2017 Conferences on Our Radar

Posted on February 15, 2017October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

2016 was a year of significant travel and events for the Case Foundation team. In June, MCON came to Washington, DC, for the first year (and will be here again in 2017). We debuted our upcoming Network Map at SOCAP, while our CEO Jean Case took the stage at the Mashable Social Good Summit with Shazi Visram of Happy Family to discuss the changing face of entrepreneurship and launch of our #FacesOfFounders campaign. We took #FacesOfFounders on the road throughout the Fall, photographing hundreds of entrepreneurs at events like Forbes 30 Under 30, Google Demo Day, SOCAP and the White House’s first ever SXSL event. Jean and our executive team spoke at gatherings across the globe—from the Fortune’s Most Powerful Summit, Independent Sector, POPTech, the Council on Foundation and UBS’s Philanthropy Forum. Finally, Jean’s talk at TedXMidAtlantic brought many of the elements of the Foundation’s Inclusive Entrepreneurship movement together as she argues there is a tremendous opportunity to seize by expanding access to capital by investing in women and entrepreneurs of color. She urged all to join in on building an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem that would give everyone an equal chance at unlocking the American Dream.

As we celebrate the Case Foundation’s 20^th Anniversary year, we’re more excited than ever to keep hitting the road and to see how people are planning to #GetInTheArena at events and conferences across the country. We value our time at each event, not only to share our learnings and bolster the movements we aim to catalyze through our work, but also to learn from the dynamic slate of speakers who take the stage and engage with fellow attendees that are changemakers in so many sectors. We thrive on the energy we witness from the road and are excited to embark on new journeys this year. We hope to meet many of you at these events!

Below, our team has put together the top 20 conferences of 2017 that we are most excited about. Tell us on Twitter where you will be and the conferences that are on your radar at @CaseFoundation.

These first two events have already occurred, but keep them on your radar for next year:

MAKERS conference – February 6-8^th — Rancho Palos Verdes, California: This conference brings together trailblazing leaders, inviting everyone to #BeBold, elevate the conversation and raise challenges and solutions through action-oriented sessions. The conference shines a light on issues ranging from violence against women to inclusion of men. This year’s speakers included activist Gloria Steinem and Re/Code’s Kara Swisher. Details HERE.

Duke Conference on Sustainable Business & Social Impact – February 8^th – Durham, North Carolina: Our CEO Jean Case took the stage as the closing day speaker at the SBSI conference. Each year the gathering unites the private, public and social sectors to discuss innovative ways to create lasting social and environmental impact. Also taking the stage was Jennifer Pryce of the Calvert Foundation and Teju Ravilochan of the Unreasonable Institute. Details HERE.

We hope to see you this year at the conferences below:

The Economist Innovation Summit – February 28 – Chicago, Illinois: On stage, Economist editors ask searching questions as Fortune 500 CEOs, policymakers and disruptive entrepreneurs share their insights and strategies for success in this coming world of constant exponential change. Details HERE.

IncGrowCo – May 9 – New Orleans, Louisiana: Our chairman Steve Case will take the stage at this year’s gathering where other speakers like Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank, Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook and more will share their bold ideas, new thought processes and proven strategies that can help elevate startups. Details HERE.

Black Enterprise Women of Power – March 9-12 – Phoenix, Arizona: This conference is a professional leadership gathering designed especially for executive women of color. Speakers like Elaine Welteroth of Teen Vogue and Ursula Burns Chairman of Xerox Corp and more will take the stage. Details HERE.

DENT – March 19-22 – Sun Valley, Idaho: DENT brings together CEOS, executive directors, entrepreneurs, scientists and political leaders who are driven to become more effective leaders and dent the universe. Speakers this year include Markos Moulitas Zuniga from Daily Kos and Microsoft’s Curtis Wong. Details HERE.

SXSW – March 10-19 – Austin, Texas: One of the most exciting times of the year, this year the Case Foundation’s entire team will head to Austin for the Interactive portion of the conference. Our CEO Jean Case will take the stage in a talk and fireside chat moderated by Reena Ninan of CBS News on the changing face of entrepreneurship. And chairman Steve Case will join a co-fireside with Beth Comstock of GE in a conversation on the Third Wave: a period in which entrepreneurs will use technology to revolutionize major sectors—healthcare, manufacturing, education and food—and transform the way we live. With another six Case Foundation sessions, this year’s six-day gathering will be jammed packed. Details HERE.

Nonprofit Technology Conference – March 23-25 — Washington, D.C.: The Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC) is the nonprofit sector’s signature technology event joining 2,000 of the best and brightest nonprofit professionals from around the world. Details HERE.

Women in the World Summit – April 20– New York City, New York: This is a forum for women entrepreneurs, founders and risk-takers who share their stories of the rewards and challenges of starting and running a business. Dynamic speakers like Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Diane von Furstenberg, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey and more have taken the stage in previous years so you can bet there will be an all-star line up this year! Details HERE.

Milken Institute Global Conference 2017 – April 30- May 3 – Los Angeles, California: The Global Conference convenes some of the world’s most extraordinary philanthropists, billionaires and changemakers who explore solutions to today’s most pressing challenges in financial markets, industry sectors, health, government and education. 3,500attendees from more than 60 countries and 700 speakers will unite. Details HERE.

Vanity Fair Founder’s Fair – April 20 – New York City, New York: Building on the success of the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit, the editors of Vanity Fair are launching a new conference focused on women entrepreneurs. Founders Fair will bring together ambitious risk-takers to share their experiences and to help encourage and support female founders. Details HERE.

Impact Capitalism – April 25-27 – Chicago, Illinois: Impact Capitalism gathers investors who are mainstreaming Impact Investing. Over 300 family offices, asset managers and fund managers representing over $150 billion in investable assets take part. Details HERE.

TED2017: The Future You – April 24-28 — Vancouver, British Columbia: TED is a week designed to explore the deepest scientific and psychological insights, the latest medical advances, the neatest inventions, all mixed with a dose of ancient wisdom, to ask the questions about ourselves that we often don’t have time for. Note: the event is SOLD OUT for 2017, but keep it on your radar for next year! Details HERE.

