Community Foundations Converge in the Big Easy
I attended the AdNet, CommA, and ProNet Professional Networks for Community Foundation staff this week in New Orleans, which represents the first time these three professional peer network groups have convened together. This combined event clearly reflects the community foundation way of collaboration, leveraging resources, and convening like-minded individuals for the common good.
Over 300 community foundation professionals were in attendance, with nearly a hundred individuals attending their first event designed exclusively for community foundation professionals. These many new faces and first-conference goers are a reflection of the ever-evolving professional sector in community foundations due to retirements, natural turnover, and growth in staffing needs to manage the active role being played in community philanthropy today.
It's an exciting time for community philanthropy, and I felt this energy when meeting Council member, Gina Biohm from Greenville, SC, who is one and half years into her development role at the foundation. She recalled with enthusiasm her first experience with the Council on Foundation's conference attended back in 2014 in Cleveland where the Council celebrated the rich history of CFs and she was introduced to our diverse yet magnifying community foundation field and the variety of approach to our work in community philanthropy.
She hoped to gain new insights at AdNet Conference to enhance her tactics and learn, borrow, gain new ideas from CFs with similar staff structure. She had the keen perspective to recognize CFs are excellent alternatives to private foundations for families, and she was sharpening her case for this option by discussing with her colleagues.
It is gratifying for the Council on Foundations to be attending and participating in this engaging three day dialogue. These past three days naturally lend to what is in store for those coming to the Council's Annual Conference kicking off within hours of this one concluding. However, despite all the excitement for the content, enriched learning, and networking -- the real narrative of this event, just like the Annual Conference, boils down to the people attending.
The individuals come from all over the U.S. with diverse backgrounds and a host of skill sets and unique work experiences, but they all elect to give their passions and professional expertise to the rewarding work of community foundations. Each of these professionals are taking the time to share their knowledge, energy, and enthusiasm with peers in an effort to advance their collective efforts for donors, nonprofits, and community philanthropy. It is an honor to be among these talented leaders in making a lasting difference.
