Millennium Communications Group

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Millennium is a strategy consulting firm that serves individual foundations, nonprofits, and membership associations. It is also the home base for its principal, Marcia Sharp, a frequent speaker, writer and general provocateur on the nonprofit scene.

We have built this site for two reasons.

The first is to share the knowledge and resources that Sharp and Millennium have developed in building nonprofit organizations that are ambitious, responsive and thriving.
The second is to provide basic information about both Sharp and Millennium, who we work with, and what kinds of assignments we take on.

What's New From Millennium: 2009 Year in Review

Asset meltdown...anxious nonprofits...resource challenges everywhere...big lifestyle changes.

More foundation interest in public policy....getting more power from networking... building allies and ambassadors for philanthropy... sharpening strategy in real time... mapping how communications can “supercharge” foundations’ work...

These are some of the challenges and opportunities that have kept me and Millennium busy in 2009. All in all, a hard year for our sector. But not all bad. The “new normal” suggests some important ways that foundations and nonprofit organizations can work better -- and better together -- over the next decade.

Some of the most interesting 2009 work:

Developed “What Do We Say?” a special “quick response” program to help foundation leaders reach out to anxious grantees during the asset free fall in the first quarter of 2009. What Do We Say was broadcast as a webinar for member foundations of more than 15 Regional Associations of Grantmakers around the country.
Developed and led a Board leadership retreat for Florida Philanthropic Network. a fast growing regional association. FPN aims to increase philanthropy’s role in Florida’s state policy development; the retreat helped to set clear and time-sensitive priorities for 2009-2010.
Explored how 18 major US foundations are using communications to boost their policy work, in a study conducted for the Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy at the University of Southern California; look for the report in early 2010.
Facilitated a special think tank for Young Judaea, a youth organization buffeted by both changing lifestyle patterns in the young people it serves, and the Madoff scandal.
Guided the strategic planning process for the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers that maps the strategy for building the nationwide Forum network over the next three years.
Developed “Outreach 2010,” a partnership of the Philanthropy Awareness Initiative (PAI), Millennium, and three regional associations, to create a leadership seminar for foundation CEO’s and trustees on building relationships with community leaders, and test the potential of a Regional Association/PAI partnership to expand this work across the country.

Good Holidays, Happy New Year, and may 2010 be a year of recovery, agility, and opportunity!