Forbes Under 30 – April 2-6 —Tel Aviv and Jerusalem: The Under 30 Summit has always been in a class of its own—with four days of motivating panels, pitch contests, philanthropy, music and food festivals, parties and uniting 7,000 young entrepreneurs and game changers. Details HERE.

Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit – May 17-20 – Houston, Texas: This 22nd annual event brings together the BE 100s—the nation’s largest black owned businesses with combined revenues over $40 billion who share their leadership and business lessons for entrepreneurs of color. Details HERE.

ReCode Code Conference – May 30-June 1 – Rancho Palos Verdes, California: The invitation-only conference brings together the most influential leaders for in-depth conversations about the current and future impact of digital technology. Details HERE.

Tech Crunch Disrupt – May 15-17 and September 18-20 – New York and San Francisco: Tech Crunch dubs itself as the leading authority for debuting revolutionary startups. Check out their on-stage interviews, the Startup Battlefield competition, a 24-hour Hackathon, Startup Alley, Hardware Alley and multitude of after parties. Details HERE.

National Center for Family Philanthropy Forum – October 18-19 – Washington, D.C.: Brings philanthropic families and leadership staff of family foundations together for two and a half days of networking and thought provoking conversations led by the greatest thought leaders in family giving. Our CEO Jean Case will take the stage in a fireside discussion this Fall. Details HERE.

Communications Network – September 27-29 – Miami, Florida: This is the premier global leadership gathering of foundation and nonprofit communications leaders committed to building a better world through the smart and deliberate use of strategic communications. More than 700 PR professionals come together to connect, learn and share. Details HERE.

Fast Company Innovation Festival – Dates TBA – New York City, New York: A gathering that brings extraordinary personalities together for insightful talks, workshops, performances and behind-the-scenes tours of the hottest startups designed to inspire creativity. Details HERE.

Bonus: Also check out MCON, SOCAP, Skoll World Forum, Fortune Most Powerful Next Gen, PopTech, the Wall Street Journal’s Digital Live, Net Impact, Confluence Philanthropy, Wharton Social Impact Conference, Mission Investors Exchange Annual Summit, and the Aspen Ideas Festival.

VIDEO: Inclusive Entrepreneurship at MCON 2016

Posted on September 9, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

This post was written by Calvin Millien, Case Foundation intern.

At MCON 2016 this past June, one of the themes attendees explored was around inclusive entrepreneurship—lifting up all entrepreneurs, particularly women and people of color, in all places in order to create stronger communities, close the opportunity gap and scale creative solutions to persistent problems.

To delve into this subject, Derrick Feldmann, Founder of Achieve and MCON, hosted two special panelists: Karla Monterroso of Code2040, an organization that provides $40,000 to seven entrepreneurs of color determined to turn their ideas into reality; and Brian Ferguson of Start Line, an online platform designed to equip returning, formerly incarcerated citizens with the tools necessary to become active and entrepreneurial contributors to our society. Together, they discuss the entrepreneurial landscape and realities for Black and LatinX communities specifically. Hear their insights into how together, we can support inclusive entrepreneurship.

To see more from these great speakers, check out their exclusive Facebook Live interview with the Case Foundation’s own Jade Floyd.

Millennials Make Their Mark at MCON 2016

Posted on June 28, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

We came. We explored. We discovered. Last week, the Case Foundation team participated in MCON 2016, the Millennial engagement conference—which brought together changemakers from across the country who want to share insights on how to unleash the power and potential of the next generation. Since 2011, the Case Foundation has been proud to sponsor and partner with Achieve, the lead organizers of the convening and shine a spotlight on how the next generation connects, gives and gets engaged for social good. This year, nearly 700 in-person attendees and tens of thousands of online viewers participated in this landmark event, from June 21 to 23, at the beautiful National Geographic campus in Washington, DC.

In the coming weeks there will be much more content shared from the proceedings, including speaker videos, recaps and more, which you can access at www.mcon.events. In the meantime, here are 10 of my favorite moments from MCON 2016:

#1: Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation and Chairman of National Geographic Society Board of Trustees; and Gary Knell, President and CEO of National Geographic go live on Facebook!

No strangers to disruption, these two leaders and changemakers share their insights on how to work with the next generation for social good using technology, photography, television, civic engagement, VR and more as they seek encourage the democratization of exploration in the social sector. (Watch our Facebook Live interview with Jean and Gary.)

#2: “Are you going to focus on what you can give people, or what you can get?” – Kevin Cleary, CEO of Clif Bar & Company.

(Watch our Facebook Live interview with Kevin.)

Kevin Cleary, CEO of Clif Bar at MCON 2016 — Kevin Cleary of Clif Bar & Company at MCON 2016

#3: “I don’t believe that communities are built through follows, likes and shares. I think it’s the current state of what we know, but I think what is coming down the pipe is completely different, and I would argue, much more interesting story of what we consider are communities today. The way we are using social media today is a fraction of what we can do with the technology in our pockets. Likes and follows are not enough to make the world how we want it to be.” – Gina Bianchini, CEO and Founder of Mightybell

(Watch our Facebook Live interview with Gina.)

Gina Bianchini, founder of Mightybell at MCON 2016 — Gina Bianchini of Mightybell at MCON 2016

#4: “People aren’t born woke, something wakes them up.” – DeRay Mckesson, Activist

(Watch our Facebook Live interview with DeRay.)

DeRay Mckesson MCON2016 — DeRay Mckesson at MCON2016

#5: “There is a truth to the visual content on Instagram… People are creating, engaging and contributing incredibly important visuals to a lot of social movements and causes.” – John Tass Parker, Politics & Government Outreach team, Instagram

John Tass Parker, Instagram at MCON 2016 — John Tass Parker of Instagram at MCON 2016

#6: Renwick Gallery. The Case Foundation was honored to host MCON 2016’s opening night celebration at the Renwick Gallery. The world-renowned Renwick is home to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s contemporary craft and decorative art collections. It is currently home to the “Wonder” exhibit, which has caught the attention and imagination of many who have come to see this stunning collection. We took advantage of the great selfie spots to encourage guests to “strike a pose” throughout the gallery and share their pictures with us using the hashtag #MCON on various social media platforms.

