By Nikki Hilgert, Exponent Philanthropy

Involving youth in site visits gives a whole new energy to the process for everyone involved. Plus, nonprofits say that young people often ask the best questions on site visits.

As with any new experience, preparation is key to successful site visits with youth—and conversation about an upcoming site visit is one great way to prepare. Recently, Annie Hernandez of Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation modeled a helpful dialogue about site visits with two teen philanthropists: Sarah Saltzman and Luke Sturtz.

The dialogue that follows was based on an exercise in our new Teen Philanthropy Café reader Thoughtful Site Visits.

Read more from Annie, Sarah, and Luke in the recent post “5 Ways to Involve Youth in Philanthropy”

What are some personal reasons you may have for visiting a nonprofit? What would you like to learn?

Luke: One reason is to get a feel for who the people are you’re working with. One-on-one interaction adds so much more value than reviewing a proposal on paper.

What are some skills or information you can gain from site visits?

Sarah: Being able to ask thoughtful questions and articulate what you’re curious about is a crucial life skill. Even in casual conversation, it’s important to be able to ask intelligent questions and maintain conversation with new people. I was shaky in this area when starting to go on site visits, and have improved.

It’s been fun watching your growth. At first, I was inviting you to ask questions and now you’re taking ownership and leading the questioning. This new skill will help you to better determine if an organization is indeed one you’re willing to support through grantmaking. 

Does anything feel uncomfortable to you about going on a site visit?

Luke: I’m uncomfortable thinking that I might be a burden to the nonprofit. They may have better things to do, and a site visit will take up their limited time.

Any advice for Luke?

Sarah: This is a totally valid concern, and it’s actually addressed in the reader. Most nonprofits don’t have free time to shell out, so what you can do is make sure the visit is necessary and adds value to your review process. If you determine it’s useful, then it’s mutually beneficial. You learn about them, and they have the opportunity to present themselves honestly and realistically. Be kind, be understanding, and recognize the visit is for both of you.

Sarah, what makes you uncomfortable on a site visit?

Sarah: I can easily get very uncomfortable in social situations, even within my own peer group. Going to a new place with new people and asking questions has been a source of discomfort on a few site visits.

Advice for Sarah?

Luke: The first thing is to anticipate that you’ll be uncomfortable. That way, you can prepare and write questions ahead of time. Having a written framework in place can help ensure you don’t freeze up or forget your questions.

Check out all our Teen Philanthropy Café readers, a 7-part series to introduce young people to strategic, thoughtful philanthropy. The project is a partnership of Exponent Philanthropy and Youth Philanthropy Connect, with funding by the Frieda C. Fox Family Foundation. 

• Grantmaking
• Collaboration in Philanthropy
• The Path to Impact
• Leadership for a Changing World
• The Nonprofit Universe
• Thoughtful Site Visits
• Using Your Voice

Download the complete series (.ZIP)
Order a full-color printed set ($10 members/$20 non-members)

Related resources
Smarter Site Visits
The Truth About Site Visits (Minnesota Council on Foundations)
#Next Gen Donors: Respecting Legacy, Revolutionizing Philanthropy
TEDxTeen Talks

Nikki Hilgert provides broad support to our Programs and Services Team. Before joining Exponent Philanthropy, Nikki worked collaboratively with several small nonprofits in New Haven, CT, as an AmeriCorps volunteer and program coordinator at Squash Haven, a thriving youth development organization. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a concentration in leadership and service from Mercer University.