Helping Civil Society Organizations

There has been incredible growth in the number of civil society (non-profit) organizations - more than 1 million today vs. 250,000 in 1980. These organizations control $1 trillion in assets and employ more than 20 million people. But many fall short in accountability, do not understand sound business practices and lack business skills.

The Office Depot Foundation recognizes that building capacity in the civil society sector can help to spur innovation and new ideas for addressing vital social issues. We are committed to pursuing these goals through a variety of strategies.

Weekend in Boca

In partnership with the Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the international consulting firm AccountAbility, the Office Depot Foundation assembled approximately 45 senior civil society organization executives, government officials, Chamber of Commerce leaders and others from across the United States in Boca Raton, Fla., in December 2007. The program included the "Corporate Community Investment Forum: South Florida," which was led by BCLC, and the Civil Society Leadership Symposium," facilitated by AccountAbility.

Key questions considered by the group that gathered for the three-day retreat included, "How can business, government and the civil society sector work together most effectively to spur community development?" and "What are the key issues facing civil society organizations in the 21st century - and what leadership strategies are required to address these issues successfully?" A white paper analyzing the findings is now available. Please click here to read the report.

The Corporate Community Investment Forum focused on two South Florida communities - Boca Raton and Delray Beach. Although they are neighbors, the two cities are quite distinct and have evolved differently in their approaches to community investment. As a follow-up, the BCLC created a Community Portal page in the Corporate Community Investment area of its website.

On this page, you will find an overview and more details about the Weekend in Boca, including a list of the participating organizations, photos and comments from the attendees.

In addition, you are invited to contribute to the ongoing, online conversation on the issues and topics discussed during the event as well as to provide input for the second Weekend in Boca, which is being planned for December 11-13, 2008.

Please join the conversation! To visit the page, click here.

Preparing Civil Society Organizations for Leadership

Click here to read the white paper, "Preparing Civil Society Organizations for Leadership," which encapsulates the themes and ideas discussed during the Office Depot Foundation's inaugural Weekend in Boca.