Hello and Happy Summer to you all (okay, summer doesn’t officially start until later this month but the weather in Chicago has been pretty good). 

There is so much going on with The Giving Institute and Giving USA Foundation these days. Let me give you a quick rundown of things: 

Key Components of Giving USA 2022 will be released on June 21. All GI members and their employees were invited to the June 9 Member Briefing. Many firms are having events on the release date and through the rest of June. Thank you for your support of Giving USA and the Foundation. It is the thing many in the public know about our important work in the industry. 

As I write this, 81 people have registered for Summer Symposium in Minneapolis next month. While we are beyond our registration goal (go committee!) it is not too late to join us July 19-22. Check out the program and register here. Summer Symposium is Giving Institute’s signature event. It’s where old friends gather, new members join us and many who are thinking about becoming a member come to check us out. And we always have stimulating programming, fun events and great food from which to choose. Thank you to those of you who have already registered and a special thanks to firms who are sending multiple staff to the event. 

Giving Institute Vice Chair Paul Koreen is leading an effort to update our code of ethics. This initiative emerged from last year’s Summer Symposium after Carrie Cobb of Blackbaud and Carrie Dahlquist of Campbell & Company led a discussion on data ethics. We realized our code needed updating, and Paul agreed to spearhead this effort. We have had multiple discussions and exercises, and the group is moving toward its goal. Look for a report on this at the July Giving Institute board meeting in Minneapolis. Thanks to Paul and everyone in the group: “Carries” Cobb and Dahlquist, George Ruotolo, Ryan Woroniecki, Deb Taft and Cedric Richner 

The Giving Institute board will vote to approve the DEI Change Framework at the July board meeting. This is an important milestone in our journey toward becoming more inclusive as an organization – the key to becoming more diverse and equitable. I look forward to the discussion we will have and to approving the Change Framework. 

Finally, also in July, Laura McDonald will step down as Giving USA Foundation Chair, and Josh Birkholz will succeed Laura. Laura has done a terrific job as Chair. Her approach to continuous improvement and attention to the important details has kept the Foundation surging forward in everything it does. Please thank and congratulate Laura when you see her in Minneapolis. 

Thank you!