By Hanh Le, Exponent Philanthropy
The past weeks in DC have been big ones for philanthropoids, or those of us who work for philanthropic organizations. There were conferences by Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Council on Foundations (COF), Joint Affinity Groups (JAG)…
Conferences are a worthwhile part of our work, but, after being out and about on the conference circuit, I find myself back in my office with a pile of paper, a head full of ideas, and an overflowing email inbox. Guess which one screams loudest for my attention? It’s hard to resist the call of email, so I do my best to stay on top of urgent emails while I’m out. That helps ensure I can dedicate that important time right afterward to following-up on ideas, actions, and connections that proliferate at good conferences.
Soon after returning to the office last week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Exponent Philanthropy’s Member Services Committee. It was fortuitous timing, as this seasoned group of conference attendees generously shared their tips for maximizing the experience when out and about at conferences.
On planning ahead
- Dana Karlsson Campion of the Cedar Tree Foundation in Boston proactively builds conferences into her work plan, including a block of time immediately after each conference to follow up on action items that emerge during the conference.
On being in the moment
- Lindsay Matush of Brown Sisters Foundation near St. Louis, Missouri, creates a plan of action during the conference. In sessions, as she takes notes, she writes an “A” next to action items. When she gets business cards, she writes notes on the back of them, noting memorable conversation points and any “As” required.
- Scott Gelzer of The Faye McBeath Foundation in Milwaukee appreciates and takes advantage of sessions where trainers include time and space for personal action planning. (Session designers, take note!)
On following up
- Scott also uses his post-conference travel time on a plane or train home to make a short list of things he needs to do, particularly planning appointments with people within 24 hours of the conference. He finds that after three or more days, energy tends to fade.
- Shirish Dayal of Tarsadia Foundation in Newport Beach, California, prioritizes the top three things he wants to transact on (e.g., connections, action items). He also works to communicate or set up a time to talk with connections within 24-48 hours.
On sharing the knowledge
- Marty Fluharty of The Americana Foundation in Novi, Michigan, develops and presents a report to her board on conference highlights and includes a list of additional materials for trustees to reference.
What are some things you do to maximize your conference experience – before, during, and after?
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Chief Program Officer Hanh Le leads our Programs and Services Team in guiding, connecting, championing, and elevating philanthropy with few or no staff. She has directed training, grant, and technical assistance programs for KaBOOM!, Community Technology Centers’ Network, and Peace Corps. Passionate about collaborative impact and community, Hanh helped launch the DC-area’s first Asian American giving circle, the Cherry Blossom Giving Circle. Follow Hanh on Twitter @HanhLeDC and Exponent Philanthropy @exponentphil.
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