Thank you for your interest in participating in the Monmouth & Ocean County Funders Roundtable (MORF) Speed Networking event. This toolkit will help you prepare to make the most impactful use of your time to the nonprofits you meet. You can click on the link above, on the dates below, or at the bottom of this page to officially register. Check out this gatheround video prior to the event to ensure you will be technologically ready to participate.
Date and Time:
November 3, 2025 from 3:00pm-4:30pm
Event Format:
Check out this gatheround video prior to the event to ensure you will be technologically ready to participate.
– Welcome and Overview: 10 minutes
– Ice Breaker Practice Round: 5 minutes
– Two 15 minute spurts in breakout rooms and 2 minute break in-between: 32 minutes – this includes quick 2 min intros, 10 minute share, 3 min questions
– Break: 5 minutes
– Two 15 minute spurts in breakout rooms and 2 minute break in-between: 32 minutes – this includes quick 2 min intros, 10 minute share, 3 min questions
– Closing: 6 minutes
Philanthropy Responsibilities:
1. Sign up for the speed networking event.
2. Preview list of organizations in advance, check out websites, mission statements, and note any questions you might have, etc.
3. Schedule time in advance on your next team meeting agenda, or schedule a dedicated meeting, to share back information with to your team about the organizations you met.
4. Day of: Participate fully, listen to groups, and take notes.
5. Remember the groups you met with for future opportunities with your philanthropic institution.
6. Extra mile: share information about the organizations you met with to funders outside of your philanthropic organization; make personal introductions to other potential funders in meetings or over a meal; follow up with the organizations and stay in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How many nonprofit organization are participating?
At the most, each funder will meet with 4 different nonprofits for 15 minutes each during the networking event. The number of slots for participating nonprofit organizations is based on the number of philanthropic staff and trustees who volunteer.
2. Who can participate from our foundation?
Share the opportunity with staff, trustees, advisory board members, etc. Even if the volunteers are outside of typical grant making in your organization, they can bring the information back to the team.
3. What platform will we be using?
We’ll be using gatheround. Check out this gatheround video prior to the event to ensure you will be technologically ready to participate.
4. How are nonprofits registering?
A registration link will be made available for nonprofit organizations to sign up in advance. Once we know the number of philanthropic volunteers participating, we will know how many nonprofits can participate.
5. How many nonprofits / where are they from?
Once we know the number of philanthropic volunteers participating, we will know how many nonprofits can participate. Since the event is hosted by MORF, the nonprofits will be focused on the Ocean and Monmouth County area.
6. Am I expected to fund the groups we meet with? Am I supposed to follow up with any of the groups?
In a perfect world, yes – it would be amazing if funders meet new groups and immediate make a funding decision to support the group. However, with grant cycles and various processes, we know that is not possible for many philanthropic orgs. We will be clear with nonprofit organizations that there is no guarantee of funding or funding availability now or in the future.
We do ask that participating funders put forth an effort to be good stewards by:
– Previewing list of organizations in advance, check out websites, mission statements, and note any questions you might have, etc.
– Scheduling time in advance on your next team meeting agenda, or schedule a dedicated meeting, to share back information with to your team about the organizations you met.
– Day of: Participate fully, listen to groups, and take notes.
– Remember the groups you met with for future opportunities with your philanthropic institution.
– Extra mile: share information about the organizations you met with to funders outside of your philanthropic organization; make personal introductions to other potential funders in meetings or over a meal; follow up with the organizations and stay in touch.
REGISTER
If you would like to participate as a philanthropist in this networking event, please click here to sign up.
Downloadables
– Download a flyer to share with your team
– Download a letter inviting your team members to participate (please feel free to edit this as best fits your organization)