

Schedule
Keynote: Scaling Philanthropic Giving to Sustainable Development
Join Marcos Neto, Director of UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub and Karen Kardos, Global Head of Philanthropic Advisory at Citi Private Bank for a fireside chat about successes to date and the challenges ahead as we work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our speakers will share examples of how philanthropists, foundations, and other grantmakers can work with the private sector to deliver innovative solutions for achieving the SDGs by 2030.

Marcos Athias Neto
Marcos Neto is Director of UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub. With more than 25 years’ experience in development finance and private-sector development, Marcos leads UNDP’s work on sustainable finance in more than 140 countries in collaboration with other UN agencies and partners.
Head of the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group Secretariat, Marcos also co-chairs the executive boards of the Business Call to Action and the Connecting Business Initiative. Apart from his role at UNDP, Marcos is on the Supervisory Board of CARE International.
Prior to joining UNDP, Marcos served at CARE International for 17 years, in roles including Regional Manager for Asia and Latin America at CARE UK, Executive Director of CARE Brasil, and Program Director for Central America.
A lawyer by training, Marcos holds a Master of Laws degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. He is a passionate advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Karen Kardos
Karen Kardos is a Director at Citi Private Bank and Global Head of Philanthropic Advisory. She advises families, foundations, and endowments on their philanthropic strategic development and best practices to meet their philanthropic goals.
Prior to joining Citi, Karen spent 17 years with Geller & Co., and since 2007, served as the Director of Finance and Philanthropic Operations for a private foundation in their multifamily office practice. Her experience includes not only advising clients on their philanthropic giving strategies; she is also well versed in private foundation finance, operations, grants management, governance, and compliance. She has extensive experience working with ulta hgh net worth individuals on their personal charitable giving, charitable giving through donor advised funds, and political giving.
Karen is a 21/64 Certified Multigenerational Advisor. She is a member of the Planned Giving Council at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, a Coalition Building Partner for the Generosity Commission, and a member of the Finance Council, and volunteer at her local parish.
Karen received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Binghamton University. She resides in New York City with her family.

Each year, the International Grantmaking Symposium hosts a mix of sessions and panels that provide young professionals and industry leaders alike with a valuable learning experience. This year’s sessions continue this tradition by exploring the fundamentals of international grantmaking along with the latest trends and topics within the sector.
Below we have included this year's Schedule at a Glance. In the coming weeks we will announce more information and speakers for each session. All session subject to change.
Tuesday, November 7, 2023

9:45–10:00 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Remarks
10:00–11:00 a.m.
KEYNOTE SESSION
Scaling Private Philanthropic Giving in Sustainable Development
Marcos Neto, Director of Sustainable Finance Hub | UNDP
Karen Kardos, Global Head of Philanthropic Advisory | Citi Private Bank
Join Marcos Neto, Director of UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub, and Karen Kardos, Global Head of Philanthropic Advisory at Citi Private Bank, for a fireside chat about successes to date and the challenges ahead as we work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our speakers will share examples of how philanthropists, foundations, and other grantmakers can work with the private sector to deliver innovative solutions for achieving the SDGs by 2030.
11:00–11:15 a.m.
Coffee and Networking
11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Partnership for the SDGs: How Grantmakers Can Collaborate for Greater Impact
12:30–1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30–2:30 p.m.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Achieving Thematic Development Outcomes: Localizing Grantmaking and the SDGs at the Country Level
Deepika Reddy Allana, Program Manager | Freedom Fund
2:30–3:15 p.m.
STRATEGIC GRANTMAKING FOR DISASTER RESPONSE
Building Resilience: The Role of International Development as Vulnerable Populations Experience Compounding Humanitarian Crises and Climate Change Disasters
Laetitia Courtois, Head of New York Delegation | International Committee of the Red Cross
3:15–3:30 p.m.
Break
3:30–5:00 p.m.
GRANTMAKING FUNDAMENTALS
Establishing Eligibility: Equivalency Determination and Expenditure Responsibility
Maura Whelan, Senior Counsel | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Kevin Roe, Counsel | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
5:00–5:15 p.m.
Day 1 Closing Remarks
6:30–8:30 p.m.
DINNER AND RECEPTION
CAF America’s 2023 SDG Report
Join CAF America President and CEO, Ted Hart, and Board Chair, Char Mollison, for dinner, drinks, and a discussion of the findings from CAF America’s latest report on the SDGs and international grantmaking.
Wednesday, November 8, 2023

9:00–9:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks
9:15–10:15 a.m.
GRANTMAKING FUNDAMENTALS
Updates and Considerations for Cross-Border Grantmaking
Jessie Krafft, Senior Vice President | CAF America
10:15–11:00 a.m.
GRANTMAKING FUNDAMENTALS
Applied Cross-Border Giving Mechanisms: Complex Case Workshop
Kelsey McCarthy, Senior Director of Donor Services | CAF America
11:00–11:15 a.m.
Coffee and Networking
11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
GRANTMAKING FUNDAMENTALS
Compliance and Risk Mitigation in Grantmaking: Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-bribery, and Anti-terrorism
Glenn Mills, Vice President of Risk Management, Compliance, and Data Privacy, | CAF America
12:00–1:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:00–2:00 p.m.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Measurement for the SDGs: An Introduction to the SDG Impact Standards and Applications for Grantmakers
2:00–2:15 p.m.
Day 2 Closing Remarks
2:30–5:00 p.m.
SITE VISIT
Site Visit - United Nations Headquarters
Join CAF America and your fellow IGS delegates on a private tour of the United Nations just a short walk (or drive) away from the conference venue.
