Building Your Network in a Rural Area - or - How to avoid shooting yourself in the foot

This guest post is from Chelsea Pennick, who is a young professional working in Montana and is the blogger behind New Voices in Conservation. I have always been impressed with how Chelsea builds her virtual and in-person networks and asked her to share some of her tips. From Chelsea:

Working for a foundation with national giving programs, I have the privilege of seeing what is happening in rural communities across America.  Working for a national foundation has helped me to grasp the common threads among the grassroots organizations in my field-their context, operating environment and unique challenges.  We have the additional privilege, in my opinion, of being one of a few foundations located in a small city in a very rural state.   Building my network here in Montana has been important, both professionally and personally.  Following are reflections on my experiences:

Rule 1: Don't Burn Your Bridges

So maybe this rule is universal.  But no where more so than in a rural area.  That intern that you supervised last semester and were glad to be rid of?  Just wait, they could be on the hiring committee for your next job.  The co-worker that you struggle with every time you have to work with them?  Don't tell them off in your 'I'm leaving this joint" elation--they could be friends with your new boss.  The degrees of separation are few to none.  Be ready to walk the fine line of being friends with your co-workers and bosses.  And if you're not friends, work on creating positive working relationships at least.

Rule 2: Relationships are Everything

Again, its nothing you haven't heard. But in a rural community, the next job you get is likely not even going to be in the paper--its going to come through your personal or professional network (which are the same thing-see Rule 1).   I'm not talking about your Linkedin Network (though I have one), I'm talking about your grocery-store-shopping, coffee- & beer-drinking, dentist and hair stylist, and maybe your mom-on-Facebook network.

Rule 3: Be Patient-Be Flexible

That ideal job you're after?  Sit down, get comfortable.  It could be awhile.  For that reason, it would do you good to be flexible.  Your career trajectory is not likely to mirror anything you see on TV or in the Movies.  Make the most of the job you have because you may be there for awhile--and rather than wasting all that good time, make the most of it. Look for every opportunity to learn a new skill, offer to help the folks in other departments, get on a board.  Better yet, work on getting on the board of the organization you want to work for.

If you are determined to move on from your current job-likely you will have to think a bit more broadly about what you are hoping to gain and the skills you want to develop.  This may mean working for a for-profit to gain sales skills that could be put to work as a development director or associate.

Rule 4: Learn to face your foes head-on

If you're the type to run away when conflicts arise, then rural living may not be for you.  Leaving your job when the heat rises is often not an option.  Instead, the lack of alternatives challenges you to face the situation head-on and try to figure out how to work through it.  I'm not saying this is the best practice every time, but when you get the initial urge to bolt, you might realize that the job you have is the only one in your field.  Now's the time to bone up on your conflict resolution and difficult conversation skills--they are good to have in your toolbox anywhere you live.

What lessons have you learned building your network?

Chelsea Pennick is Program Associate at the National Forest Foundation where she manages grantmaking programs and learning opportunities to build the capacity of organizations working to find collaborative solutions to natural resource issues.  She writes about her experiences living in a rural area and building her career in the community conservation movement on her blog at New Voices in Conservation.

What Would Google Do? Foundation Edition

I was so impressed by Marc Sirkin's thoughtful nonprofit analysis of Jeff Jarvis's book "What Would Google Do" that I thought I would take a crack at how the book applies to the foundation sector. Marc's summary of the book at its application to the nonprofit sector is dead on. From Marc:

If you haven't yet read the book, the basic premise is that Google fundamentally operates differently than traditional businesses by embracing concepts like abundance (as opposed to scarcity) along with open communication, collaboration and community. That's too simple an explanation, but to be honest, you should read this book anyway, so I'll skimp on that since I know you'll order it immediately!

In any case, those same traits and behaviors that Google uses are polar opposite of how many traditional non-profits operate. Like most traditional business models, many non-profits have are caught in an odd spot - it's clear that something big is happening, but there hasn't been a forcing function like Napster demolishing the music business for example that has created a need for massive, fundamental change. Unfortunately for many large non-profits, I believe it's about to happen and is going to really surprise and destroy a lot of well known and traditional institutions.

I think these same factors are also going to destroy the relevance of some foundations. Don't get me wrong, many ineffective foundations will continue to exists because the market doesn't weed out foundations that are not adding value to the community but some that embrace some of the values that Google has modeled will thrive during this time.  Here are some of the themes that are applicable to foundations:

Make mistakes well- Many Foundations are terrified at the thought of failure (i.e. wasting money), that they won't take the risks necessary to have real success. Using Google's model of beta testing, foundations could fund a series of pilot projects that are transparent and allow for critique of the foundation's theory of change and  process to access funds (application, length of time for grant process, additional technical support).