Enjoying the Renwick at the MCON 2016 Opening Night Celebration

#7: You can learn so much about everyday people. Everyday people are sometimes the biggest heroes. – Chef Jose Andres, Owner of ThinkFoodGroup

Jose Andres at MCON 2016 — Jose Andres of ThinkFoodGroup at MCON 2016

#8: The most powerful thing we can do is convene. – Jesse Moore, Associate Director of Public Engagement, The White House

Jesse Moore, The White House — Jesse Moore of The White House at MCON 2016

#9: Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne of Georgetown Cupcakes chatting with us on Facebook Live.

These dynamic entrepreneurs disrupted the business world with their multi-million dollar cupcake business. As champions for inclusive entrepreneurship they encourage anyone with a business dream to follow it and not be afraid to pursue it even if that means having to start over again. As Katherine and Sophie reflect, “There’s no substitute for hard work.” Hear them share their story.

GeorgetownCupcake_MCON2016 — Katherine and Sophie, co-founders of Georgetown Cupcake chat with fans after taping at our Facebook Live set.

#10: “People are craving authenticity.” – Miki Agrawal, founder of THINX

Miki Agrawal of THINX at MCON 2016 — Miki Agrawal, founder of THINX at MCON 2016

#11 (BONUS): There were more than 35 awe inspiring speakers who took the stage of the course of the three days, including Michael Smith of My Brother’s Keeper; Jay Newton-Small of TIME; Matt Bellasai the Comedian; and Sylvia Earle the explorer. Stay tuned for more profiles and recaps from the Case Foundation over the coming weeks!

What was your favorite or most memorable part of MCON 2016? Please share with us on Twitter @CaseFoundation or on our Facebook page. Until next year!

The 2016 Millennial Impact Report – Phase 1

Posted on June 21, 2016October 25, 2018 by Case Foundation

Over the last six years, the Case Foundation, in partnership with Achieve, has been actively tracking how the Millennial generation turns interest into action and influences social good movements. Known as the Millennial Impact Report, it has become one of the largest annual surveys focused on the next generation to date. It is driven by a simple, yet bold underlying principle: that Millennials will change how change is made. Together, we seek to amplify the voices of Millennials and pull back the curtain on how this influential group of 80 million strong chooses to connect, give and get engaged with the causes they care about the most.

This year, Achieve focused the research on how politics, over the course of a Presidential election year, may or may not influence Millennial engagement with social causes. Through a three-phase survey process, this research seeks to reveal insights into how demographics—such as political ideology, geographical location, gender, age, race/ethnicity or Presidential candidate preference—may impact Millennial activation around social causes.

Today, Achieve is releasing Phase 1 cohort data in the hopes that it will spark conversation, debate and inquiry that may inform the remaining two phases. (The final report will be released in January 2017.) While it’s too early and too limited a cohort to suggest anything definitive about the Millennial generation as a whole at this point in the research project, we look forward to seeing the final report, with the full cohort data, and discussing the findings and its potential impact on social engagement.

Looking back, the Millennial Impact Project has helped to uncover important new insights about cause engagement by the next generation. This body of work continues to deepen and reinforce our understanding of Millennials as one of the most engaged and socially conscious generations of our time. Below is a brief summary of takeaways from each year:

2011 – Provided new insights and a deeper understanding of Millennial donor interests, engagement and motivations. One of the more surprising responses discovered was that Millennials are “very likely or somewhat likely to stop donating if they didn’t know how the donation was making an impact (78 percent), the organization asked for support too frequently (73 percent) or they didn’t feel a personal connection with the organization (72 percent).”

2012 – Focused on young professionals—how movements drive them and what inspires them to donate or volunteer. “While more than 50 percent of respondents said they would consider giving by using their smartphones, only 15 percent have done so. Of those who said they have not used their smartphones to make donations, most cited one of two reasons: they’ve never been asked (47 percent), or they have concerns about security (43 percent).”

2013 – Explored how Millennials support causes. Millennials first support issues they are passionate about, so it’s up to organizations to inspire them and demonstrate how their donation or action will make a tangible difference on a broader issue. “Coming in at 51 percent, the most frequent, specific action Millennials took on websites in the past year was to connect via social media (Twitter, Facebook, blogs, RSS feeds). The second-most frequent actions: donate (46 percent) and read a blog post (46 percent).”

2014 – Revealed how Millennials’ prefer to engage in the workplace and what they look for in corporate cause work. “While only 39 percent of Millennials said the company discussed cause work during the interview process, those that did influenced the Millennial by doing so. Actually, of the Millennials who heard about cause work in the interview, 55 percent of them said the company’s involvement with causes helped persuade them to take the job.”

2015 – Studied the relationships and experiences between Millennial employees and their managers. “Twenty-seven percent of Millennial employees said they are more likely to donate to a cause if their supervisor does, while 46 percent of employees are likely to donate if a co-worker asks them to. Interestingly, only 21 percent of Millennial employees said they are more likely to make a donation if the CEO or a top-ranking executive asks them to.”

I hope you will join us as we continue to grow this important body of research that is helping to inform and empower the social sector. As always, we welcome your comments and questions on Twitter using @CaseFoundation, as they provide much-desired input into ever-improving our work.

35 Millennial Influencers to Follow on Twitter

Posted on June 17, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

Next week hundreds of bright, passionate changemakers from all across the country will come to DC for MCON, the Millennial Engagement Conference, to learn from each other and over 35 distinguished speakers how to better engage the next generation. (Learn more about the Case Foundation’s work on the Millennial Impact Project.)

The amazing lineup of speakers assembled for MCON represents some of the country’s premiere Millennial influencers. Whether you are one of the hundreds headed to MCON in person, or one of the tens of thousands planning to watch it online, the Twitter list of speakers we’ve curated below will help you better engage in the online conversations happening around MCON next week.

Follow along with us at @CaseFoundation and @JeanCase. Be sure you’re a part of the conversation by using #MCON. And remember, you can access every Twitter handle on this list with one easy click through our Twitter list.

Jean Case	@JeanCase	CEO of the Case Foundation, Chairman of the National Geographic Society Board of Trustees
Gary Knell	@garyknell	President and CEO, National Geographic Society
Brad Jenkins	@bradjenkins	Executive Producer / Managing Director of Funny or Die DC, Former White House Assoc Director of Public Engagement. Father of Sadie and Oscar.
David Litt	@davidlitt	Former speechwriter for @POTUS. Current head writer/producer for DC office of @funnyordie. Also writing a book and hoping to win my Top Chef fantasy league.
Mayor Bowser	@MayorBowser	Official Twitter Account of the Mayor of Washington, DC
Gina Bianchini	@ginab	Passionate about community building. Mightybell, Ning. Occasional Athlete, Pop Culture Connoisseur and California Native.
Ettore Rossetti	@EttoreRossetti	Philanthropist. Sr Dir Social & Innovation @SavetheChildren. @GWR tennis title holder. UConn’92. Gamer epic moustache man Twin. Father.
Erin Spencer	@etspencer	@natgeo Young Explorer & @OurOcean Digital Coordinator. Ocean lover, travel addict, #WomeninStem advocate, invasive species nerd.
Sylvia Earle	@SylviaEarle	Oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence, Founder of @MissionBlue and 2009 TED Prize Winner. Saving and restoring the blue heart of the planet!
Minka Kelly	@Minkakelly	Actress and Philanthropist.
Miki Agrawal	@twinmiki	Author of bestseller DO COOL SH*T, CEO & Co-Founder of THINX, Icon, Tushy & Wild. Dreamer. Seeker.
Chris Temple	@Christemple8	Director+Co-Founder @LivingonOne \| 2015 Top 100 Visionary Leaders (@Real_Leaders Magazine) \| Speaker
David B Smith	@mobilizer	Social Entrepreneur, MD of @PresidioInst, Former ED of @NCoC, Founder of @mob_org.
Jo-Ann Tan	@somethingfierce	Jo-Ann is leads +Acumen – a learning community for social change-makers.
Laurindo Garcia	@laurindogarcia	Trying to make action speak louder than words. http://www.b-change.org
Christopher Punongbayan	@cpunongbayan	Executive Director, Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus. Civil rights advocate & tennis enthusiast.
Ayesha Barenblat	@abarenblat	Founder, Remake, @remakeourworld
DeRay McKesson	@deray	Activist. Organizer. Educator. Bowdoin. TFA. Baltimore.
Derrick Feldmann	@derrickfeldmann	President of Achieve (@achieve_consult) \| Researcher \| Author of Social Movements for Good
Vivien Labaton	@vivienlab	Co-Founder & Co-Director of Make It Work.
Eric Asche	@easche	Chief Little Bet Maker for Truth Initiative. Fighting for market share – one person at a time.
Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis Lamontagne	@KatherineSophie	Sister-Owners of GEORGETOWN CUPCAKE, Stars of TLC’s DC CUPCAKES, and Best-Selling Authors of THE CUPCAKE DIARIES and SWEET CELEBRATIONS
Karla Monterroso	@karlitaliliana	VP of Programs for @CODE2040, Board Member for @1Deg
Chef José Andrés	@chefjoseandres	Internationally-recognized culinary innovator, author, educator, television personality, humanitarian and chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup.
Jay Newton-Small	@JNSmall	TIME magazine correspondent \| Author of Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way America Works
Kevin Cleary	@KevinClearyCEO	CEO @ClifBar, dad of three, eater of all things organic, bike commuter, Ninja Warrior & Little League Coach
Ryan Scott	@ryan_scott	CEO of @Causecast. Social Entrepreneur/Investor pioneering Employee Engagement in CSR, Corporate Philanthropy, Volunteerism and Community Impact.
Melissa Lake	@MelissaLLake	Co-founder of Honeycomb, Executive Director of ONEHOPE
Lansie Sylvia	@FancyLansie	Madeline Kahn meets the J. Peterman Company Catalogue. Dir. of Engagement for @HMCTwit. Founder of @PhillyGiveGet and @nsdemocracy.
Heidi Nel	@HeidiNel	Entrepreneur. Artist. @Picture_Motion President + @TrumanProject Partner. Passionate about social impact, film, ice cream + soul cycle.
Ryan Leslie	@ryanleslie	Disruptive Multimedia. Grammy-nominated recording artist, multi-platinum producer and avid technologist.
Matt Bellassai	@MattBellassai	Internet drunk. Writer. Actual People’s Choice Award Winner. I write about boys & butts & Beyoncé. Formerly @BuzzFeed. Now ~solo~
Reena Ninan	@reenaninan	@CBSNews Weekend News Anchor. Watch Saturday 630pm on @CBS & weekday afternoons on @cbsnlive at 1pm.
Case Foundation	@CaseFoundation	We invest in people and ideas that change the world. Founded by Steve and Jean Case in 1997. Take risks. Be Bold. Fail forward. Be Fearless.
MCON	@MCONideas	#MCON is a 3-day event for leaders, activists, social entrepreneurs, and students who want to change the world – for good. Let’s turn your interest into action.

This list is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Inclusion on this list does not include endorsement by the Foundation.

Social Citizens: A New Era of Citizen Participation?

Posted on June 7, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

June is upon us. For those of us at the Case Foundation, when we think June we think MCON, the Millennial Engagement Conference, and how it has helped reinforce the narrative of the Millennial generation as changemakers and Social Citizens.

MCON, now an annual gathering of thought leaders and next gen changemakers from across sectors, started six years ago when we worked with a then little-known team from Achieve. Back then, the one-day virtual convening brought together more than 2,500 online participants who were interested in understanding how the next generation connects, gives and gets engaged. From there things took off, with participation in MCON more than doubling every year since. This year, we anticipate more than 600 in-person attendees to join us at National Geographic’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and 50,000 livestream viewers online.

