How can you network with philanthropy professionals at all stages of their career?

The real question starts with the end game and work backwards. I am sure you can chart who may be able to help you, who has expertise in that field to learn from, who would like to possibly join you and most of all who has the willingness and time to donate. There are endless Philanthropy paths - so workingout where you fit at the beginning will help and save you lots of time and effort. eg A HNW individual who has a focus on education isn't going to want to sponsor a hospital ward. Education which gov bodies can you reach out to, to get an understanding of where their goals and help is needed and apply it to them or your individual pathway. Have a clear plan on what your end goal is and start from there. Have the final story ready first

I often found starting out that individuals would recommend things and off I went trying to win at a suggestion. So, it's important to identify people that you can learn from, that can give you concrete methods, and are worth following. In the end, there are no magic tricks, just a great plan, a time table and what you follow. So, identify winners and build a relationship with them so that you can get the best advice. If you hear or see something you think would work, go find the person that made it happened. Not everything works, but this is so much better then running down the garden path only to find out it was a suggestion and not something that had worked. Imitation in fundraising is both admired and needed to save time.

Don't be afraid to reach out to other philanthropy professionals, especially if it is a cold outreach. While most are extremely busy and balancing a multitude of things they almost always will make some time in the future to talk, at least that has been my experience. Most people are in philanthropy because they care about the community they serve and are passionate about what they do therefore are eager to talk. I know I personally get excited when I get to discuss what I do with people who I either haven't talked to or haven't talked to in a while.

Giving is the crux of Networking. You gain by giving. Share what you know, connect people who you think will benefit from that connection. You will be surprised by how it comes back.

When networking, as in life, it is extremely important to grow and diversify who you interact with. Someone who is a person of color has a different experience and perspective than someone who is white and the same can be said for other disenfranchised communities such as the LGBTQ+ and differently abled communities. To truly be a philanthropic professional you need to understand and interact with these, and other minority, communities on a regular basis and be open to what they say and willing to adapt to challenges they present.

I wish there was a way to connect with college sophomores to encourage them to seek non-profit sector employment/service and joining as staff with philanthropic leaders and organizations. Engaging with college students would be a form of networking and should be beyond Ivy League elite institutions. And, the "experts" might learn new insights from the demographically rich and diverse body of students, including working class students and those from financially poor backgrounds of all races and ethnicities. Conversations, when listening is engaged, can change lives. Sue Kozel

Join a development networking group! Many have mentoring programs and allow you to meet others at various stages in their careers.

Professional relationships aren’t, by default, friendships. It’s okay to maintain a good professional relationship that is more about liking eachothers’ LinkedIn articles and going for coffee than sharing your children’s baby pictures and meeting eachothers’ spouses. Remember that it’s not inauthentic to hold a close professional relationship as simply that. But, of course, sometimes you become friends, too!