You’re looking to develop your skills in a philanthropy career. What’s the best way to start?

Embarking on a philanthropic career in public administration means impactful change for communities. Start with education in public administration, nonprofit management, or philanthropy for foundational knowledge. Gain hands-on experience through internships and volunteer work. Network with industry professionals for mentorship and job opportunities. Stay updated on current affairs and cultivate traits like empathy and strategic thinking. Commit to lifelong learning and growth. By blending education, experience, networking, and personal development, aspiring philanthropy professionals can make a difference in society.

Creating outsized impact in the philanthropic world is all about leveraging your Ikigai effectively. Find what you, and only you, are world class at and apply that to the world’s problems. And if that Ikigai has an area that can be developed, then that’s where your personal goals should be created in.

Volunteer in the area you are interested in with a local or national organization. It will give you the chance to contribute as well as learn how the org operates.

Some ways to get started: *Identify a nonprofit organziation that is doing work you are passionate about and volunteer or start in an entry level position. Get to know the development team. They will be glad to have your assistance with events, mailings, phone calls, etc. *Join AFP or another networking group where you can meet people in the field. We love to help! *Sign up for a training. Start with the basics. If you can affort it, take the Principles and Techniques of Fundraising course from The Fundraising School from The Lilly School. It's amazing and will build your confidence. *Invite a development professional you respect to mentor you. Nothing beats one on one time with a seasoned pro. Have fun! It's a great career.

I don't think philanthropists are made, people are born with that edge to give with no expectation, give with a higher purpose in mind, give out of a passion for a cause, even give when it hurts. And not all philanthropists give out of their surplus of funds, resources, energy and time set aside for giving thus. Those are the ones that have a default setting of giving towards realizing that goal. Out of my concern for women (and men) struggling in dysfunctional marriages, I started offering strategic advice and direction to help resolve and recover. I'm in the process of setting up ENGAGEN, where generations engage, bringing about a meaningful interaction between orphans and the elderly, benefiting both. Clarity of purpose. Innate giving.

As someone who is mentored for over 25 years in the philanthropic sector; it never gets old. I continue to mentor people of color to choose this career of providing hope and solutions for our societal challenges, our environmental, and social system. And to those in the sector, career pathing is super important to grow to leadership! I also find that a good mentor truncates the learning process and provides a clearer pathway to success!

When I was first invited into the philanthropy world, a wise CEO connected me to a leader in the field. I traveled to meet with her on a monthly basis. The one-on-one time and ability to pick up the phone with questions was immeasurable.

Seek out someone whose career you truly admire, or someone who has reached their goals through different pathways, in my experience philanthropy is not a one size fits all profession, practically everyone has a different approach and you need to find a mentor - or two or three - who will help you see the entire horizon line and what's beyond that. I have had different mentors for different stages of my career - in academia, in the arts, and now in conservation. I seek out those who are thoughtfully engaged in strategy, who have years, if not decades, of experience, who are never agitated nor stressed, but rather, those who bring calm to the room. The flashiest and the showiest are not always the most successful.

Finding a mentor should not be too challenging and you don't have to formally ask for the mentor's permission. Seek someone whom you admire and want to emulate. I was fortunate to walk alongside esteemed colleagues and a president who were passionate, understood the mission, and were persistent through multiple channels. I try to mentor when given the opportunity since I fervently believe in the industry to transform lives. I urge career and professional development while making contributions to excellence.

In my 9 years of experience in the philanthropic sector, I have realized that the biggest drive to what you do is your heart. You can not be successful in your work if you are not able to put yourself in someone's shoes. That's how you bring solutions to the table, considering how others feel and wanting to make a change. Its accepting the different challenges faced by society and providing solutions.

Develop your skills in a philanthropy career to do what? Raise money? Give money? It depends. To become a professional fundraiser, I suggest you already have the skills and you've practiced them since childhood. How often did you ask caregivers for money? In addition to knowing the person and what motivated them to give, you had to use a bit of experimentation to craft a process that made your caregiver feel good about giving. Giving money is different. I suggest starting with reading Vu Le's work. He interrogates the hoop jumping grantees do to get funding from the full range (corporate, foundation, government, and individual) of donors. I also suggest reading about Mackenzie Scott's approach to giving.

If you want to learn your craft - you owe it to yourself to actually learn the craft - read and watch. online courses. If you read just 10 pages a day (15 - 20 minutes at most) you can read a professional book in a month. If you read the top 20 books in your field over a year or two you will learn as much as your peers do in 10 years.

All of these are wonderful suggestions and there are a variety of industry organizations which offer excellent insights into the fundamentals mentioned here (and more) but also into the trends which are also important to stay current. There are several Philanthropy Centers across the country which offer online (and in person) course and share valuable research data (Stanford, Lilly and Edyth Bush Institute to name a few). There are also a variety of organizations such as Advisors in Philanthropy , which is one of my favorites as they engage the multi-disciplines and can offer continuing education as well as a network.

