When relationships thrive, we do better. Deepening connections takes work and time, but it’s worth it. We become more available to the people we serve, donors, partner organizations, and colleagues.

We can include elected representatives, or we can get caught in the idea of “sides” and forget that legislators are extensions of the relationship network that is essential to our success.

Traveling to Tallahassee last month, I was grateful that our state senators and representatives made time to meet. We talked about the importance of charitable organizations to our community’s vitality, the talented workforce they employ, and the irreplaceable resource they offer for informed decision-making.

During our conversations, several people told our small group about the personal relationships and respect they have for their colleagues across the aisle, the kind of stuff you don’t read about in the clickbait of today. Connection is absent from headlines because there is no drama; it’s simply about working in the same space even if there is disagreement.

While the comments about supportive colleagueship in our State Capitol offered an optimism to counter the divisiveness we hear about too often, we also have a role in civil conversation.

As a private foundation, the Selby Foundation does not lobby, but we can talk about the significant role of philanthropy and nonprofit organizations in creating safe spaces for dialogue, increasing health and wellness for our residents, driving economic benefits to our communities, supporting families, and protecting our environment.

Most of our elected representatives have charitable passions and at least one or two strong ties to local organizations. They may have attended a nonprofit afterschool program, have children who volunteer, have an adopted dog from a local shelter, or have a relative helped by an organization specializing in a substance abuse disorder. After session, they return to our community where they live, work, and play. This reminder makes progress seem more attainable when trying to convey the magnitude of our sector’s importance and what it means to keep it healthy.

The ability to start new conversations, find things in common, and connect with people you may not otherwise know helps our sector flourish. Legislators make decisions that impact the work of nonprofits and young people like our Selby Scholars here at home. They can benefit from knowledge partners--people like you who have on-the-ground experiences, intimately familiar with the needs of our community and the connected data.

When people listen, and when we are open to listening, it's more like working on a relationship than taking a "side." Special thanks to our friends at the Florida Nonprofit Alliance for organizing the second annual Florida Nonprofit Day and to colleagues at home for making the trip a meaningful and productive experience.

Susie Bowie is the President and CEO of The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation.