Don’t Go It Alone!

By: Trista Harris In: 2009 Annual Conference| Philanthropy

19 May 2009

[Editor's Note: We asked contributors for a final, reflective blog entry from the Atlanta conference. Here's what Trista had to say.]

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.

Trista Harris is executive director of the Headwaters Foundation for Justice. You can read her blog here.

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