The State of the Connecticut Nonprofit Sector 2005 Symposium
Summary of Comments and Evaluations

Total Evaluations Completed: 78

How did you hear about the Symposium?

• Internet/Email – 26
• Postcard – 16
• Brochure – 29
• Past Participant – 16
• Other – 7 (1,CAN and 1, CCP)

Registration Process

• Excellent – 35
• Very Good – 26
• Good – 11
• Fair – 2
• Poor – 4

Comments:

• My online registration did not register me!
• Next year – would like to use AMX for charging
• Since I did not choose to give my SS#, I had to call
• Some confusion about fee. Initially I thought it was free.
• Had to call.

Choice of Location

• Excellent – 36
• Very Good – 30
• Good – 9
• Fair – 3
• Poor – 0

Comments: Second year here. It’s too cold. Food was good.

Keynote Address: National Perspective on Changing Demographics

• Excellent – 57
• Very Good – 16
• Good – 3
• Fair – 0
• Poor – 0

Comments:

• Fascinating, pertinent, entertaining
• Wonderful!

CT Stakeholder Panel: Assessing Needs, Leveraging Strengths

• Excellent – 15
• Very Good – 30
• Good – 26
• Fair – 8
• Poor – 1

Comments:

• Good theoretical discussion, poor strategic planning
• Need more focus on solutions
• Missed having a legislator – she should have sent a backup
• Discussion reflects lack of understanding of the various sectors.

• Excellent – 14
• Very Good – 33
• Good – 25
• Fair – 4
• Poor – 1

Comments: Needed to be longer. More time!

Luncheon Speaker – Survey Results

• Excellent – 14
• Very Good – 25
• Good – 27
• Fair – 11
• Poor – 0

Overall Value of the Symposium

• Excellent – 16
• Very Good – 42
• Good – 17
• Fair – 1
• Poor – 1

Would You be Interested in Attending Future Programs if Held at UConn, Storrs?

• Yes – 55
• No – 17
• Maybe – 4

Comments:

• Interested in healthcare symposium
• More than a bit inaccessible
• What about UConn Stamford? My organization would be willing to co-sponsor
• But because of distance it would have to be highly correlated with my work.
• More center of state is preference
• Probably wouldn’t drive that far – midstate is better
• Too far - isolated
• Program more important than location but parking being
• convenient is a major factor.
• Program content would have to be excellent
• Contingent on topic

Comments and Suggestions

• Now what? Can we have a solution-focused symposium! The conference is deficit-based and not focusing on long-term strategy.
• Valuable info and nicely presented.
• Loved Bud. Lets’ have him back next year.
• This needs follow up in order to keep people’s interest and sense of connection in the future. Thanks.
• A lot of theory, ideas and goals were discussed by the panel. However, I found the discussion lacking in step by step, time-framed initiatives to structure andimplement real change on every level. Let’s stop funding studies and start funding action!
• Follow-up?
• Bud was excellent! Registration was confusing. As a small nonprofit that was troubled to spend the $99 I would have liked for my organization’s name to be correct. With that said the name is important so folks knew you took the time to come.
• Look into large-scale process techniques for bringing views of tables and overall group together.
• Comment next year on what had been worked on or accomplished from one symposium to the next. What are the next steps – where do we go from here to address the problems?
• It was extremely cold. (3 times)
• To connect Nonprofit, Business and Gov’t seems to be the key.- Nonprofit has many opportunities to develop this. This Symposium could have been a great opportunity!
• Thanks for addressing the women’s restroom issue!
• Not enough linkage between what was said and impact on implications for nonprofits.
• Make available a written document with the results of the symposium to use as a benchmark measurement tool and progress and/or benefits of this conference.
• Excellent presentation by the keynote speaker with raw data and anecdotal humor.
• Hope action – leadership for merging the 3 sectors in innovative ways will come out of the day
• We need to see the value in REAL Collaborations – there is so much resistance – Can you present case studies by funders & grantee with a Q & A session for them?
• More focused panel. Plenary session at end to identify several areas for future action
• Need next steps. Follow up. Suggest mailing of ideas gathered from tables to all attendees. Next year take this to the next step. Discuss results from last year or have folks make out a postcard to themselves to be mailed in 6mos/3 mos. What did you/your organization do to facilitate this process? On postcard attendees could jot 1 item they’re willing to do re: items discussed. When postcard mailed in 3 or 6 mos they can be included in the symposium without it being “just another conference.”
• More focus on action steps. Include legislator on panel
• Handouts of Bud’s presentation would have been great. Keep up the great job!
• More information on Illegal Immigrants and how they affect demographics in CT State and nonprofits working with them.
• Good information. A lot of unanswered questions – results questionable? Interest in testimonials in addition to data
• Too much emphasis on presentation. Allow for more interaction and I agree with the comment that many conferences are losing their value as topics are discussed, then little happens in any formal way regarding follow through
• Chris Barnes was great in connecting the Big Picture with actual/doable small picture items to accomplish.
• Look for common themes across the attendees – speak to the themes
• See attached comments from David Perrin, Perrin Family Foundation.