2018 Shared Insight Gathering

Post-Event Summary

May 21-23, 2018
Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria
2222 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77027

The Gathering: A photo montage

Our 2018 Shared Insight Gathering brought together representatives from 158 nonprofit partners and 27 funding organizations committed to using feedback loops to better serve those we seek to help. Among the attendees were organizations that employ feedback loops, are on the front lines of feedback research, or provide funding to help make this work possible. We enjoyed a thrilling and rewarding three days.

EXPECTATION: We hoped attendees would learn from their peers, be inspired, and get to know fellow feedback practitioners and funders from around the country.

RESULT: A lively mix of inspirational plenaries, short talks, interactive breakout sessions, affinity breakfasts, and networking opportunities led to a rousing three-day confab with productive connections, stimulating discussions, and lots of both feel-good and nuts-and-bolts learning and sharing.

EXPECTATION: We anticipated that attendees would be energized and challenged by our featured presenters: Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Sarah Jones, Tony Award-winning playwright and performer, and Adrienne Boissy, chief experience officer at the Cleveland Clinic.

RESULT: Bryan’s personal and compelling call to get proximate, change the narrative, stay hopeful, and be uncomfortable stunned and motivated; Sarah’s stage performance poking at the conventions of philanthropy entertained and provoked; and Adrienne’s on-the-frontlines appeal for practicing empathy reminded us “to see and be seen.”

EXPECTATION: We planned to hear directly from beneficiaries demonstrating how the very act of asking for and listening to feedback empowers individuals and changes organizations.

RESULT: Welcoming nonprofit clients to our Gathering’s stage gave us an exciting opportunity to elevate the voices of those least heard. Thank you to Dora and Paula from ECHOS, a social-services organization in Houston, who told us what it’s like to be part of the feedback process, and Shannon, who learned about feedback loops as a client at the Center for Employment Opportunities and now uses them to hear from residents at his new community-housing job.

EXPECTATION: We looked forward to enjoying great food and the hospitality of the City of Houston.

RESULT: We did!

Many thanks to everyone who attended — and to all of you who remain interested in our work around #FeedbackEmpowers. Please see below for feedback on the Gathering and links to materials, presentations, videos, and photos that will give you a peek at what we learned and shared over the course of the event.