2020 Filantropía Puerto Rico Convening
From October 20 - 22, 2020
On our third annual Convening we’ll continue educating and connecting grantmakers, philanthropists and doers. In these targeted and virtual sessions we’ll provoke ideas and actions in the areas of housing, environment, arts & culture, and education, permeated by equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
*Las sesiones serán en inglés con interpretación simultánea al español siempre disponible.

Program
Tuesday, October 20
Opening Keynote
Beyond The Precipice
Remembering Interconnection As We (Re)Create A More Equitable World
M. Zulayka SantiagoWhile collaboration is in human beings’ DNA, the pervasive “individualism reigns supreme” message in mainstream American society would have us think otherwise. We spend so much of our lives trying to get ahead, achieve goals, prove ourselves, or seek acknowledgment, yet the reality is quite different: we would not be here or thrive without the support and love we give and receive from other.
We are living in a precarious historical moment with a world on the precipice of either unraveling or transforming. It is in these crucial moments, that we remember what is most important in our lives and the need to clarify the purpose in our work and world. The philanthropic sector has a unique and important role to play at this crossroads.
Together we will explore what the natural world has to teach us, and how relinquishing control and increasing trust can be harnessed to bring us closer to equity and to those we serve.
Virtual Networking
Wednesday, October 21
Provide insights to philanthropic organizations doing work in Puerto Rico on the institutional changes needed to support advocacy efforts, with emphasis on initiatives that address housing and land security issues.
Topics to be discussed:
- Clarify differences between advocacy, campaigns, movements, coalitions, etc
- What is needed to support advocacy efforts
- Institutional values and policies that need tweaking, activities that should
be supported and mechanisms that should be implemented - Differences in the evaluation, measurement, and impact of advocacy versus
that of traditional programs
Speakers
- Amy Morris, Director, Neighborhood Funders Group‘s Amplify Fund
- Ariadna Godreau Aubert, Executive Director, Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico
- Lyvia Rodríguez Del Valle, El Enjambre co-founder
- Manuela Arciniegas, Director, Andrus Family Fund
- Subarna Mathes, Senior Strategy and Evaluation Officer, Ford Foundation
Increasingly, philanthropic funders are seeking alignment with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Come and learn about the global agenda for the planet and its people adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
Speaker:
Ricardo Arzuaga Chaves, Founder and Executive Director, United Nations Association of the United States of America, Puerto Rico Chapter – a program of the United Nations Foundation
A global pandemic is forcing us to explore how philanthropy can influence public policy to enhance the role of education, lessons that will have a lasting impact as we face social crises created by future natural disasters. Puerto Rico’s education sector needs advocacy groups that keep the government in check to ensure students have equal access to the resources they need. Learn about the current status of education and what is needed to support advocates.
Topics to be discussed:
- Importance of public policy in education
- How philanthropy can engage in education advocacy
- Academic achievement and access to quality
Speakers:
- Jose Caraballo Cueto Ph.D., University of Puerto Rico Associate Professor and Director of the Census Information Center of Puerto Rico
- Amanda Rivera, Executive Director, Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud
- Kevin González-Toro, Executive Director, Abre Puerto Rico
Thursday, October 22
This Action Dialogue will highlight the importance of investing in environmental organizations that protect, analyze, monitor, and keep human impact in check. Additionally, we will talk about how solid waste management can affect our economic development.
Topics to be discussed:
- Solid waste management issues in Puerto Rico and economic development
possibilities surrounding it - The why, the how, and benefits of supporting environmental organizations
Speakers
- Ing. Ingrid M. Vilá Biaggi, President & Co-Founder Cambio PR
- Lcdo. Fernando Lloveras San Miguel, President, Para la Naturaleza
The unending challenges (hurricanes, earthquakes, and the pandemic) have spurred Puerto Rican artists to support each other through collectives that make it possible to scale their work and amplify their economic opportunities. You will learn how philanthropy can strengthen the impact of arts and culture by supporting these emerging solutions.
Topics to be discussed:
- Cultural worker collectives
- Shared solutions through collective action
- Establishing a shared live/work space for artists
Speakers
- Javier J. Hernández Acosta, PhD, MBA fundador de Inversión Cultural
- Andrea Cruz, La Escena
- Marlyn Martinez, Nuestro Barrio
- Belisa Álvarez, Las Terequeras
- Kelley Lindquist, President and CEO, Artspace
- Rolinda Ramos, Property/Program Manager, Artspace
- Wendy Holmes, Senior Vice President, Artspace
- Will Law, Chief Operations Officer, Artspace
Break
COSTAS by La Trinchera is a live dance performance designed for camera that explores the physical dynamics of three different bodies: the sand, the wind and the sea. Through the symbiotic relation of these elements La Trinchera will incarnate through movement: power, acceptance, inclusion, resentment and forgiveness in the all-encompassing landscape of the beach.
Thursday, October 22
This Action Dialogue will highlight the importance of investing in
environmental organizations that protect, analyze, monitor, and keep human
impact in check. Additionally, we will talk about how solid waste management
can affect our economic development. Topics to be discussed:
- Solid waste management issues in Puerto Rico and economic development
possibilities surrounding it - The why, the how, and benefits of supporting environmental organizations
Speakers
- Ing. Ingrid M. Vilá Biaggi, President & Co-Founder Cambio PR Lcdo.
- Fernando Lloveras San Miguel, President, Para la Naturaleza
Increasingly, philanthropic funders are seeking alignment with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Come and learn about the global agenda for the planet and its people adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
Speaker:
Ricardo Arzuaga Chaves, Founder and Executive Director, United Nations Association of the United States of America, Puerto Rico Chapter – a program of the United Nations Foundation
The unending challenges (hurricanes, earthquakes, and the pandemic) have
spurred Puerto Rican artists to support each other through collectives that
make it possible to scale their work and amplify their economic
opportunities. You will learn how philanthropy can strengthen the impact of
arts and culture by supporting these emerging solutions.
Topics to be discussed:
- Cultural worker collectives
- Shared solutions through collective action
- Establishing a shared live/work space for artists
Speakers
- Javier J. Hernández Acosta, PhD, MBA fundador de Inversión Cultural
- Andrea Cruz, La Escena
- Marlyn Martinez, Nuestro Barrio
- Belisa Álvarez, Las Terequeras
- Kelley Lindquist, President and CEO, Artspace
Special show by La Trinchera
Culture, Participation & Privacy Guidelines
We want you to experience our annual convenings as a chance to continue building our philanthropic community by enabling collaborative discussions that allow diverse grantmakers to work together and scale up their impact in Puerto Rico. Discussions should be lively, yet respectful, and always seeking to bridge the gaps between diverse opinions, cultures, interests, and backgrounds, while staying focused on our mission to improve the lives of the marginalized.
While fundraising is prohibited, we do encourage you to share and tweet what you learn (you may tag @filantropia_pr and use the #convenePR hashtag) and to refrain from doing so if the speakers explicitly request confidentiality.
The sessions will be recorded for archival purposes and available for our members on our website.
Speakers & Panelists
Belisa L Alvarez Sanchez
Founder of Tereques La Tiendita, Las Terequeras and Casa Tereques
Manuela Arciniegas
Director of the Andrus Family Fund
Ricardo J. Arzuaga Chaves
United Nations Association of the USA, PR Chapter
Jose Caraballo Cueto
Associate Professor in the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
Ariadna M Godreau Aubert
Founder and ED at Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico
Javier J Hernández Acosta
Director of the Business Administration Department at Universidad del
Sagrado Corazón and founder of Inversión Cultura
Wendy Holmes
Artspace
Will Law
Artspace
Kelley Lindquist
Artspace Projects, Inc
Fernando E Lloveras
Director Para La Naturaleza
Subarna Mathes
Senior Strategy and Evaluation Officer at the Ford Foundation’s Office of Strategy and Learning
Amy T Morris
Founder and Creative Director of Libélula Consulting
Rolinda Ramos
Manager El Barrio’s Artspace PS 109
Amanda Rivera
Executive Director of Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud
Lyvia Rodríguez
The Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust
Ingrid M. Vila Biaggi
Co-founder and President of CAMBIO

Save the date
Mark your calendars for Filantropia Puerto Rico’s 3rd annual Convening!
Our 2020 gathering has been virtually rethought into substantial but manageable blocks of time.