Since the founding of MCON in 2011, we have also sponsored the Millennial Impact Report—one of the largest annual surveys focused on the Millennial generation that lifts up the voices of Millennials. Each year, we look at the trends, attitudes and behaviors of this cohort as it relates to “social good.” Or more simply put, how the generation is moving from idealism to action and mobilizing movements. Over the last five years, we have collaborated with Achieve to release new survey results to inform and empower the social sector. To date, there have been more than 50,000 downloads of the research.

The story that MCON and the Millennial Impact Report tell about the next generation is an exciting one. But it’s not the whole story. Before MCON and even before the Millennial Impact Report, we had commissioned research in 2008 that laid the groundwork for our ongoing body of research on the next generation and their role in “change the world” activities. Titled “Social Citizens,” this early report for the Case Foundation, authored by Allison Fine, highlighted important differences between the perception and reality of the Millennial generation. For instance, at the time there was a growing perception that the generation was apathetic, ambivalent and passive. Yet the research revealed a very different picture: a group of young citizens who were active, engaged and connected with the issues they cared about. One of my favorite examples? The research revealed that yes, this generation loves their cell phones, but 80 percent had used them to connect with a cause or nonprofit they cared about. I thought this was a great example of perception versus reality—when we see young people staring at their phones, do we really imagine it is part of their social activism?

This generation, as the opening letter to the report made clear, came of age at the turn of the 21^st century. With early exposure to the internet and “always on” wireless communications, technology aptitude played a significant role in interactions with communities, causes and cohorts. This led to a pressing question: could these new “social citizens” and the virtual communities they are helping to build truly revolutionize civic engagement? This was the question we put on the table in 2008, and one we are still interrogating today. This was the genesis for MCON and the reason behind the annual survey that tracks and reports key characteristics and perspectives of this unique class of citizens known as Millennials.

As we stated in the initial report, “Some scholars believe that behavioral patterns begin to repeat every three generations. In this way, Millennials are tied to the Greatest Generation of World War II, with whom they share a sense of common purpose and idealism. But unlike earlier generations, how Millennials express their feelings is fundamentally different because of the digital times in which they live. They are Social Citizens, representing a nascent model and era of citizen participation that combines idealism, digital fluency and immersion in social causes.”

It’s eight years later and we continue to bring a focus to this generation that is now not only the largest generation represented in the U.S. labor force, but also represents a growing number of cross sector leaders, families and engaged citizens who will determine the future of our society. I personally continue to believe that Millennials are destined to follow in the footsteps of their great grandparents to become the next greatest generation. The first greatest generation was defined by the Great Depression, war and monumental changes in society—markers that are all too familiar to this generation, which has known decades of war, economic upheaval and one of the most significant, rapidly progressing technology revolutions of our time.

This month, as part of the MCON gathering, we will once again unveil new research that looks at the influence of politics on how Millennials engage with causes. Along with Achieve, we’re taking a fresh look at how Millennials connect, give and get engaged through an ongoing survey that will run until the end of the year. And again this year, we are left with perhaps more questions than answers as we try to understand how the political environment is shaping both attitudes and behaviors. Some of the early data we have reviewed is truly surprising and challenges commonly held beliefs and perceptions, just as we found in 2008. We will spend the coming weeks leading up to MCON 2016 with more peer reviews of the research, tapping other experts and “unpacking” what is truly surprising data. Was our methodology flawed? Is this year’s political environment disrupting Millennial engagement in untold ways? Or is there perhaps something deeper going on with this generation? When we do report the findings, our intent is to open a dialogue once again that helps light a path to active civic engagement.

As we identified in 2008, “Social Citizens are energetic and passionate about social causes; brimming with new approaches and ideas for problem solving; disposed of sharing the responsibilities and rewards of affecting change in the world; and equipped with the digital tools and people power to make it happen.” This is why we are committed to this work—because we believe this next generation holds the key to creating a better world. Yes, it is true that we need to remember that not all Social Citizens are Millennials, and not all Millennials are Social Citizens. But there are many overlapping characteristics and we hope that a better understanding of them will enable a brighter future for all.

I hope you will continue this exploration with me and join me at MCON from June 21-23 at the National Geographic campus in Washington, DC. Can’t make it? I invite you to share your thoughts about the next generation of Social Citizens with me on Twitter using @CaseFoundation and #MCON.

June: Turning Interest Into Action

Posted on June 2, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

Awareness raising. Relationship building. Network development. Experimentation. Tipping point. Sustained action. That is the anatomy of a movement. At the Case Foundation, we aim to be movement catalyzers around social innovation. Right now we are focused on driving two major movements—impact investing and inclusive entrepreneurship. And we are intent on bringing a Be Fearless approach tipping the scales from good intention to meaningful action that can change the world. Over the next several months, we are going to highlight the key phases of movement catalyzing and our associated work in those areas. This month we are highlighting the importance of turning interest into action and recognizing the need to be intentional about doing so in our own programs.

Over the next few weeks, Jean and Steve Case and members of the team will be traveling from coast to coast and participating in various events that demonstrate the power and potential of turning interest into action. In some cases, we will be the ones encouraging and educating others in service of catalyzing our core movement areas, while in other cases we will be the ones learning and open to taking action ourselves.

Here are some of the action-oriented events we are participating in this month:

National Geographic Explorers Week, June 13-17
National Geographic was one of America’s earliest social enterprises, established in 1888 with the mission to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge. During this year’s National Geographic Explorers Week, we’ll have the opportunity to hear some of the world’s leading scientists, conservationists and explorers as they come together to connect and share the ways they are disrupting the status quo and using storytelling as a vehicle for turning interest into action that changes, maybe even saves, the world as we know it.

