2012 South East Regional Conference. Introduction to the United Way Business Model: Becoming an Anchor Institution to Drive Collective Impact

Transcription

1 2012 South East Regional Conference Introduction to the United Way Business Model: Becoming an Anchor Institution to Drive Collective Impact May 30, 2012

2 Agenda Introduction to the United Way Business Model Mobilization Group Experience: Lessons Learned, United Way as a Backbone Institution, Collective Impact Moving from Conversations to Strategic Action: How United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA Engaged Their Community 2

3 Introduction to the United Way Business Model 3

4 Why We Exist and the Value We Add Mission To improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good. Value Proposition We galvanize and connect a diverse set of individuals and institutions, and mobilize resources, to create long-term change. 4

5 Our environment We face internal and external challenges Losing donors Companies moving to strategic philanthropy approach Overreliance on old economy business Younger generations have different perspectives Low public trust compared to other large nonprofits But we also have real assets Strong brand Large footprint Millions of supporters We can and do bring people together 5

6 Many problems in our communities keep getting worse Low-birthweight babies Disparities in school readiness, school achievement Lack of affordable housing Children and families in poverty Personal debt and bankruptcy Child and adult obesity Lack of access to health care 6

7 Communities need new ways of solving problems Bring organizations, people and resources together to focus on pressing issues Target underlying causes Aim for lasting, system-level impact Develop holistic, research-based strategies Implement through coordinated, collaborative efforts Mobilize individuals and institutions to create change 7

8 Why was United Way losing donations and donors? More nonprofits competing generally, and in workplaces Reach of workplace campaign is shrinking - With shift towards service businesses, more people working in multiple, smaller businesses and locations - More global companies that lack ties to local communities Technology makes it easier to give without us Donor expectations are shifting: want more control, more accountability for visible results Traditional role doesn t distinguish UW in donors minds - One campaign for all and middle-man role no longer as valued 8

9 What does this all mean? We are going to have to work very differently, building on our assets We have to do this with our communities Figure out what makes a difference, bring folks together to get it done, and mobilize resources to do it We ve always been an intermediary and we still are, but we have to add more value 9

10 United Way Business Model Big Ideas : Build impact strategies in education, income, and health that improve lives Frame strategies as investment products Segment and understand your markets Connect investor aspirations with need/opportunity Measured by : Lives improved Individuals engaged: giving, advocating, volunteering Investor satisfaction and confidence Long-term, sustained financial growth Resources under management Values : Outward facing, engaged with the community, committed to community success Accountability/ transparency Operational Excellence Customer-centered Inclusiveness Innovation/continuous improvement 10

11 Executing on the United Way Business Model What will it take to become a United Way mobilizing for community impact? A deeper focus on certain elements of the Standards of Excellence Engage and align with the community Create & deepen relationships with individuals & institutions Develop strategies and focus actions Mobilize resources Align and execute on plans and strategies Measure, evaluate & communicate results If we wish to be effective, we will need to: Operate as an integrated and aligned organization Have the right skills, competencies & leadership 11

12 Engage and align with the community What it means: Working with a range of stakeholders to set community goals and priorities What United Way does: Builds community knowledge through conversations Builds coalitions of multi-sector partnerships Communicates how people s input is making a difference Identifies people wanting to do more the hand raisers What needs to change: Base United Way decisions on community priorities Listen first, and not just once 12

13 Create & deepen relationships with individuals & institutions What it means: Understanding and deepening relationships with individuals and institutions aligned around long-term community goals What United Way does: Puts processes in place to make relationships work Collects data on supporters and uses it Uses technology to track relationship interactions What needs to change: Expand beyond institutional focus to include individual focus Building and managing relationships becomes a core competency 13

14 Develop strategies and focus actions What it means: Using community and expert knowledge to set bold community goals and build strategies with community partners that get at the root causes of education, income, and health challenges What United Way does with partners: Sets meaningful community goals Builds action plans Gets agreement on which partners will play what role What needs to change: Strategies are community-wide, comprehensive strategies, not United Way strategies Strategies have to get at root causes we can t direct service our way into social change 14

15 Mobilize resources What it means: Identifying what it will take to get to your results and giving donors, volunteers, and advocates a chance to support the work What United Way does: Identifies the resource needs of the community change strategies Develops multi-year plans to mobilize resources Gives supporters things to do that will lead to results GAV What needs to change: Create ways for people to do more than just give, especially in the workplace Generate resources aligned to results Money is not the only resource that matters in social change 15

16 Align and execute on plans and strategies What it means: Aligning United Way activities and resources to deliver on our roles in community change efforts; implementing community strategies; and sharing accountability What United Way does: Aligns operations and processes to support community strategies Execute in a cross-functionally aligned manner What needs to change: Integrated execution replaces siloed behavior Creating community change is long-term with interim metrics of progress 16

17 Measure, evaluate & communicate results What it means: Evaluating results of the community change strategies, adjusting them, and sharing successes What United Way does: Sets up a system of ongoing data collection and review Shares stories of progress to build public will Adjusts strategies as needed What needs to change: Measure in populations improved, not just clients served Use storytelling to connect your efforts to the larger change over time United Way doesn t take the credit-celebrate partners 17

18 Connecting the dots: How the business practices support each other for success 18

19 In engaging with the community: We identify natural leaders with whom to build deeper relationships We gain info that will strengthen our community impact strategies We build interest and commitment in supporting community causes through giving, advocating and volunteering on behalf of issues We therefore have people and grassroots organizations that will be eager to support implementation We communicate back to the community about what we have heard and learned 19

20 As we build and deepen relationships: Our ability to engage authentically with our community is strengthened We get information to strengthen our strategies We build a cadre of people that are interested in supporting community causes through giving, advocating and volunteering on behalf of issues We have individuals and institutions that are able to help with implementation We identify organizations that could help with measurement 20

21 As we develop strategies and focus actions: We continue to engage with populations of concern to gain input that strengthens our strategies We identify additional individual and organizational partners and stakeholders with whom to develop relationships We identify resources time, talents and treasure needed to implement strategies We inform potential investors of our learning and emerging strategies and seek their perspectives We identify the roles in strategy implementation around which United Way will align We identify measures of progress and results We communicate back to the community about what we have heard, learned and are doing 21

22 As we mobilize resources: We identify opportunities within the strategies for supporters to advocate and volunteer, as well as to give Based on deep knowledge of their interests, we connect potential investors members of the community with whom we have been engaging and have developed deep relationships with these opportunities We ensure that resource mobilization is tied to community strategies We prepare all United Way staff and volunteers to recognize resource opportunities that support those strategies 22

23 As we align and execute on plans and strategies: We continue engaging with the community to gain their ongoing perspectives on strategy implementation and impact We continue deepening relationships with implementation partners through close coordination and sharing of accountability, responsibility, and credit We realign our investments in support of community impact strategies We identify new resources needed for strategy success We use measurement data to learn and improve 23

24 As we measure, evaluate & communicate results: We set objectives and measure progress for engaging with the community, managing relationships, developing strategies, mobilizing resources, and aligning United Way against community goals We identify specific engagements and relationships needed to understand and act on measurement findings We improve our community impact strategies We communicate progress and results to those we have engaged in the community and to those who have provided resources 24

25 How we execute against the Business Model Work on things that matter to people Connect with more people - get them involved Get agreement on strategies Give everyone a chance to support the plan Tell people about the results 25

26 Some implications for our work New skills change management leadership, grassroots organizing, issues management, strategic communications, advocacy, relationship management, social media New content expertise education, income, and health Executing according to value proposition conveners, mobilizers, aligners of efforts toward lasting community change Diversification of revenue streams include foundation and government grants, targeted sponsorships, planned gifts, etc. Technology new relationship-management tools; new platforms to enable individual giving, advocacy, and volunteering; back office/financial systems for a new era Full organizational integration functional teams must work seamlessly Network collaboration we must operate as a truly interdependent network that coordinates appropriately 26

27 Small size not necessarily a disadvantage Smaller size often means: Greater agility Quicker buy-in Stronger connections to community resources Closer relationships with stakeholders 27

28 Discussion What are your reactions to the Business Model? How would your board and your community respond to these ideas? What are the opportunities in your community to implement some of these business practices? 28

