National Gathering - Slow Money

<< Slow Money Website

Program

The program of Slow Money National Gatherings integrates internationally recognized thought leadership, next generation social entrepreneurship, and an environment that fosters shared learning across the full spectrum of backgrounds—from the most sophisticated financiers to individual investors, from farmers to food entrepreneurs.

Given the centrality of food to our mission, all meals feature the best offerings of local organic purveyors. Meals are generously scheduled to offer as much time as possible for food to be enjoyed and for a bit of the conviviality of the table to be experienced.

The program also includes elements of film, music, and Meet the Author sessions, because fixing the economy from the ground up is not only a financial activity, but also a cultural one.

WELCOME!

All plenary sessions were streamed live at: www.slowmoney.org

To order your own audio or video recordings of individual sessions or the whole event, click here.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
8:00 am	REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
9:00 am	OPENING REMARKS Woody Tasch
9:45 am	KEYNOTE Wes Jackson
10:45 am	SCHEDULED BREAK
11:15 am	KEYNOTE Leslie Christian
11:45 am	LUNCH
1:30 pm	BREAKOUT SESSIONS Featuring case studies, education, best practices, and more (see below)
2:45 pm	SCHEDULED BREAK
3:15 pm	KEYNOTE Matt Flannery
3:45 pm	SCHEDULED BREAK
4:00 pm	TOWN HALL MEETING Roundtable Discussion with Wes Jackson, Leslie Christian, Tom Steyer, Matt Flannery of Kiva.org, and Paul Muller. Moderated by Simran Sethi. Simran Sethi Wes Jackson Leslie Christian Matt Flannery Tom Steyer Paul Muller
5:30 pm	OPENING RECEPTION Food, music, and networking Showcasing local selections from Bi-Rite Grocery and Catering
Thursday, October 13, 2011
8:00 am	REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
9:00 am	WELCOME MESSAGE Cathy Berry
9:05 am	SPECIAL ADDRESS Melissa Bradley
9:30 am	ENTREPRENEUR SHOWCASE Two dozen food entrepreneurs from across the United States, selected by members of the Slow Money network, for the quality of their vision and their business acumen, present investment opportunities. See: http://www.slowmoney.org/national-gathering/showcase.php
1:00 pm	LUNCH
1:45 pm	FILM Sonatas of the Soil: 3 short films Presented by the film-maker Deborah Koons Garcia. Room: FIREHOUSE
2:45 pm	FILM Food For Change Presented by the film-maker, Steve Alves
3:15 pm	BREAKOUT SESSIONS Featuring case studies, education, best practices and more (see below)
4:30 pm	SCHEDULED BREAK
5:00 pm	TOWN HALL MEETING Slow Money in Action Slow Money leaders from the U.S. and Europe share their experience organizing Slow Money investment at the local level. Bonnie Rukin Tim Crosby Grant Abert Judson Berkey Carol Peppe Hewitt Arno Hesse
6:00 pm	SPECIAL ADDRESS David Montgomery
6:30 pm	MUSICAL INTERLUDE Lindsay Mac
7:00 pm	FARM-TO-TABLE DINNER A sit-down celebration of all that we have come together to support, catered by the award winning Back to Earth Organic Catering (opt-in at registration)
Friday, October 14, 2011
8:00 am	REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
9:00 am	OPENING REMARKS Woody Tasch
9:05 am	SPECIAL ADDRESS Chris Martenson
9:25 am	SPECIAL ADDRESS Rob Davenport
9:45 am	SCHEDULED BREAK
10:15 am	BREAKOUT SESSIONS Featuring case studies, education, best practices and more (see below)
10:15 am	SLOW MONEY ANNUAL MEETING Slow Money Annual Meeting: report from the Chairman, regional reports, membership campaign, and other governance matters
11:30 am	SCHEDULED BREAK
11:45 am	BREAKOUT SESSIONS Featuring case studies, education, best practices and more (see below)
11:45 am	SLOW MONEY ANNUAL MEETING (continued)
1:00 pm	LUNCH Includes OPEN SPACE breakout session, arranged on site by participants
1:45 pm	FILM The Last Crop Presented by the film-maker, Chuck Shultz. BLDG A, GOLDEN GATE ROOM.
1:45 pm	FILM Food Forward TV Presented by the film-maker, Greg Roden. BLDG A, GOLDEN GATE ROOM
1:45 pm	FILM Bonsai People - The Vision of Muhammad Yunus Presented by the film-maker, Holly Mosher. Room: FIREHOUSE
3:00 pm	SPECIAL ADDRESS Winona LaDuke
3:20 pm	SPECIAL ADDRESS David Orr
4:00 pm	CLOSING TOWN HALL MEETING Engagement & Reflection A Quaker-style session of reflection and discussion, bringing forward the vision and values that have brought us together. Moderator: Woody Tasch
Breakout Sessions - Wednesday, October 12, 2011
