The 2012 Florida Philanthropic Network Statewide Summit on Philanthropy theme came through very clear: The new social economy calls for new ways of thinking, connecting and communicating beyond the usual suspects. This concept is noble in theory, but in practice requires some major cultural and behavioral shifts.
Yesterday, FPN panelist Allison Fine, co-author of The Networked Nonprofit, called it “Network Weaving.”
At The Patterson Foundation, we call it building connective tissue to create new realities.
It requires that connecting is part of your daily activities – from new building relationships between sessions at conferences with other funders you’ve never met to seeking out creating relationships with local governments, community foundations and others.
That’s the offline component.
Then there’s connecting and conversing with people online – people your foundation can learn from, knowledge leaders who can inform your work (and don’t forget others who you may have the opportunity to partner with!)
Many thanks to The Patterson Foundation for its support of FPN’s 2012 Statewide Summit on Philanthropy. The “Network Weavers” concept was certainly one of my takeaways from the Summit. The concept highlights how foundations need to think and act differently in today’s new social economy in order to be most effective in their work.