Our 2023 Discovery Days series was formulated for Impact Austin members, especially those involved on Grant Review Committees, but it's also appropriate for anyone concerned with nonprofit impact and funding. Session One offered slides and discussion on a range of topics to introduce IMPACT: a definition of impact; types of nonprofit outcomes; elements of nonprofit programs; why nonprofits collect data; how nonprofits measure outcomes; common challenges that nonprofits face; and how funders can better participate in the Nonprofit Ecosystem. If you missed this session, find the recap, slides, and a link to the video here. Session Two considered data equity: why data equity matters; using an equity lens to consider how data is collected, analyzed, and interpreted; the challenges that exist when equity is not centered in data; fundraising inequities and power dynamics between funders and nonprofits; and best practices for developing a data collection and analysis framework for driving meaningful impact. The recap and recorded video for Session Two are available here.
Session 3: Collaboration for Greater Impact | FRI, FEB 24 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Many social problems can be so complex and cross-disciplinary that it is unlikely that any one organization can solve such problems alone. This session discusses how impact can be greater through collaboration among nonprofits, corporations, and individuals.
Presenters:
Jenny Everett, Social Impact Advisor
Social Venture Partners Austin
Impact Austin Member, Class of 2022
Jenny Everett is a creative problem solver and strategic thinker with over twenty years’ experience leading and advising nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. As a colleague, consultant, and board member, she is known for her ability to establish a vision, forge key relationships, and successfully execute. Her specialties include network and ecosystem building, nonprofit management, and philanthropic advising. Interest areas include small and growing businesses and entrepreneurship, international development, social impact and gender lens investing, and an increasing focus on climate.
Jenny is a Social Impact Advisor with Social Venture Partners Austin. As part of a global movement of Social Venture Partners International (SVPI), SVP Austin is dedicated to building a diverse group of engaged professionals who work alongside local nonprofits/social enterprises to create sustainable and equity-informed solutions that address our community’s socioeconomic challenges. Jenny also serves on boards for FUNDES and Villgro USA. For nearly 12 years she was Associate Director and then Managing Director of Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in developing economies. Jenny joined as the second full-time employee and helped grow ANDE into a robust network of network of 300 organizations with a $7 million budget and 45 staff in 10 countries.
Karen LaShelle, Executive Director
Austin Together
Karen LaShelle is the Executive Director of Austin Together, an organization dedicated to strengthening nonprofits in Central Texas through sustained collaborations that increase capacity and maximize impact. Karen is a highly respected nonprofit leader and was instrumental in the success of Creative Action. There she currently serves as part-time Director of Strategic Initiatives, overseeing the development of a new collaborative arts education facility. During her 20-year tenure at Creative Action, the organization grew from a grassroots startup into one of the largest arts education organizations in Texas, reaching more than 20,000 students every year.
Karen has received many accolades for her leadership, including the 2022 Learn All the Time Legacy Leader award, being named 2015 Mission Capital Executive Director of the Year, being recognized as a finalist for the 2012 and 2013 Ernst and Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year and receiving the 2011 “Austin Under 40” Award. Since 2016, Karen has been a trustee of the National Guild for Community Arts Education where she has served as the co-chair of the Racial Equity Committee and is the current Board Chair. She holds a BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University and an MA in Community Based Arts from New York University.
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