1:30 pm	Investing in Small Food Enterprises How To Marco Vangelisti Narendra Varma Ari Derfel Carol Peppe Hewitt
1:30 pm	Slow Money Case Studies Slow Money regional leaders discuss their work. Kelly Childs Michael Brownlee Scott Collier Derek Denckla
1:30 pm	Mission-Related Investing Strategies for foundations to invest in small food enterprises. Stuart Davidson Jeff Rosen Elena Pons Taryn Goodman
1:30 pm	Financial Planning and Slow Money Where does Slow Money fit in your portfolio? Four investment managers give their perspective on Slow Money Eric Becker Wendy Holding Matt Patsky Patricia Farrar-Rivas
1:30 pm	Food Sheds Hear from three leaders who are mapping local food and heightening public awareness about food sheds and sustainability. Gary Nabhan Sibella Kraus Anthony Nicalo Michael Dimock
1:30 pm	Sky Trust and Soil Trust: New Intermediation that Protects the Commons Peter Barnes has been one of the most innovative thinkers about strategies of financial intermediation that can preserve the commons. To his concepts of a Sky Trust, Slow Money now adds the idea of a Soil Trust. In this session, Peter and Slow Money's Woody Tasch will share their ideas for steering meaningful financial resources towards preservation of the commons. Peter Barnes Woody Tasch
1:30 pm	The Future of Money Local currencies represent the ultimate alternative to globalization. This panel will explore the role of local currencies in rebuilding local economies. Chris Lindstrom Katrina Scotto di Carlo Bradley Roulston Arno Hesse Jon Underwood
1:30 pm	A Fundraising 101 Primer For entrepreneurs who are new to venture financing. This session will cover the basics, including Business Plan, financial projections, and legal structure. Julia Shanks John Friedman
Breakout Sessions - Thursday, October 13, 2011
3:15 pm	Slow Money Case Studies Hear from two entrepreneurs who have received Slow Money and two Slow Money investors. Narendra Varma Mason Arnold Amber Lambke Cathy Berry
3:15 pm	Local Food Systems Studies of local food systems in Ohio and Vermont are receiving national recognition, promoting policy initiatives and new strategies for supporting small food enterprises. Ellen Kahler Leslie Schaller
3:15 pm	New Slow Money Funds Jeff Rosen Janice St. Onge Craig Wichner David Wolf
3:15 pm	Giving Something Back New visions of corporate philanthropy. Janie Hoffman Rebecca Calahan Klein Alma Azarcon
3:15 pm	Slow Money Circle A follow-up session for investors who want to discuss some of the small food enterprises that presented in the Entrepreneur Showcase. Woody Tasch
3:15 pm	Seizing the Moment: Sister NGOs Work to Free Food System from Wall Street by Engaging Main Street Three activist leaders talk about what works to create community capital that is transforming food systems and how the Wall Street occupation and other conditions will shape their future work. Anna Smith-Clark Michael Dimock Alicia Harvie Michelle Long
3:15 pm	Philanthropy and Food Systems Foundations are increasingly looking for new ways to use their resources to rebuild local food systems. Hear from three leading food system funders about their latest initiatives. Oran Hesterman Susan Clark John Fisk
3:15 pm	No Small Potatoes Slow Money Maine launched No Small Potatoes Investment Club. Slow Money Austin is also in the process of launching an investment club. How do they work? Scott Collier Linzee Weld
3:15 pm	Show Me the Money Capital Opportunities for Businesses. Entrepreneurs have more financing options than ever before to raise capital for our businesses. But how can we choose which are a good fit for our businesses if we don’t know that half of them exist, much less how they work? In this session, finance industry experts will paint a picture of the ever-evolving capital markets landscape, identifying the many financing options available, from local versions of traditional debt and equity, to newfangled revenue sharing and crowdfunding models, and beyond. Designed for entrepreneurs seeking capital. Ari Derfel Elizabeth Ü Jenny Kassan
Breakout Sessions - Friday, October 14, 2011
10:15 am	Trees Sir Albert Howard, widely known as the father of organic agriculture, advocated studying the forest in order to farm like the forest. He devoted the last half of his career to understanding that end, presaging those contemporary ecologists who advocate the understanding of the interface between ecology and agriculture. In this session, Connie Best and Bettina von Hagen present investment options in sustainable forestry and explain strategies for monetizing ecosystems services. Connie Best Bettina von Hagen
