Do Good. Better. Conference
Developing the Faith and Skills to Solve Food Insecurity
March 13-14, 2025 | Provo, UT
Come join us to learn from renowned speakers who will share ideas and insights from their experiences - professionally and personally - in driving forward social impact. Ask questions of experts during the intimate, interactive panels. Be trained in key social impact skills as part of breakout workshops. Connect with students, partners, faculty, and alumni and enjoy a delicious lunch as we learn to Do Good. Better. Together.
Keynote Speaker
Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III
We are honored to present the 2025 Social Innovator of the Year award to Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III, who founded the Black Church Food Security Network which organizes Black farmers and churches to serve as food sources, hubs, and distributors to improve community health.
Join us Thursday evening, March 13, at 6 PM to hear from Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III, as he shares his faith-based approach to addressing food insecurity in his own community, while replicating an effective model across the country.
2025 Social Innovator of the Year
Thursday, March 13, 6:00 PM
Get Your Ticket!
Half-Price Early Bird registration available until February 20th.
*BYU Student registration opens February 21st.
Social Venture Pitching
Get invested in early-stage organizations trying to make a difference in the world by attending the live pitching competition and voting for your favorite idea.
Thursday March 13, 5:00 PM
BIG IDEA INTERVIEWS
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Engaging Faith Communities to Make an Impact
Friday, March 14, 10:00 AM
Addressing large issues requires cooperation, and a well-chosen network can become a powerful alliance. Find your role in engaging with faith communities to extend impact, whether you are a member of a faith community or a professional in the social sector.
Heather Bradbury Enterprise Executive, Strategic Partnerships, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Optimism Bias and Hope
Friday, March 14, 10:30 AM
What do you do when something goes wrong? Learn about how better understanding the psychology of hope and the concept of optimism bias can ensure more effective implementation and measurement of effectiveness in social impact interventions.
Curtis Child Professor of Sociology, Brigham Young University
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Link Between Food Security and Conflict
Friday, March 14, 11:00 AM Dangerously Hungry This report, published in 2023 by World Food Program USA, highlights three drivers of food insecurity–including conflict. Gain key humanitarian insights from conflict events around the world humanitarian, and what this means in light of ongoing calls to become peacemakers.
Rebecca Middleton Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer, World Food Program USA
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Harnessing Faith to Impact At-Risk Communities
Friday, March 14, 11:30 AM
How do we effectively apply principles of faith to better serve the community in physical and spiritual needs? Hear how Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III has continued to harness his faith to impact his community in Baltimore while inspiring action across the nation.
Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III Founder/Executive Director, Black Church Food Security Network
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Customize Your Conference Experience
Dive deeper into the topics that matter most to you. During the conference, you'll have the opportunity to attend two breakout sessions, each offering four unique options. If you’re looking for an inspiring, big-picture conversation, join our panel discussion featuring renowned leaders in social impact. If you prefer a hands-on approach, choose from three interactive workshops designed to equip you with practical skills to drive change.
With two breakout sessions in the schedule, you can mix and match—attend the panel in one session and a workshop in the other, or double down on skill-building! Spots are first come, first served, so explore your options and get ready to make the most of your experience.
SESSION 1
Friday, March 14, 1:30-2:30 PM
Recognize the actions embedded in doctrine and tradition, some unique and some found in all religions, that support those in need. Panelists include Bishop Phyllis Spiegel (Episcopalian Diocese of Utah), Rabbi Samuel Spector (Congregation Kol Ami), Honey Cross (LDS Humanitarian Division). Moderated by Mike McKay (BYU).
Tithes, Alms, and Offerings: The Role of Faith in Feeding the Poor
OPTION 1 - Panel
OPTION 2 - Workshop
Love the Problem with Research
Learn how to establish a 5-point framework to understand any social issue better by using secondary research. Led by Ballard Brief team.
OPTION 3 - Workshop
Compassion skills include empathy, communication, and decisiveness. Learn how to co-create solutions with those we aim to serve. Led by the Ballard Center Faith team.
Design the Change with Compassion
OPTION 4 - Workshop
Learn how to utilize vetting criteria and an organization’s theory of change to determine a well-aligned collaborative possibility. Led by Ballard Center Partnerships team.
Scale through Collaboration
SESSION 2
Friday, March 14, 2:30-3:30 PM
OPTION 1 - Panel
Effectively Connecting Individuals to Community Resources
Connect with community resource providers and learn how their services operate and how to best utilize what they offer to serve your community. Panelists include Karen McCandless and Gina Cornia.
OPTION 2 - Workshop
Love the Problem through Mapping
Learn how to use various mapping approaches and techniques to contextualize and clarify your social impact work. Led by the Ballard Center Do Good Better team.
OPTION 3 - Workshop
Evaluate through Measurement
Learn key impact indicators in order to evaluate and measure the impact of your social impact work. Led by the Ballard Center GoodMeasure team.
OPTION 4 - Workshop
Scale through Giving
Giving is a skill set. Mastery is built over a lifetime of small micro actions. Learn how you can experience the joy and fulfillment that comes with giving up close. Led by GrassRoots Giving.