Orange County Grantmakers prepares for annual summit

The Orange County Grantmakers summit has grown in recent years, which has been a splendid sight to see for Executive Director Taryn Palumbo.

The OCG summit has been in existence since 2010, she said, started as a way to support nonprofits coming out of the 2008 recession. But its form has changed over the years.

“It’s grown to be much more of a community celebration, much more focused far beyond the nonprofit community to local community leaders, business leaders, nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, elected officials,” Palumbo said. “[It’s for] anyone who wants to come together to talk about equity and social justice issues in our community.

All local leaders — both in and out of the nonprofit space — and community members are welcome at the annual event, which takes place Oct. 5 at Orange Coast College.

“The sky’s the limit,” the energetic Palumbo said. “Well, OCC’s ballroom is the limit. We really want to make sure that we’re not limiting attendance because people feel like they don’t have a reason to come, or they don’t fit in. It’s now a true community event for everyone.”

The theme of the summit this year is “Space to Grow,” and Palumbo hopes Orange County Grantmakers provides that with a full day of dialogue plus breakfast, lunch and even a happy hour at the end.

Palumbo, a Huntington Beach resident, joined OCG in 2017. A year later, the group formerly known as O.C. Funders Roundtable rebranded to Orange County Grantmakers. Its members consist of about 50 of the top funders and philanthropists in Orange County.

Orange County Grantmakers Executive Director Taryn Palumbo smiles as she is interviewed on Sept. 20 in Irvine.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Austin Muckenthaler of the Orange County Community Foundation and Families Forward CEO Madelynn Hirneise are the co-chairs of this year’s summit committee.

Tricia Harris, a philanthropist futurist, will make the morning keynote speech.

“She’s looking at philanthropy from a lens of how does it connect to the future of where we’re going as a community in equity and social justice work,” Palumbo said.

The group will then break into five “learning labs,” which run concurrently. Attendees can choose from discussions on building inclusive community, bringing humanity into artificial intelligence, centering our shared humanity, an indigenous approach to mental wellness and art’s role in bringing social justice movements to life.

A group of leaders from Groundswell, formerly known as the OC Human Relations Council, is facilitating one of the labs. The organization has been involved with the OCG summit for many years.

“Our session is a little bit less topic-specific and more person-specific,” said Seema Shah, Groundswell director of training teams. “What sustains you in this work, and how do you keep moving forward even when the climate feels hard to continue to work? I hope that people come out of that feeling like, ‘OK, I’m ready and I want to keep going.’”

An afternoon workshop focuses on ethical storytelling, and musician and speaker Poet Ali will provide the closing keynote speech on re-humanizing social justice.

The day also includes recognition of local nonprofit leaders, as four total will be awarded in the categories of emerging leader, legacy leader and outstanding change maker, Palumbo said.

Taryn Palumbo, a Huntington Beach resident, expects hundreds of people for next week’s Orange County Grantmakers summit.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

The summit costs $75. Registration is available online, ending Tuesday.

“So often, I feel like people read about issues of equity or social justice in the paper, and it feels like something that other people are doing that maybe doesn’t apply to them,” Palumbo said. “This is a place to sort of learn and hear and figure out what their role can be, understand the issues from both a high-level perspective … and a grassroots strategy of work. Every perspective, any way you could want to get involved, there will be a strategy presented for you at this summit.”

Groundswell Chief Executive Alison Edwards also expects an engaging day.

“I think it’s an awesome opportunity for us to think about big ideas together,” Edwards said. “If you want to come see people who are doing good in the world, feel uplifted and inspired by people who have dedicated their lives to making sure that Orange County is a place for everyone, that everyone here has food and shelter and a sense of safety, this is a place to come. Come see the good work that’s happening in Orange County … I think there’s going to be a ton to see there and a ton to learn there from every walk of life.”