10:15 am	Slow Money Annual Meeting: Report from the Chairman, regional reports, membership campaign, and other governance matters (Part 1) Woody Tasch
10:15 am	Chris Martenson Go deeper with Chris Martenson on strategies for investing in the 21st Century. Chris Martenson
10:15 am	Co-ops and the New Food Economy Co-ops have long played an important role connecting producers, consumers, and investors in sustainable food enterprises. Participants in four leading co-ops share lessons learned and visions for the future. Daniel Fireside Paul Cultrera Gage Stueve Jessica Prentice
10:15 am	Meet the Authors Amy Cortese Oran Hesterman Gary Nabhan
10:15 am	Building Tomorrow’s Local Food Systems Next generation food entrepreneurs share their vision and experience. Brahm Ahmadi Nikhil Arora Paula Somoza Manalo Leah Cook
10:15 am	Local Investing Place-based strategies and the future of social investing. Leslie Christian Don Shaffer Joel Solomon
10:15 am	CSAs: Is it capitalism? Is it socialism? The role of community supported agriculture and local food systems. Is the rapid growth of CSAs over the past decade pointing towards a larger role in the food system? Guillermo Payet Rebecca Calahan Klein Kathryn Lyddan Thomas Nelson
10:15 am	Compost vs. NPK Companies that are Building the Soil. Teddy Stray Jack Chambers Will Bakx
11:45 am	Local Stock Exchanges LanX (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), the Hawaii exchange, and Toronto’s Social Venture Network are designing and implementing new ways to support the flow of local investment. Trex Proffitt David Fisher Amy Cortese Adam Spence
11:45 am	Preserving Farmland Can significant new sources of capital, both for-profit and non-profit, be mobilized? Constance Washburn Craig Wichner Ralph Grossi Jim Oldham
11:45 am	Mission Markets An in-depth look at this innovative marketplace that connects investors, issuers and environmental credit buyers and sellers within the impact and sustainable capital markets. Steve Rocco Rob Thomas
11:45 am	Slow Money Annual Meeting: Report from the Chairman, regional reports, membership campaign, and other governance matters (Part 2) Woody Tasch
11:45 am	Midwifing a Slow Money Industry: A Closer Look at the Biochar Industry This participatory workshop will explore the biochar industry and its potential as an a Slow Money industry. The expertise of the attendees will be drawn upon to explore solutions to key barriers to the sustainable growth of biochar and its implementation within local food ecosystems. Lopa Brunjes
11:45 am	Meet the Authors Nate Downey Kate Levinson Jessica Prentice
11:45 am	Life in the Soil Billions of micro-organisms live in a gram of topsoil. This session will offer an introduction into the mystery and beauty of soil ecology. Dennis Dierks Carl Rosato Ian Davidson
11:45 am	Public Policy and Local Food Systems Initiatives at the state and federal level supporting the preservation and restoration of local food systems Glenda Humiston Michael Dimock Jim Slama
11:45 am	From Food Access to Food Commerce Challenge to Opportunity Oran Hesterman Michel Nischan John Fisk

Our Venue: Fort Mason

2nd National Gathering, Vermont, 2010

3rd National Gathering Showcase

30 featured entrepreneurs like Mason Arnold from Greenling are rebuilding the economy, one small food enterprise at a time.

Inaugural National Gathering, Santa Fe, 2009

2nd National Gathering, Vermont, 2010

What folks are saying:

“Tremendously important and timely.”

– Wayne Silby, Founder,
Calvert Social Investment Fund

"It brings tears to my eyes."

– Jim Baird,
Baird Orchards

"The beginning of a movement."

– Triple Pundit

"Instrumental and transformative – we raised money and much more."

– Janie Hoffman, Founder and CEO
Mamma Chia

"Slow Money is critical to the future of social investing."

– Robert Zevin, often called
"the father of social investing."

Another voice:

“I've attended countless conferences and seminars over the years, but it was not until I was under the Slow Money tent at Shelburne Farms that I found the community of individuals with whom I can truly connect and actually get something done! It was all there: from macro to micro, from climate change to soil fertility, from venture investing to philanthropic investing. The quality of the attendees was remarkable. I'm already collaborating with one of them on investing in farmland near where I live.”

– Leslie Barclay, Angel Investor,
Round The Bend Farm