29 Mobilization Group Experience: Lessons Learned United Way as a Backbone Institution Collective Impact 29

30 Mobilization Groups: What and Why What: Action and results-oriented groups that are designed to build local United Way capacity to achieve one of their community s goals by enhancing their ability to mobilize others to care about the issue and act on it. Why: So a strategic segment of United Ways are driving results on the 2018 Goals for the Common Good. 30

31 The Goals for Mobilization Groups Mobilization Group United Ways are committed and actively executing to: Make progress on goals in education, income and health Engage more people and institutions in their work Raise more revenue and resources 31

32 Mobilization Group Accomplishments Sites are learning to turn outward. Community conversations have become an important pivot point: Creating new roles and credibility for UW. Talking with people UW would never have spoken with before Creating new engagement opportunities and opening doors that were previously closed. 76 conversations with 896 participants nationwide became the basis for the National Town Hall Report on Education. The public knowledge gained is being used in messaging and communications. Sites are building confidence and taking risks. Sites are realigning staff and processes in response to what they are learning. 32

33 What We ve Learned The business practices are holding firm and proving to be true. A committed and engaged CEO who is willing to share leadership and deal with ambiguity is critical. Those sites who engage their volunteers as part of the process have benefited. Requires the ability to balance innovation and planning, utilizing both appropriately. Relationship management is a core key competency; Ability to attract new supporters and partners and keep them engaged. Having community strategies that can truly add up to achieve desired results remains a major paradigm shift. 33

34 Key Learning There are three critical first steps that propel United Ways: Leadership Commitment to Community Impact Turning Outward to the Community Public Commitment to an Issue 34

35 Leadership Commitment Means: Organizational professional & volunteer leadership state and become personally involved in turning outward Identify and understand the issues and the process Identify champions; create cross functional teams Commitment to lasting change is evident in written mission, vision, goals Holding yourself accountable build into all competencies of the organization 35

36 Turning Outward Means: Build aspiration-based community conversations into the organizational structure at all levels Use this public knowledge to inform the development of strategies Share what is heard across the community and with community partners Create messages that reflect community aspirations and concerns Create ongoing ways to listen to others Identify other boundary spanning organizations for partnership 36

37 Public Commitment Means: Caring about an issue making a promise to yourself Asking others what they think about the issue, and sharing what you hear Gathering interested people together to work on the issue With others, declaring a goal and strategies for success Being clear about United Way s role in the overall community effort Holding yourself accountable keeping your promises to yourself, your partners and your community 37

38 Emerging Pathway to Mobilization 38

39 Collective Impact Defined The commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem. 39

40 The Five Conditions of Collective Impact Common Agenda Shared Measurement Mutually Reinforcing Activities Continuous Communication Backbone Support All participants have a shared vision for change including a common understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it through agreed upon actions. Collecting data and measuring results consistently across all participants ensures efforts remain aligned and participants hold each other accountable. Participant activities must be differentiated while still being coordinated through a mutually reinforcing plan of action. Consistent and open communication is needed across the many players to build trust, assure mutual objectives, and create common motivation. Creating and managing collective impact requires a separate organization(s) with staff and a specific set of skills to serve as the backbone for the entire initiative and coordinate participating organizations and agencies. 40

41 Isolated vs. Collective Impact Isolated impact Funders select individual grantees that offer the most promising solutions. Nonprofits work separately and compete to produce the greatest independent impact. Evaluation attempts to isolate a particular organization s impact. Large scale change is assumed to depend on scaling a single organization. Corporate and government sectors are often disconnected from the efforts of foundations and nonprofits Collective Impact Funders understand that social problems and their solutions arise from the interaction of many organizations within a larger system. Progress depends on working toward the same goal and measuring the same things. Large scale impact depends on increasing cross-sector alignment and learning among many organizations. Corporate and government sectors are essential partners Organizations actively coordinate their action and share lessons learned. 41

42 Phases of Collective Impact Components for Success Phase I Phase II Phase III Governance and Infrastructure Identify champions and form crosssector group Create infrastructure (backbone and processes) Facilitate and refine Strategic Planning Map the landscape and use data to make case Create common agenda (goals and strategy) Support implementation (alignment to goals and strategies) Community Involvement Facilitate community outreach Engage community and build public will Continue engagement and conduct advocacy Evaluation and Improvement Analyze baseline data to identify key issues and gaps Establish shared metrics (indicators, measurement, and approach) Collect, track, and report progress (process to learn and improve) 42

43 Collective Impact in Action Strive has brought together local leaders to tackle the student achievement crisis and improve education throughout greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky. A core group of community leaders decided to abandon their individual agendas in favor of a collective approach to improving student achievement. These leaders realized that fixing one point on the educational continuum--such as better after school programs--wouldn t make much difference unless all parts of the continuum improved at the same time. Strive focused the entire educational community on a single set of goals. 43

44 Role of the Backbone Organization Creating and managing collective impact requires a separate organization and staff with a very specific set of skills to serve as the backbone for the entire initiative Funders, community foundations, government agencies and United Ways can all fill the backbone role The backbone organization is not necessarily the lead organization for the initiative 44

45 Functions of a Backbone Organization Provide overall strategic direction Facilitating dialogue between partners Managing data collection and analysis Handling communications Coordinating community outreach Mobilizing funding 45

46 Backbone Organizations Types of Backbones Funder- Based Description Examples Pros Cons One funder initiates CI strategy as planner, financier, and convener Calgary Homeless Foundation Ability to secure start-up funding and recurring resources Ability to bring others to the table and leverage other funders Lack of broad buy-in if CI effort seen as driven by one funder Lack of perceived neutrality New Nonprofit New entity is created, often by private funding, to serve as backbone Community Center for Education Results Perceived neutrality as facilitator and convener Potential lack of baggage Clarity of focus Lack of sustainable funding stream and potential questions about funding priorities Potential competition with local nonprofits Existing Nonprofit Established nonprofit takes the lead in coordinating CI strategy Opportunity Chicago Credibility, clear ownership, and strong understanding of issue Existing infrastructure in place if properly resourced Potential baggage and lack of perceived neutrality Lack of attention if poorly funded Government Government entity, either at local or state level, drives CI effort Shape Up Somerville Public sector seal of approval Existing infrastructure in place if properly resourced Bureaucracy may slow progress Public funding may not be dependable Shared Across Multiple Organization Numerous organizations take ownership of CI wins Magnolia Place Lower resource requirements if shared across multiple organizations Broad buy-in, expertise Lack of clear accountability with multiple voices at the table Coordination challenges, leading to potential inefficiencies Steering Committee Driven Senior-level committee with ultimate decisionmaking power Memphis Fast Forward Broad buy-in from senior leaders across public, private, and nonprofit sectors Lack of clear accountability with multiple voices 46

47 Discussion Do you think the collective impact approach would help your community address community issues in a more comprehensive way? Could your United Way fill the backbone role for an initiative in your community? Who else in the community could fill the backbone role? 47

48 Moving from Conversations to Strategic Action: How United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA Engaged Their Community 48

49 Getting Started Issue: High school graduation rate of 68% and lowest among African American males and children of poverty Partnership: Formed LaPESC, a coalition of key stakeholders Vision: To ensure a world-class education for every student in every public school with sufficient resources to unlock their transformative abilities so that 100% of our students reach their full potential and graduate from high school prepared to succeed. Barriers: To realize our vision, LaPESC identified the barriers to educational attainment: low academic expectations for children of poverty; lack of trust in the school system; school leaders out-oftouch and insensitive to community concerns to secondary education; citizens had no real outlet to effectively voice their concerns about the state of public education. 49

50 LaPESC s Community Goals Immediate: 1. Provide an opportunity for the community s voice to be heard on public education issues that most concern them 2. Engage community members to share in the accountability for education outcomes 3. Build public awareness to leverage political will 4. Bring in a reform-minded superintendent who is held accountable by the board for district performance and who supports the LaPESC vision of 100% of children graduating Intermediate: 5. 90% of students perform on grade level by % graduation rate by

51 UW of Acadiana Makes Turning Outward a Way of Operating The Situation: When the United Way joined the Education Mobilization Group, they thought they had a pretty sound grasp of what was going on in their community. But after attending the Harwood Public Innovators Lab, they learned what turning outward really meant and it opened their horizons to new possibilities for engaging with their community. Now community engagement is at the core of all of LaPESC s strategies and provides the group with credibility and authority to advocate on behalf of all residents. 51

52 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA The Solution: Faced with a very important upcoming school board election in Lafayette Parish, they first used conversations to ask people their aspirations for the community around education UW and its partners in the LaPESC took what they had heard and used it to host a series of public forums with School Board candidates and frame the questions asked. 52

53 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA The Solution (continued): UW created a corporate call notepad with 5 questions about philanthropic goals, what kind of community they wanted to see and what changes they thought needed to be made to achieve that. After attending the Harwood Lab and experiencing a few community conversations, the 2010 campaign video was modified to made it totally focused on community people sharing their real aspirations and concerns for the community. 53

54 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA The Solution (continued): One of the first steps for rethinking their volunteer center was to have conversations with groups of stakeholders As a member of VOAD the UW CEO was able to provide direction following an oil spill disaster. As part of the June, 2011 Day of Action, three dozen volunteers were trained and conducted Ask Acadiana interviews focused on education at 3 different sites: a university; a community college and downtown in the corporate sector. 54

55 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA Impact and Results: Set an ambitious goal of reaching out to a diverse 5% of their community over the course of two years to ask people about their aspirations for their community. By mid 2011, they had held 22 official community conversations involving over two hundred people. But they have also engaged hundreds more in the more informal conversation opportunities. 55

56 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA Impact and Results (continued): Lafayette superintendent approached the United Way to partner with them on their 100+ Volunteer effort to get more community members actively engaged in the schools. Since this kind of partnership directly aligned with both United Way s new volunteer engagement strategy and their education strategy around early grade reading, they saw great value and now are implementing a very active partnership. 56

57 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA Impact and Results (continued): By sharing publicly what they have heard from the community about aspirations and education, the United Way is increasingly recognized as having both issue expertise and firsthand knowledge of the community and public will. When the Lafayette superintendent recently announced that he was resigning, the local newspaper called on the UW CEO to give an opinion on what the community might be looking for in a new superintendent. The school board decided to then hold public forums on this topic and United Way offered and was ultimately accepted to facilitate all those meetings. 57

58 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA Lessons Learned: Asking people about their aspirations for their families and for their community was much more powerful than any traditional needs assessment It forces people to give very personal perspectives and not speculate about others. It also engages people to think about solutions and not focus on deficits and what is wrong. United Way learned that surfacing and assisting the community to find the issues and then giving them a way to act is really the path to mobilizing for impact. 58

59 United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA Lessons Learned (continued): Turning Outward is so much more than just community conversations. The conversations are but one tool that helps get you going. Once you gain confidence, you can create all kinds of way to use this concept across all facets of the United Way s work. In the beginning, this work seemed like an add-on. Once they got some initial conversations underway and saw the power if it, the staff and board began asking themselves about turning outward as the first step in every piece of their work. At first they had to create a very intentional plan and map out/assign when and where to do conversations. But over time and with discipline, it became a very natural, normal way and then essential part of doing all their work. 59

60 How to move from conversations to action as a mobilizing anchor institution United Way learns what people care about, how they think about issues. United Way and community gather data and research about issues. United Way, Community and Leaders share what they heard Decision Point Create & deepen relationships with individuals & institutions Develop strategies and focus actions United Way listens to the community Is there alignment around a cause? Is United Way the right entity to be mobilizing backbone institution? Mobilize resources Align and execute on plans and strategies Engage and align with the community Measure, evaluate & communicate results 60

61 Discussion Is the United Way filling the role of the backbone organization for the initiative? Does the work of the initiative reflect the concepts of collective impact? Has your United Way conducted community conversations in your community? If so, what has been the impact of these conversations? 61

62 Tools & Resources Resources and tools from The Harwood Institute Mobilization Jumpstart Engage and Align with a Community Around a Cause How Lafayette Engaged Their Community United Way Worldwide Contacts Michael Wood michael.wood@unitedway.org Roger Wood roger.wood@unitedway.org 62

63 The Community Leaders Conference Virtual Conference and Digital Portfolio Watch keynote presentations with your team Access video of more than 40 sessions Download powerpoints and executive summaries of 100 learning sessions The Virtual Conference is being offered at a reduced rate of $195 for in-person attendees and is only $350 for non-attendees.

64 Thank You 64