Forward Cities, June 14-17
Entrepreneurs, at their core, are problem solvers. And we believe that the most powerful entrepreneurs work to solve problems they’re personally connected to. That’s just one of the reasons we need a diverse set of voices and entrepreneurs at the table if we want to solve today’s most pressing social challenges. We’ll be on the ground in Cleveland, OH, at the final city convening of Forward Cities, hearing directly from local entrepreneurs who are helping to revitalize their city—one startup at a time. In so doing, they are part of a four-city cohort that aims to identify innovative solutions and share them as part of a larger effort to develop local leadership and foster a network of inclusive entrepreneurship.

MCON/The Millennial Impact Project, June 21-23
Over the past six years, our investment in the Millennial Impact Project has resulted in one of the largest bodies of research on the Millennial generation to date and one of the nation’s leading convenings on next gen engagement called MCON (also known as the Millennial Engagement Conference). Each year, the report and convening have revealed powerful insights into how this generation gives, gets engaged and connects with social causes. Later this month, we’ll be releasing preliminary findings from this year’s research and hosting MCON in our own backyard at the National Geographic campus in Washington, DC. Speakers including Chef José Andrés, DeRay Mckesson, Jay Newton-Small and our very own Jean Case will take the stage with a focus on turning that interest into action and finding creative solutions for social issues. There’s still time to get your ticket and join us!

Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2016, June 22-24
At the Case Foundation, we believe in the power of entrepreneurship to tackle global challenges. For this reason, we are so excited to take part in GES 2016, a convening of the world’s most inspiring entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers who are putting their belief that business and innovation will drive economic growth and social well-being into action. Our CEO Jean Case and our Chairman Steve Case will both take the stage, celebrating the role that entrepreneurs around the globe (and the investors who believe in them) play in creating real, transformative impact, in driving innovation and in solving some of the world’s biggest challenges.

Aspen Ideas Festival, June 23-July 2
From innovations in science and technology to new models in early childhood education, many great ideas have been hatched and grown at the Aspen Ideas Festival throughout the years. This year, we’re excited to have our CEO Jean Case take part in a session on courageous philanthropy. She’ll be joined by Carrie Penner of the Walton Foundation and Ann Limberg of Bank of America, sharing opportunities to apply the Be Fearless principles to move interest in risk-taking, experimentation and making big bets to action in the philanthropic sector.

In addition to sharing highlights from these events, throughout the month of June we’ll be showcasing organizations and leaders who exemplify the ideals of turning interest into action for our community. We see this as a great learning opportunity and hope you will share your own experiences or best practices around the conversion of interest into action. Join us in person at one of these events, or share your thoughts with us via social media using @CaseFoundation and #Interest2Action on Twitter.

Why MCON is THE Must Attend Conference on Millennial Engagement

Posted on June 1, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

With just a few weeks left until the sixth annual MCON hits Washington, DC, the Case Foundation and Achieve teams are buzzing with excitement. This year’s gathering is gearing up to be the most impressive yet, uniting nearly 600 cause champions committed to creating change and turning next gen interest into action. With 25 different sessions, more than 45 remarkable speakers, a political town hall, film screenings, parties and a host of networking opportunities over the course of three days, MCON is where social sector leaders unite to mobilize movements. But don’t just take our word for it… here’s a sneak peak at what’s in store and why MCON is the top next gen engagement gathering of the year.

A dynamic slate of speakers will take the stage, including our own Jean Case, Gary Knell of National Geographic, Gina Bianchini of Mightybell, Ettore Rossetti of Save the Children, Jeremy Ford of Dell Giving, Ambassador Mark Brzezinski, National Geographci Explorers Erin Spencer and Sylvia Earle, Chris Temple of Living On One, Laurindo Garcia of B-Change, DeRay Mckesson, Kevin Cleary of Clif Bar, Brian Ferguson of the DC Office of Human Rights, Karla Monterroso of CODE2040, Jay Newton-Small of TIME Magazine, restaurateur Jose Andres, Ryan Scott of Causecast, Janine Gianfredi of the U.S. Digital Service, Jesse Moore from the White House, Grammy nominated recording artist Ryan Leslie and many more still to be announced!

Enjoy VIP access to National Geographic’s campus in the heart of downtown DC. National Geographic, one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world, has been inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888 through geography, archaeology and natural science and the promotion of environmental and historical conservation. While there, attendees can check out the latest exhibitions, interactive experiences and stunning photography exhibitions featuring the work of National Geographic explorers, photographers and scientists.

Laugh out loud with Funny or Die creators David Litt and Brad Jenkins during their Politics and Humor panel.

Tune in to the Political Townhall hosted by the Washington Post to hear from Millennials in government. MCON is partnering with The Washington Post to present an interactive panel discussion on issues that affect the Millennial generation, how political engagement is changing, innovation in the public sector and how to increase Millennial voter turnout.

We know you will be hungry over the three days so we’ve partnered with some of the best fast-casual restaurants to keep your bellies full and brain on point. Guests will munch on fare from STK, &Pizza, Shake Shack, Taylor Gourmet and many more throughout the three days.

Watch the film screening of “Most Likely To Succeed” the new documentary film on the impact that innovation is having on our economy and the consequences for our country if our education system fails to keep pace. WATCH THE TRAILER

Check out the late night Bloc Party on Day Three and closing night celebration in the outdoor courtyard of National Geographic featuring local food trucks, drinks and a surprise live act!

Pack your running shoes for a run with Kevin Cleary of Clif Bar & Company, a leading maker of nutritious and organic foods and drinks for people on the go. Meet Kevin for a morning run on Day Three, then catch him on stage later that day as he shares how to build a sustainable brand.

Experience a taste of Spain on Day Two at an after party hosted by NYLON and Rock the Vote, with a special guest performance, at the SPAIN Arts & Culture Center featuring the most cutting-edge works of international renowned Spanish artists of our time.

Watch the private screening of “Salam Neighbor,” an award-winning feature documentary. As the first filmmakers ever allowed by the United Nations to be given a tent and registered inside a refugee camp, they provide viewers with a never seen look into one of the world’s most pressing crisises. WATCH THE TRAILER

Take a break in the MCON Lounge on site at National Geographic and network with other cause enthusiasts who will help you take your initiative to the next level.

