Essential Skills and Strategies for New Program Officers

Philanthropy New York’s Essential Skills and Strategies for New Program Officers (ESS) orients new program officers and directors to their role as funders. This multiday intensive course helps philanthropy newcomers build a framework for understanding and implementing ethical and effective grantmaking. It is a part of the PNY Core offerings.

The program prepares program officers and directors for the “science” of philanthropy—offering training on the tools and skills to be effective grantmakers and philanthropy professionals overall. Through highly interactive sessions with peers, it also offers strategies for managing the “art” of philanthropy—building participant intuitive skills that bring greater clarity regarding their role and help build self-awareness of their unique contributions within the larger sphere of social change.

Upon completing ESS, participants will be able to employ tools and skills learned to:

• Discuss philanthropy’s role in the social change ecosystem
• Identify legal and ethical issues
• Explore how program officers come to funding recommendations
• Communicate effectively as directors and program officers
• Discuss evaluation and learning methods used in philanthropy
• Recognize variables that help or hinder capacity to maximize grant impact
• Apply reflective practice in their philanthropy careers, which includes:
  • A personal strategy: how to recognize and analyze the interplay between role, self and the systems context
  • Relationship building: how to approach and grow relationships authentically, with colleagues in philanthropy and with grantees

ESS Faculty

• Stephanie Boarden, Program Officer, Open Society Foundations
• Nicole Campbell, Senior Director of Operations and Foundation Counsel, Dalio Foundation
• Irfan Hasan,Program Director, Healthy Lives, The New York Community Trust
• Molly Schultz Hafid, Associate Director, TCC Group
• Roz Lee, Vice President of Strategy and Programs,  Foundation for Women
• Kelly Shipp Simone, Associate Counsel, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• George Suttles, Director of Research, Commonfund
• Kristen Ruff, Senior VP of Member Services, Philanthropy New York (facilitator)

Location is TBD. All sessions will take place in Manhattan. Space is limited to 25 individuals.