Education and training are very important if you want to help people through philanthropy. While passion drives you, education guides you.Look for classes or online courses about giving to others, running charities, and keeping the environment safe. Knowing the ideas behind giving help wisely will prepare you to do good things. It's important to learn how to see if your help is really making things better. Good giving means not just giving things away but making sure they lead to real, lasting improvements. Learning how to check the results of your help will make you better at making a positive change.

In my experience developing new soft skills, strategic communication & new ways to achieve radical transparency with the use of resources are great complements of the philanthropic sector. We live on an era of accessible knowledge. We have a great opportunity to update, increase and acquire new skills, therefore the philanthropic sector isn’t just asking for money it’s the art of uniting people’s social passions with wonderful causes.

In my experience board service allows you the opportunity to learn about an organization and how it functions, gives you an intimate look into its vision and mission, and allows you the opportunity to solve problems with like minded individuals passionate about a particular field or subject matter. Within that board it’s several functions and committees you can join in order to increase your knowledge base and skill sets (ie governance, membership, executive leadership, finance, and etc). If taken seriously, you’ll have worked with and have access to a diverse group of thinkers, worked on problems and explored opportunities within an organization, and have new skills that are noteworthy

There are so many great ways to volunteer and get to know a non-profit you care about. Be aware they may also need your financial support too- but volunteering and making even a small gift will help you get to know the organization and the non-profit space better.

In my experience, certain fundraising skills can only be nutured over time and with experience and maturity. Therefore, volunteer or take entry-level jobs and listen, learn, and work your way up. I am mentoring a young man in fundraising, and although he has ten+ years experience in fundraising and he has needed ideas to improve the organization's fundraising program, his ideas aren't getting traction with leadership or the board. I gave him several pieces of advice: 1) you have to earn your right to be taken seriously, and often that means raising money; 2) learn to manage up, that is, manage your boss; and 3) unless you are your boss or board's peer, you will not be taken seriously until you earn their respect through success.

From my own journey, nothing has opened more doors for me than volunteering. I’ve discovered things I want to do, things I want to avoid, and things I want to explore further. Push beyond the bounds of the familiar and try something totally new. Enjoy!!!!

Interesting approach. Once you are clear about what motivates you and how you want to help, I recommend gaining practical experience as it is invaluable. Participate in volunteer work in NGOs or foundations, and look for opportunities to work on projects that align with your philanthropic interests is the first step. This direct experience will not only enrich your understanding of the sector but will also expand your network of contacts and sensitize you to the social environment, which will open up perspectives for you to later define your social strategy better.

Joining orgs like AFP, Apra, and NACGP offers a wealth of resources for those in philanthropy. They provide affordable education, a network of peers, and volunteer opportunities, enriching both personal growth and professional development. A must for anyone looking to thrive in this field.

There are many tracks. I would also recommend ACCP, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and joining training put on by your local community foundation. You can also find a lot of online communities! Be around other change makers!!

Attend Workshops and Conferences: Engage in workshops, seminars, and conferences related to philanthropy and fundraising. These events provide valuable insights into industry trends, best practices, and innovative strategies.

I gained valuable insights by joining one of the professional circles set up at my local United Way Chapter. Eventually, I was asked to chair the group and found it extremely rewarding. Likewise, my family set up a scholarship in memory of my eldest brother at the community foundation where I grew up. With the passing of my parents, I am now in charge of this special donor advised fund. In short, it is wonderful to contribute financially, but philanthropies also need volunteers to accomplish their important missions.

I mentioned some in the comment above but will share again as these can provide education and community: Advisors in Philanthropy and Philanthropy Centers such as Sanford PACS and Lilly as well as our regional Edyth Bush Institute. Additionally The American College of Financial Services offers a designation for Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy which covers all sectors and disciplines in 3 graduate level courses. Engaging with the CAP community is impactful and rewarding.

Define what you mean by philanthropy as a career choice. Do you want to be a fundraiser? An expert in Planned Giving? An advisor to wealthy families who specializes in philanthropy? An advisor to grantmakers? A consultant to charities? Each direction brings with it a particular body of knowledge and skills.

Want a career in philanthropy? Become a subject matter expert in the field of philanthropy itself. The history. The origins. The different areas--all the things that make it work. But also the trends. What's going to be happening in the future. Philanthropy has the greatest opportunity for profound change. You can experiment without the same risk of loss as in the private equity world. Those risks may lead to lasting change. But it takes those who understand the broad landscape!

Networking, networking, networking! Practice the art of conversation and meeting people. Be interested and interesting. Be inquisitive. Learn what others find joyous or their passions. This is a skill and needs to be constantly developed. People give to people and if you can build successful relationships you will bring in funding but will gain introductions too.

Work at the very best place you can. When I moved to Boston to start a career in philanthropy, someone in my network told me, “take any job at Harvard over any job anywhere else.” That’s what I did. I quickly got comfortable with much larger dollar figures than other places I might have worked.

Make certain you have your self-reflection skills up to date. A real professional philanthropist knows how to deal with the forces of paternalism and particularism that at the same time create the philanthropic energy but also open the door for misuse of philanthropic power. In practical sense be your own court jester