Our national Philanos conference - PowerUP! Baltimore 2023 is now a wrap and we have tremendous gratitude for the work of our Philanos Affiliates!

The more than 300 women attending, represented circles throughout the country - sharing best practices for advocacy, sponsorships, membership recruitment, member engagement, grant making and so much more. Such a powerful collaboration by so many from our Philanos Board, Co-Hosts, Sponsors, Speakers and Volunteers. Thank you to everyone who played a leadership role, and all those who attended!

- Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, Susan Benford, and Maggie Glasgow, PowerUP! Baltimore National Conference Co-Chairs

Conference Overview

“PowerUP! Baltimore: The Spark Igniting Collaboration” was Philanos’ 3-day national Conference for visionary leaders in women's collective giving who believe in the power of women’s collective giving to create impact in local communities.

• As the largest network of women’s collective giving groups, Philanos represents over 90 giving circles whose 20,000+ members have cumulatively granted $207 million in their local communities. 
• Attendees were a national audience of more than 300 giving circle leaders and members, philanthropic advisors, and practitioners of trust-based and intentional philanthropy.
• Regional giving circles and networks of philanthropic organizations joined forces to host this event with the theme of “collaboration”.

Our award announcements are always highlights!

• With our announcement of our 2023 Spotlight Awards, we were all inspired by the impact that our Philanos Affiliates are having in their local communities. A special congratulations to Many Hands (DC), The Melbourne Women's Foundation and Impact100 Garden State on this recognition.
• Our 2023 Willoughby Award was announced, recognizing Malynda Hawes Madzel of the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County, MD. This award recognizes a changemaker who has used their collective giving experience to make an impact outside of her circle, addressing needs that may not have otherwise been addressed through philanthropic collaboration in her community.

What's Ahead?

• We are so pleased to announce that we are a Fidelity Charitable Trustees Initiative recipient for a multi-year grant. As the leading women's giving circle network, this phenomenal grant allows us to strengthen and enable Philanos to expand ongoing work in women's collective giving to advance diversity, equity and inclusion among our organizations, build young philanthropist programs, and engage more BIPOC women in our communities.
• An important initiative of this grant will be to bring more philanthropic donors and dollars into regions that have historically been underserved and underfunded, the Mountain West and the South Central. These areas receive only 1/3rd of the philanthropic dollars per capita compared to those in the Northeast or West Coast. We are honored to partner with Fidelity Charitable to address this inequity by expanding collective giving through our Philanos Affiliate Network in those regions.
• We are honored to be joining a group of incredible organizations including our collective philanthropy partners at Community Investment Network, Grapevine and Philanthropy Together.
• A very special thank you to Tony Bowen, Executive Director of the Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund at Fidelity Charitable, and Fidelity Charitable for investing in Philanos, collective giving and the giving circle impact to local communities.

Conference - By the Numbers

PowerUP! Baltimore By the Numbers:

• 325 Attendees
• 65 Diverse Speakers
• 60 Giving Circles and Networks
• 42 Friends of Philanos Donors
• 40 Conference Sponsors
• 20 Breakout Sessions
• 13 DEI Advocates
• 11 Affinity Sessions
• 10 Dine Arounds
• 4 Main Speakers
• 1 Fantastic PowerUP! Gathering

Conference Hosts

Regional giving circles and networks of philanthropic organizations joined forces to collaboratively host this event.

The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County, MD was honored to co-host with:

• Anne Arundel Women Giving Together  
• Baltimore Women's Giving Circle 
• DMV Collective Giving Network
• Giving Together (of Greater Washington) 
• Many Hands (DC) 
• Maryland Philanthropy Network 
• Women's Giving Circle of Harford County 

Conference Sponsors

• It takes a special individual, business, or organization to understand the value of investing in the national women's collective giving movement by sponsoring the Philanos PowerUP! Baltimore National Conference. 
• Thank you to our 40 PowerUP! Baltimore Sponsors!
• We look forward to continuing our partnerships.

Conference Agenda

• Breakout sessions addressed best practices for innovative, inspiring, and inclusive collective giving as well as trends that affect philanthropic initiatives.
• Our 65+ Speakers, 20 Breakout Sessions in four specific topic tracks, and 10 Affinity Group Sessions addressed the power of collaborative grantmaking, best practices for innovative, inspiring, and inclusive collective giving, and trends that affect philanthropic initiatives.

Conference DEI Advocates 

• We were pleased to welcome thirteen,2023 Philanos PowerUP! Baltimore DEI Advocate Awardees.
• The program was designed to broaden and diversify the group of women who participated in philanthropy at the national level. Awardees were selected based on their passion for collective giving and commitment to expanding opportunities for all.
• The program was designed by a diverse team of Philanos Board members and supported by a grant from Philanos Board Member Clare O'Brien and her family, The Chang Family.