In this “What I Wish I Knew…” video, Patrick Troska from The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation says that he feels like a dinosaur in the field. Yes, Patrick has been in the field of philanthropy for a while now, but no one would call him or his grantmaking philosophy out of date. He has taken what he’s learned from his mentors and adapted his approach to make sure his work at the foundation is relevant and aligned with community needs.
Patrick says there is no road map to working in the field. He was working in nonprofits when he claims he was “at the right place at the right time.” He believes finding a position in grantmaking is less about following a career path that leads you to a position, and more about timing, connection, skills, and fit with the organizational culture.
Patrick says that he wishes he would have known that the field was in the process of changing. By this, he means the trend in the philanthropic sector of moving away from responding to needs and instead focusing on measuring impact, which he feels can be illusive. Patrick’s mentor, Pat Cummings, used to say that foundations should allow the path to be developed and then lay the sidewalk. He feels that today’s grantmakers “first lay the sidewalk and then wait to see if people walk on it.”
Patrick received some great advice from Pat Cummings when he started in the field ten years ago:
- Remember that it’s not your money,
- Don’t believe the praise, and
- Don’t take the work home with you.
Patrick offers his own advice as well, reminding us that “grantmakers without grantees is like the sound of one hand clapping.” He says that once we lose sight of the fact that we need each other, we’ve been in the field too long. Thanks, Patrick!
View other videos in our “What I Wish I Knew . . .” series:
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