Enjoy one of the many libations keeping you hydrated throughout the festival including drinks from Boxed Water, Owl’s Brew, Denizens, One Hope Wines, Peet’s Coffee, Heritage Distilling, Port City Brewing and Flying Dog Brewery.

Step into the opening night party at Renwick Gallery just across the street from the White House, sponsored by the Case Foundation. The Renwick is home to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection and has one of the finest and most extensive collections of its kind.

Be one of the first to read the 2016 Action Report released on Day One. Learn about how politics may influence next gen engagement with social causes in this exciting new survey.

Attend for free! Yes, free. Are you a student, activist or social entrepreneur that could really benefit from a conference like MCON but you can’t seem to fit it in your budget? Apply for an MCON 2016 scholarship while they’re still available HERE.

Can’t make it to MCON this year? Don’t worry. You can check out the livestream throughout all three days and join the conversation online using #MCON. We can’t wait to have you join us!

Why You Need to Apply for an MCON Scholarship Right Now

Posted on May 24, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

The following was originally posted on Achieve’s blog to share my experience as an MCON 2015 scholarship recipient. Applications are now open to attend MCON 2016. APPLY NOW

What is better than attending the premier millennial engagement conference of 2016? Attending it for free.

In April of last year, I read an article from Achieve President Derrick Feldmann about activating the millennial generation (born 1980-2000). At the time, bringing my generation into the fold was something I was very interested in, but had very little idea how to do. Derrick’s article stood out to me in the obvious depth of knowledge about the topic. Perhaps even more exciting, his article mentioned an upcoming conference called MCON devoted to this very topic.

At the time, I was working for a small, but growing nonprofit, so I was incredibly fortunate to receive an MCON scholarship because the conference is designed for people just like me—millennials that want to better understand what drives our generation to give and get involved, but wouldn’t otherwise have the resources to attend. I knew I needed to be in the room with these thought leaders, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for how much I’d learn and take away from the experience.

When I walked into the Chicago Museum of Art last June, I was blown away by the buzz and energy that filled the room. Though I knew that engaging the next generation of cause leaders was important, it was incredible to see so many people in one place who were as excited as I was by the extraordinary potential for global change that the millennial generation holds.

As I checked-in and grabbed my conference badge and (awesome) swag bag, I could already hear nearby conversations of people explaining their different reasons for attending MCON. Some people, like me, were working for nonprofits and were there to learn how to engage millennials in their work. Some were starting social enterprises and wanted to be sure they knew how to best integrate the issues that millennials care about into their products and programs. Others still were from large corporations that wanted to better understand how to attract and retain millennial talent through corporate social responsibility. No matter the specific goals, it was clear that we all shared one thing in common: we cared, A LOT, about social good and changing the world, and we knew engaging millennials in our causes was key.

At the conference I heard from a wide variety of speakers—from foundations and nonprofits that were using innovative ways to reach millennials, to businesses that were going beyond cause-marketing and integrating a social mission into their long-term business strategy. I learned how the Knight Foundation is investing in public art projects as an urban revitalization technique—helping to deepen the sense of place and connections across demographics in cities—and how millennials, with their propensity to live in proximity to city centers, are key to this work.

Another session that stood out to me focused on how one nonprofit, Baltimore Corps, is utilizing the energy and talents of the next generation to strengthen Baltimore through fellowships aimed at scaling promising solutions to persistent problems.

It wasn’t just the speakers that made me really happy that I attended MCON. Networking with other attendees was invaluable. Discussion groups were a common theme, and many of the people I spoke with were struggling with the same issues that I was.

When I got back to DC, I was able to use what I learned at MCON to develop a millennial engagement strategy for the nonprofit I worked at. I was better equipped to put together programming and communications to reach this vital audience. I was also motivated to join the newly formed Year Up Young Professionals Network, an effort by Year Up National Capital Region to engage millennials in their vital work. Attending MCON has made me a significantly better member of this network, able to provide input and insights from the conference to help shape and strengthen this new initiative. And I was even driven to become more deeply engaged than that, seizing an opportunity to come work for the Case Foundation, the lead sponsor of MCON and the Millennial Impact Report, when a job opening arose.

This year, I am so excited that MCON has come to my own backyard in DC. I often say that one of my favorite things about living in DC is how passionate everyone is about something. You may not always agree with the cause they care about, but just having a city full of people who give a damn is exhilarating. I can think of no better place to host such a vibrant conference, and I hope that you’ll join me at MCON 2016. If you, like me, care deeply about changing the world and growing your network with leaders, activists and entrepreneurs, then don’t miss the chance to be inspired at MCON. Scholarship applications are now open, so what are you waiting for?

Your Inside Look at MCON2016

Posted on April 13, 2016October 30, 2018 by Case Foundation

The wait is over! Details about MCON2016 are finally here and we at the Case Foundation are excited to give our readers an exclusive sneak peek at what will be the most exciting and influential convening on next gen engagement of 2016.

Each year, MCON (aka the Millennial Engagement Conference) brings together leaders, advocates and social entrepreneurs from across all generations to better understand today’s social movements and the Millennial generation. Leaders from various sectors will share revolutionary concepts, best practices and lessons learned on how the next generation gives, gets connected and engages to create impact. Together, we will use this knowledge to spark conversations around how to turn next gen interest in an issue into action.

Doubling in size this year, 600 leaders from across sectors will join us on the National Geographic campus in Washington, DC, from June 21 to 23, for three days of learning, networking and ideating. Close to 50,000 more from around the world are expected to tune into the livestream that will showcase excerpts and special features from the convening.

Join us at MCON2016!

Here is your sneak peek at what MCON2016 will look like!

MCON Courtyard Rendering Body Image — Rendering of the National Geographic courtyard during MCON2016.

This year there will be more than 25 different sessions covering a wide range of topics, including:

Inclusive Entrepreneurship
For-Profits for Good
Exploration
Next Gen Public Service
Tech
Creativity
Social Justice

New to the convening, we also have added several exciting features just for you… such as a political town hall hosted in partnership with The Washington Post, a mini-film festival, block parties and much more.

