NCG Welcomes New Peer Networks and Collaborative Philanthropy Program Specialist
Wednesday, June 6th, 2012
NCG's welcomes Jamie Schenker to its staff.
NCG is excited to announce the appointment of Jamie Schenker to the position of Peer Networks and Collaborative Philanthropy Program Specialist.
To introduce Jamie to the NCG membership and highlight her new assignments, we asked Jamie to share a little about herself and the work she’ll be doing here at NCG.
NCG: Hello, Jamie. Tell us a little bit about how you entered the field and where you were previous to joining our staff.
Jamie: I joined the nonprofit sector during my last semester of undergrad when I lucked out and took an internship with a great organization. Since then, I’ve worked for a foundation and a consulting firm that specialized in evaluation work for nonprofit and foundation clients. Just before joining NCG, I worked in evaluation and organizational learning at The California Wellness Foundation.
NCG: What drew you to the Peer Networks and Collaborative Philanthropy position at NCG?
Jamie: Peer networks, both formal and informal, have played an integral part in my professional career. As a member of NCG and a steering committee member of the San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, I have seen firsthand the benefits of providing opportunities for peers to come together to learn about new topics, share ideas, discuss current issues, and enjoy each other’s company. NCG’s Collaborative Philanthropy work was attractive to me because it leverages the expertise of grantmakers to build knowledge among peers and also to provide support in the way of funding for nonprofit organizations and individuals.
NCG: Let’s break down what your work will include. Tell us how your position will interact with peer networks here in the Bay Area?
Jamie: What’s great about the Bay Area is that we have an ample amount of peer networks for grantmakers. I hope that in my new role I can find ways to collaborate with other networks while also supporting all of our individual roles within the sector.
NCG: For those out there unfamiliar with NCG’s Collaborative Philanthropy Programs, tell us what they are and your role in managing them.
Jamie: NCG has a long history of bringing together grantmakers to make collaborative philanthropic investments in various ways, from the early days of Environmental Grantmakers and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrant and Refugees to the Summer Youth Program and AIDS Partnership California. Currently, NCG supports two loan funds – the Arts Loan Fund and the Emergency Loan Fund. Both funds provide quick turn-around, low-cost financial assistance to organizations located various Bay Area counties. As well, NCG houses various collaborative networks such as the Bay Area Asset Funders Network. My role in Collaborative Philanthropy is to support existing programs as well as foster and support new collaborative ideas from our membership.
NCG: Who can participate in a Collaborative? Can members approach you about creating a new one?
Jamie: Our current collaboratives are open to NCG members and stakeholders in the issues they care about, leading to some important cross-sector work, innovative investments and peer learning. We encourage our members to approach us about any collaborative ideas that we might be able to support with our network of expertise, sometimes as simple as an introduction to a fellow member doing like work, or facilitating connections to collaborations across our region and nationally.
NCG: And finally, what about your work are you most excited about?
Jamie: I’m excited about everything – supporting NCG, an organization that has supported my professional growth throughout the years; supporting those in need of funds to achieve their missions and goals through the loan funds; and continuing to support networks of peers that encourage learning and growth among each other and in the field. Members can be on the lookout for more discussion of peer networks and collaborations on the NCG blog, where I’ll be posting as I investigate where philanthropic collaboration is thriving in our region and beyond.
We hope you’ll join us in welcoming Jamie to the NCG staff. And if you have any questions about her work with peer networks or NCG Collaboratives, you can contact Jamie at jschenker@ncg.org or at 415.777.4111 ext 27.
