementation of strategic initiatives that enable nonprofits, foundations and corporations to achieve their philanthropic goals. Changing Our World's clients include some of the largest nonprofit organizations around the world and a range of Fortune 200 companies. Headquartered in New York City, it has regional offices in Boston, Atlanta, Austin and London, as well as various project locations across the country. As a member of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC), the world's largest and most diversified communications company, Changing Our World has access to the best communications, public relations and branding expertise available to assist its clients in enhancing the visibility and awareness of their fundraising and philanthropic initiatives. It is the only firm of its kind that is also part of a Fortune 200 company.
More information on Changing Our World can be found at www.changingourworld.com. Changing Our World is part of the Omnicom Specialty Marketing Group.
About ONE HUNDRED, Inc.
ONE HUNDRED is the only multidisciplinary and fully integrated agency for the modern nonprofit. Through a collaborative effort, we are committed to leveraging our experience and expertise – across strategic planning, branding, marketing, advertising, public relations, fundraising, digital and research – to guide organizations to excellence. You can see our impact everywhere—funds raised to fight famine, health outcomes improved, ecosystems safeguarded, ethical practices adopted, and much more. We help organizations turn their philanthropic ambitions into an actionable purpose, and we drive tangible results by helping our clients create policies, practices, and platforms that bring about positive change. With our clients, we raise 2 Billion dollars per year, 5.5 Million dollars a day.
More information on ONE HUNDRED can be found at www.onehundredagency.com. ONE HUNDRED is part of the Omnicom Specialty Marketing Group.
About Omnicom Specialty Marketing Group
Omnicom Specialty Marketing Group aligns the growing demand for highly specialized consumer and retail marketing services with integrated solution teams consisting of the best talent to address clients' needs. OSMG provides global services that include: point-of-sale marketing and merchandise technology; field marketing and sales support; brand extension and representation; talent management; Purpose; and consulting and fundraising for nonprofit organizations. Omnicom Specialty Marketing Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.
SOURCE Changing Our World Inc.
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