All of this is part of a larger Millennial Engagement initiative spearheaded by the Foundation to increase the effectiveness of next generation change and influence the institutions that engage with them. In pursuit of that goal, the Foundation has supported the Millennial Impact Project since 2010. Led by Achieve, the Project provides a platform through which more than 35,000 Millennials to date have provided their feedback, insights and opinions on cause related topics. This effort has resulted in a pivotal series of studies exploring how this generation interacts with and supports the issues they care about.

The research is complemented by the Foundation’s continued sponsorship of MCON, which started to take shape five years ago with MDS11. (Some of you reading this may have even participated!) The one-day virtual event examined Achieve’s Millennial research in front of an online audience of 2,500. With two video cameras, a few microphones and the Case Foundation conference rooms as the set, speakers shared their stories and viewers learned how to build constituent and activist movements.

Jean Case at MDS11 — Our CEO Jean Case chats with the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Raymund Flandez at MDS11 on the importance of Millennials.

From those humble beginnings, MCON has gone on to become the leading national convening on Millennial engagement. Each year, there is something new and exciting for attendees—and this year will be no exception. Over the last five years, more than 50,000 leaders have experienced MCON and left with a richer understanding of how to create change in their communities. Those learnings have empowered changemakers to more effectively create and scale impact in the issues areas they care about the most.

I invite you to see what this convening is all about and why it is so special. Please join us at MCON2016!

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Jean Case

CEO of the Case Foundation, Chairman of the National Geographic Society Board of Trustees

Gary Knell

President and CEO, National Geographic Society

Brad Jenkins

Executive Producer / Managing Director of Funny or Die DC, Former White House Assoc Director of Public Engagement. Father of Sadie and Oscar.

David Litt

Former speechwriter for @POTUS. Current head writer/producer for DC office of @funnyordie. Also writing a book and hoping to win my Top Chef fantasy league.

Mayor Bowser

Official Twitter Account of the Mayor of Washington, DC

Gina Bianchini

Passionate about community building. Mightybell, Ning. Occasional Athlete, Pop Culture Connoisseur and California Native.

Ettore Rossetti

Philanthropist. Sr Dir Social & Innovation @SavetheChildren. @GWR tennis title holder. UConn’92. Gamer epic moustache man Twin. Father.

Erin Spencer

@natgeo Young Explorer & @OurOcean Digital Coordinator. Ocean lover, travel addict, #WomeninStem advocate, invasive species nerd.

Sylvia Earle

Oceanographer, National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence, Founder of @MissionBlue and 2009 TED Prize Winner. Saving and restoring the blue heart of the planet!

Minka Kelly

Actress and Philanthropist.

Miki Agrawal

Author of bestseller DO COOL SH*T, CEO & Co-Founder of THINX, Icon, Tushy & Wild. Dreamer. Seeker.

Chris Temple

Director+Co-Founder @LivingonOne | 2015 Top 100 Visionary Leaders (@Real_Leaders Magazine) | Speaker

David B Smith

Social Entrepreneur, MD of @PresidioInst, Former ED of @NCoC, Founder of @mob_org.

Jo-Ann Tan

Jo-Ann is leads +Acumen – a learning community for social change-makers.

Laurindo Garcia

Trying to make action speak louder than words. http://www.b-change.org

Christopher Punongbayan

Executive Director, Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus. Civil rights advocate & tennis enthusiast.

Ayesha Barenblat

Founder, Remake, @remakeourworld

DeRay McKesson

Activist. Organizer. Educator. Bowdoin. TFA. Baltimore.

Derrick Feldmann

President of Achieve (@achieve_consult) | Researcher | Author of Social Movements for Good

Vivien Labaton

Co-Founder & Co-Director of Make It Work.

Eric Asche

Chief Little Bet Maker for Truth Initiative. Fighting for market share – one person at a time.

Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis Lamontagne

Sister-Owners of GEORGETOWN CUPCAKE, Stars of TLC’s DC CUPCAKES, and Best-Selling Authors of THE CUPCAKE DIARIES and SWEET CELEBRATIONS

Karla Monterroso

VP of Programs for @CODE2040, Board Member for @1Deg

Chef José Andrés

Internationally-recognized culinary innovator, author, educator, television personality, humanitarian and chef/owner of ThinkFoodGroup.

Jay Newton-Small

TIME magazine correspondent | Author of Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way America Works

Kevin Cleary

CEO @ClifBar, dad of three, eater of all things organic, bike commuter, Ninja Warrior & Little League Coach

Ryan Scott

CEO of @Causecast. Social Entrepreneur/Investor pioneering Employee Engagement in CSR, Corporate Philanthropy, Volunteerism and Community Impact.

Melissa Lake

Co-founder of Honeycomb, Executive Director of ONEHOPE

Lansie Sylvia

Madeline Kahn meets the J. Peterman Company Catalogue. Dir. of Engagement for @HMCTwit. Founder of @PhillyGiveGet and @nsdemocracy.

Heidi Nel

Entrepreneur. Artist. @Picture_Motion President + @TrumanProject Partner. Passionate about social impact, film, ice cream + soul cycle.

Ryan Leslie

Disruptive Multimedia. Grammy-nominated recording artist, multi-platinum producer and avid technologist.

Matt Bellassai

Internet drunk. Writer. Actual People’s Choice Award Winner. I write about boys & butts & Beyoncé. Formerly @BuzzFeed. Now ~solo~

Reena Ninan

@CBSNews Weekend News Anchor. Watch Saturday 630pm on @CBS & weekday afternoons on @cbsnlive at 1pm.

Case Foundation

We invest in people and ideas that change the world. Founded by Steve and Jean Case in 1997. Take risks. Be Bold. Fail forward. Be Fearless.

MCON

#MCON is a 3-day event for leaders, activists, social entrepreneurs, and students who want to change the world – for good. Let’s turn your interest into action.

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