4-6+Convening+--+Consolidating+Our+Learning

===// At the end of Day 2, it was time to consolidate our learning by asking outselves, What are we taking away? What are our questions / concerns? Ongoing tension to manage in this work? Top tools? Important insights? //=== media type="custom" key="9009142"Graphic recording by Lynn Carruthers

//**Wrap up discussion:**//

//Assumptions challenged://
 * Everyone believes that all networks are good / network-work is good.
 * I’m not going to learn a lot if I’ve been doing this type of work for a while.
 * Everyone who's been working with networks for a while has all the answers figured out.
 * There's little value in the periphery of the network.
 * It's way too hard to do
 * My challenges are different from everybody else’s.

//New beliefs://
 * The concept of networks is gaining momentum.
 * It’s easier to struggle through this together.
 * I can find people in other organizations that can work with me on this.
 * We can find common messages in this type of work.
 * I am worried about how funders see their role: are they so sensitive and thoughtful that they don't feel free enough to be engaged in a way that’s needed to solve the problem?

//New questions://
 * What tools are needed? What can we do to assist nonprofits in working wikily?
 * What is going to happen next for this community?
 * How do you structure the conversations about networks?
 * What do we hope to get out of the Oct. 17 convening?

//What's next?//
 * Diana Scearce (Monitor Institute): In the next 6-8 weeks, Diana and Jessica will be drafting the funders’ guide. They'll be reaching out to NNF members to schedule webinars on specific parts of the guide (to get feedback/input), as well as for more targeted asks for specific sections.
 * The guide will be released a month before the October convening, which will hopefully expand / grow the network by moving it from a small, tightly knit learning community to a broader, field-wide conversation. The October convening may be seen as the next step for the NNF. Members should bring their colleagues to the convening as well!
 * While what we have agreed to do together has come to a close, monitor is committed to working with the NNF. We now have the basic infrastructure (listserve, webinar, phone line, etc.) for getting in touch with each other if we want to. Please use it. We’re also happy to help out.
 * Here we have sophisticated grantmakers investing in the //So What?// of networks (i.e, starting with a purpose and a set of objectives). Across the Street, at TechSoup, they're using all the tools but aren't yet thinking of the //Why?// (i.e., the vehicle). It'd be great to see the mash-up.

Go back to April 5-6 Convening Notes