Networking for Nonprofit Environmental Advocates

Most nonprofits are fighting for attention on the wrong platforms. Facebook has 3 billion monthly active users. Instagram has 2 billion. TikTok has 1.5 billion. LinkedIn? 310 million. It ranks 25th in monthly active users. That's not a weakness. That's the opportunity. Two things are making LinkedIn the biggest untapped growth channel for nonprofits in 2026: 𝟭. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. Fewer users means less noise. And the people who drive major revenue — corporate partners, major donors, board prospects — are already here. Your content has a real chance of reaching them. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. LinkedIn is no longer just a job board or a place for corporate updates. It's becoming a space for storytelling, community, and real conversations about social impact — the kind of content nonprofits are built to create. Here's how to make the most of it: → 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽. People connect with people, not logos. Your ED sharing a lesson from the field. A program manager celebrating a participant's win. A development director talking about what donors actually care about. These voices build trust faster than any branded post. → 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀. Behind-the-scenes moments, honest reflections, lessons from programs that didn't go as planned — this is what earns attention and deepens connection. → 𝗕𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱. Comment on your partners' posts. Engage with funders' content. Celebrate your community publicly. Reach comes from relationships, not just content. → 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵. LinkedIn rewards posts that explain the 𝘸𝘩𝘺 and 𝘩𝘰𝘸 — not just the announcement. A quick update about a new grant won't stick. The story of the community it'll serve will. Nonprofits already know how to build community and tell stories that matter. LinkedIn is finally becoming a platform that rewards exactly that.

On Tuesday, I talked about getting trapped in the "experience paradox" for wildlife careers 🦉🌿—this seemingly endless cycle 🔄 where you need experience to get a job, but can’t get experience because you can’t get a job. What breaks this cycle? Here are my top tips: 👉 Network with your existing network: Are you following up with people you already know? 🤝 I talked about first identifying the experience you DO need, which may include hidden experiences 🔍. Are you asking about those kinds of opportunities, whether it be with them or someone they know? More importantly, are you offering up your services for the things that they/others need help with? This means volunteering 🙌, but you DON’T have to commit your life to it. You can help out for several hours per week. ✉️ Cold emailing: Are you networking with people you don’t know? Are you introducing yourself, explaining your intention, your credentials, and asking how you can help out? My students and podcast guests are proof that this works! ✅ LinkedIn is a great place to do this! 🔗 🎤 Networking in person with people you don’t know: You might be thinking… "I don’t have the money to attend professional meetings or conferences." That’s okay! You don’t have to! Networking can happen right where you are 🌎. Here are local events where you can network with wildlife professionals, most of which are free: 📚 University seminars (often open to the public) 🦁 Talks at zoos and museums (our museum had these often!) 🏞️ One-off volunteer opportunities put on by your town, state wildlife agency, or local nonprofit (things like river clean-ups, removing invasive species, etc.) 📢 Regional or state professional conferences (check your society’s state chapter) 🖥️ Attending virtual webinars by societies and organizations—this is NOT in person, but it lends an easy opening to cold contact people 🔬 Citizen/community science: This one is one of my favorites! ❤️ Citizen science is REAL research and many projects you can do ANYWHERE. Projects like eBird, FrogWatch, Budburst, and more count as experience that you can put on your resume when you do it in a CONSISTENT and scientific way 📑. Use scistarter.org to find one. 🎨 Creating your own experience: Do you want to work in science communication? Build your own YouTube channel 📺 or social media following 📱. Learn how to use Canva and create beautiful, compelling graphics that tell a story. Need fundraising experience? 💰 Run a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for a local nonprofit. Be creative and think outside the box! 📄 Cold job applications: This one is new to me, and there’s evidence it works in other scientific fields. Try sending an application to an organization when no job is posted. Again, offer your services and show how you are an ideal fit for the organization you are applying to—how you will help them complete their mission 🌎 If you don’t know how to do these things, let’s connect! 🔗 I have lots of resources for you. Let’s go! 🚀🔥

If you are exploring jobs or wanting to volunteer in the sustainable development, climate and social impact space, then this post is relevant for you. Over the past few months, I have dedicated significant time looking for opportunities in these sectors. Through extensive research and networking, I have compiled a list of 80+ organizations, including corporates, startups, multilateral organizations, and NGOs, that operate in and around these fields. One of the key takeaways from this process has been that, despite the increasing importance and relevance of these spaces, it remains difficult to secure opportunities without a highly specific educational or professional background. However, an effective way to overcome this challenge is by connecting with the right individuals within organizations of interest. Often, just one conversation can give a newcomer great insights, demonstrate one's intent, and scout opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible. If you are seeking opportunities in these sectors and could do with some external support, I would be happy to share my compiled list of organizations and relevant people working in them. Please share your email in the comments, if interested, and I will send it across. 🙂

The Art of Networking in the NGO Space 🌍🤝 Networking is the lifeblood of the NGO sector, but here’s the truth: You don’t need to be in every circle to thrive. Every sector has its own ecosystems of influence, and it’s easy to feel the pressure to be everywhere, meeting everyone. However, the most impactful networking happens when you understand the power of intentional relationships. Here are some key lessons I’ve learned over the years: 1️⃣ Know Your Circles Not every room is yours to walk into, and that’s okay. Identify the spaces where your values, expertise, and goals align. Whether it’s funders, collaborators, or technical experts, focus on circles that help you grow and amplify your impact. 2️⃣ The Levels of Relationships Networking isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some relationships are purely professional, others collaborative, and a few might become deeply personal. The key is to nurture each at the right level. Respect boundaries, offer value, and invest where mutual growth is possible. 3️⃣ Quality Over Quantity It’s not about how many connections you have but how meaningful those connections are. A smaller, tight-knit network of aligned individuals will take you farther than a sea of contacts you barely know. My inner circle is quite small and that's intentional. 4️⃣ Nurture Over Time Relationships don’t blossom overnight. Be consistent, stay in touch, and offer support even when you don’t immediately “need” something. Genuine connections are built on reciprocity and trust. At the end of the day, networking in the NGO space is about collaborating for impact rather than competing for visibility. Be intentional, be authentic, and watch your network grow organically in ways that truly matter. #NGO #NetworkingTips #SocialImpact #RelationshipBuilding

🚀 Networking for Advocates: 60 Seconds to Build REAL Impact Are you tired of networking that feels transactional? I know I've been there a number of times, to save you the stress I curated few tips that help me all the time. 🔥 Start here: As advocates, our work thrives on "human connection", not business cards. But how do you build relationships that actually fuel change? 1️⃣ Collaborate, don't transact: Swap "What can you do for me?" with "How can we win together?" (Example: Like joining forces with another organization to host a community workshop—sharing resources and doubling impact.) 2️⃣ Lead with generosity: Share a useful resource, amplify their social media post, or highlight their achievements "first". Trust me—it yields back. 💡 3️⃣ Be SPECIFIC: Instead of "Let's connect!", try: "I'm tackling X policy gap—any mentors in this space?" Clarity = action. If you have no particular area, that's fine too, just make your tone conversational. 4️⃣ Nurture, don't collect: Remember what matters to them (their current project, recent achievements, shared interests) and follow up meaningfully. "How did your environmental campaign turn out?" or "Let's grab coffee." Try these tips and tell me how they helped you because I know they will 🌸💜 What's one networking win you're proud of?👇 I'd be in the comments section ☺️ #AdvocacyNetworking #SocialImpact #ChangeMakers