This document discusses the concept of a "network mindset" for philanthropy. It notes that while the world is becoming more networked due to factors like new technologies and globalization, philanthropy practices have remained largely unchanged. It explores what working with a network mindset could look like, involving openness, decentralized decision-making, and collective action. Some challenges of this approach are also outlined, such as information overload and managing accuracy. The document provides examples of how a network mindset could fuel social change by weaving communities, accessing diverse perspectives, building and sharing knowledge, mobilizing people, and coordinating resources and action. It concludes with tips for getting started with a network approach.

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Philanthropy with a Network Mindset
Network of Network Funders
November 1, 2010
A Member of The Monitor GroupA Member of The Monitor Group
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Today’s Objectives
• Share high-level themes from the
SSIR article & recent research
• Explore the implications for funders
• In the process, develop a shared
base of knowledge and language for
NNF participants

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We’re Seeing Networks Everywhere in Our Work
Consultancy Incubator Think Tank
Network of
Network Funders

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FINANCIAL CRISIS
BLURRING SECTORS
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
GLOBALIZATION
The World is Becoming More Networked

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The world around philanthropy is
changing much, much faster than
philanthropy itself.

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Many of philanthropy’s core practices and principles
remain essentially unchanged from the way they
were done a hundred years ago.

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strategy
effectiveness
responsiveness

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a network mindset
strategy
effectiveness
responsiveness

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What Is a Social Network?
A group of people connected by relationships

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network
―adjective: connected, transparent,
decentralized
―verb: to connect, to spread, to organize into
a network
―noun: a structural form for organizing

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We’re Most Interested in Networks:
• Of individuals and/or
organizations
• With many participants
(and the potential to grow)
• Space for self-organization
• Fueled by new
technologies for
connection, collaboration
and / or data visualization
Source of photo: flickr

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Networks Aren’t New

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…and New Online Spaces for Connecting People
But, There Are New Tools for Sharing Content

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Combined With New Understanding of Social Ties
Network map by Marc Smith

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Enabling Social Change With a Network Mindset
Working Wikily is an emerging
leadership style characterized by greater
openness, transparency, decentralized
decision-making, and collective action
Source of network image: orgnet.com

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What Does Working Wikily Look Like?
Centralized
Firmly controlled
Planned
Proprietary
Transactional
One-way
communications
Decentralized
Loosely controlled
Emergent
Open, shared
Relational
Multi-way
conversations
Where are you? The answer will be different for different situations
Established Practices Network Practices

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How Do Coalitions Relate to Networks?
 Problem and answer are
clear
 Whole group decision-
making
 Whole group planning
 Whole group acts
 Reach goal through planned
action
 Problem complex; solution
unclear
 Network does not make all
decisions together
 Experimenting, sharing results
 Many collaborative projects
 Emergent change
Coalitions
What is needed for your situation? The answer will likely be a combination of coalition and
network models.
Networks
Adapted from June Holley
Source: June Holley

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Why is it Hard to Work with a Network Mindset?
Unlearning past behaviors
and frameworks
Dealing with information
overload
Brand and message
control
Privacy concerns
Learning and leveraging
new technologies
Assessing impact
Source of images: Cut Throat Communications, Blog.com, Rutgers University RU FAIR, Kodaikanal International School, flickr
Managing for accuracy

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5 ways working with a network
mindset can fuel social change:
1. Weave communities
2. Access diverse perspectives
3. Build and share knowledge
4. Mobilize people and build movements
5. Coordinate resources and action

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Weave Communities

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Access Diverse Perspectives

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Access Diverse Perspectives

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Build and Share Knowledge

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Mobilize People and Build Movements
Source: Breaking New Ground: Using the Internet to Scale, by Heather McLeod Grant and Katherine Fulton; photos from KaBOOM! website

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Coordinating Resources and Action

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Coordinate Resources and Action

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Getting Started

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1. Understand the Context and Your Position Within It
Government
Foundation
Non-Profit
For-Profit
School
Unknown
Religious
Other

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2. Combine Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches

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3. Follow the Rules of Relationships

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4. Open Up to New Inputs

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5. Share By Default
Source of photo: Chris Burrell for WBUR, http://www.wbur.org/2010/02/22/pollution-settlement

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6. Nurture Your Network in Advance
Source of photo: Chris Burrell for WBUR, http://www.wbur.org/2010/02/22/pollution-settlement

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7. Start Small

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“Networks are everywhere. We just need
an eye for seeing them.”
Albert- Laszlo Barbarasi