The masses are dead, long live the niches- Foundations with missions like "here to make our community a better place" are wasting impact and grantseekers time. Very few foundations are actually interested in receiving applications from nonprofits across the spectrum, they have an idea of the types of programs they would like to support but leave their guidelines vague so they have the option to support emerging needs in the community (or pet projects). By picking a specific area and maybe even tactics for the work they support, foundations would develop relationships in their field of interest and would develop an impressive knowledge base to find new solutions to the problems they are trying to address. Catering to the nonprofit masses only leads to mediocrity.

When presented with a problem simplify, organize, and make it all transparent- Foundations have access to amazing data about community problems and tried solutions. Distilling community problems to a more simplified problem statement, organizing all of the information the foundation has on that area, and making it available for all to see would move our sector closer to solutions.

Collaboration with customers- A key foundation customer is the grantee. What are we doing to collaborate with our nonprofit colleague? Mandatory training and paperwork is not what an effective collaboration is made from. How about open conversations about foundation and nonprofit challenges? Open relationships where both partner realizes they can't accomplish their goal with out the other?

The problems that we are facing together are too urgent for us to blindly hold on to old ways of doing this work. We need to let go of the processes and mindsets in our sector that are holding us back and think about how getting googlerific might help us bring innovation to our field.

How would you like to see foundations innovate or simplify?

Old Foundation, New Tricks pt. 2

My foundation continues to surprise me. It was announced today that RWJF has a YouTube channel. Not a regular YouTube surfer, I checked it out and it's mainly videos that have been produced about grantee work for promotion of the fantastic activities our grantees are doing. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/user/rwjfvideo and feel free to make comments. Maybe we'll get into the "top views" without the need for piano-playing cats...

Don't Go It Alone!

Attending the Council on Foundation's annual conference always reminds me how important it is to develop a strong professional network. The problems that we are tackling are bigger than any one foundation and it is only through our collective efforts that real change can occur. The days of foundations funding pilot projects that are fully funded by the government to move to scale are long gone. The  relationships that were built or renewed during the conference and during the exceptional pre-conference programs this year (the Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, Association of Black Foundation Executives, and COF's CEO and Trustee pre-summit were all wonderful this year) are critical for my ability to strengthen cutting-edge grantmaking in Minnesota. The reminder that I give to you and to myself is to not wait another year to renew those relationships. Pick up the phone, read a report from one of your colleague foundations, visit an interesting foundation when you  travel out of state. The conference is just a step, an opening of opportunity,  for the positive change we can create together.

Opportunities seized and lessons learned

Wow! Whoever coined the phrase “time flies” knew what they were talking about. As I write this, it’s been a few days since the end of my year-long internship with the Field Foundation and what a ride it has been! There were lots of hugs and cake to go around and I realized at that moment this was just one aspect of the job I would miss the most: The feeling of family. The small size of the foundation made it the ideal training ground for learning the field. Officially entering the field of philanthropy a year ago I realized how fortunate I was to be able to practice my craft immediately. Knowing how scarce jobs are in our field, the chance to be a program officer from day one was a blessing. I can’t begin to tell you how nervous I was those first few weeks—learning the ins and outs of program work (the organization’s capacity to carry out a program); analyzing a nonprofit’s finances (a surplus may preclude a case for funding-who knew?); arguing for or against funding support in our weekly staff meetings (which sometimes involved very vigorous dialogue); the site visits and the correct way to probe for the answers I need (what’s their sustainability plan for the program?). Not to mention speaking in defense of my grants at the first board meeting (which was nerve-wracking). As is my nature I over-prepared but everything turned out fine. By my third board meeting I was very much at ease.

It has been a robust and exhilarating learning experience. With that education came a comfort and rapport I established with my grantees (yes I will always consider them “my grantees”) which to this day I maintain. Some program officers out there may frown on this “too close for comfort” feeling but allowing myself to develop relationships with organizations facilitated my ability to do my job and do it well. I truly saw this as a partnership and collaboration. Treat others the way you want to be treated and you will never go wrong.

So, as I embark on the next rung of my career ladder (I have an interview scheduled with a major corporation in their philanthropy area), I need to thank the staff at the Field Foundation for their guidance, their nurturing and the confidence they instilled in me to be a better program officer. This truly was a “stretch assignment”. Because of this mentoring my executive director has spoiled me for any other boss! Wherever I land I’ll be okay.

Paulette Pierre is a Program Officer intern at The Field Foundation of Illinois. She has a graduate certificate in Non-Profit Management and Philanthropy from Loyola University and is currently pursuing her MA in Interdisciplinary Studies at DePaul University.