Scaling Social Change Written by Sean Callaghan (based on work by CASE) We offer Inspired Individuals support that helps them achieve a level of personal and organizational sustainability as well support to help them scale up their impact. The need to scale is obviously driven by the fact that many problems grow faster than solutions and often far exceed the scope of available solutions. As a result we want to help Inspired Individuals design solutions that have the potential to: Expand faster than the problem Reduce the magnitude of the problem Address a significant share of the problem Create lasting improvements Effective scalable social change is achieved by innovating solutions to social issues, scaling those solutions up and ultimately seeking to achieve sustainable systemic social change. It should be noted that we are looking to scale impact not necessarily grow the size of the organization. Duke University s Centre for Social Entrepreneurship identifies two approaches to scaling impact: Scaling Up: building / nurturing solutions that have great potential for being replicated in multiple locations. Systemic Change: modifying conditions and behavior in the ecosystem to reduce the problem or make it easier to address. Though this support Inspired Individuals will be challenged to think about both these approaches. This document presents a framework for refining your innovation, planning to scale it up and makes some suggestions of how you might seek to achieve systemic change. This document proposes a four-step model for scaling out impact: 1. Defining the Theory of Change 2. Assessing the scalability of an idea 3. Deciding on the model of scale 4. Planning to scale These four steps are identified in much of the literature on the subject and I have tried to draw on various sources to develop a model that is both consistent with latest theory and thinking but that is also practical and applicable to out Inspired Individuals.
1. Theory of Change The first critical step in the process is to clearly define (and refine) the theory of change (or social impact theory) that unpins the work of the Inspired Individual. A social impact theory describes the path from what you do to the ultimate impact you intend to create. In this process it is critical to draw a logical linkage between: Inputs: all the resources that contribute to the production and delivery of outputs. Inputs are "what we use to do the work". They include finances, personnel, equipment and buildings. Activities: the processes or actions that use a range of inputs to produce the desired outputs and ultimately outcomes. In essence, activities describe "what we do". Outputs: the final products, or goods and services produced for delivery. Outputs may be defined as "what we produce or deliver". Outcomes: the medium-term results for specific beneficiaries that are the consequence of achieving specific outputs. Outcomes should relate clearly to an institution's strategic goals and objectives set out in its plans. Outcomes are "what we wish to achieve". Impacts: the results of achieving specific outcomes, such as reducing poverty and creating jobs. We can develop the theory of change in three stages:
1. Define the long-term goal (the ultimate impact that you want to achieve). 2. Identify the strategies that you current implement that are aimed at achieving that impact. 3. For each strategy create so that logic chains that include inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes and the ultimate goal using the following process: "We use (inputs) to do (activities) so that (outputs) are available to (a specific person/group). This will result in (outcomes) in the medium term and ultimately help to (impact) in the long term." Repeat this process until you have linked each strategy to your goal. See Theory of Change: A Practical Tool For Action, Results and Learning by Organizational Research Services for detailed process. Defining the Core The next step is to define (and refine) the core of what we are wanting to scale. The aim is to define the fewest elements/strategies possible to produce the desired impact. The goal is to find a level of detail that is most effectively transferable. Based on your theory of change, look at each so that logic chain and ask the following questions: Is this strategy essential to our success? Could we achieve our goal if we stopped doing this? Then delete those strategies that are not essential. You are starting to get to the core of your initiative. Now relook at those strategies that are left and ask: Could we make this simpler? What could possibly be changed to make it simpler without jeopardizing impact? Make any changes that seem appropriate. Now retest the whole theory of change: If you implemented the strategies that are left, would the so that logic chains still work? And would they add up to the impact you are really looking for? Pilot and Evaluate It is vital to test your Theory of Change in the real world. In most cases you would already have piloted elements of the core strategy before getting to the scale up conversation. But it is worth taking a step back and testing the revised theory of change to make sure that it achieves the impacts you imagined. 2. Establishing Scalability There are many factors involved in determining scalability of an idea, but the two
most important elements are: 1. Determining how transferable the idea is to another context (and defining the critical context specifics required for the idea to flourish) 2. Determining the resources (inputs) required to scale an idea and assessing your ability to mobilize the resources needed. Transferability Imagine your idea was a plant maybe a cactus there are certain conditions that are vital to its survival a cactus grows well in a hot dry place like a desert and doesn t do well in a wetland. Likewise a lily grows well in a wetland but would die in a desert. What are the critical (non-negotiable) context specific factors for your idea to flourish? You could use the PEST framework to determine them: Political legislative, democratic, conflict-phase, etc Environmental water, soil, climate, vegetation, etc Socio-cultural gender, poverty, urban/rural, African, education level, etc Technological internet, electricity, telecoms, etc Don t get stuck on the PEST categories, the key is to understand the context needed for your idea to flourish. Some contexts simply don t need your idea, others may need an idea similar to yours but your specific idea would not work there given the context. Starting Resources The next step is to assess the critical resources you need to scale you initiative. Remember our plant metaphor what are the vital inputs needed for our plant to grow water, sunlight, nutrients, etc. Go back to you theory of change and look at all the inputs listed there. For example if your theory of change is reliant on mobilizing volunteers (like Home-based care initiatives) them you would need to know that you are able to mobilize people. If on the other hand your theory of change relies on changing government policy then you would need to be strong at lobbying. Use the following grid to determine as comprehensive a list of mission critical resources: Human Resources What kind of people? Are they paid or volunteers? Are
they skilled? How many do you need? Physical (and natural) resources Everything from land to buildings to equipment. What do you have to have? Financial Resources How much money? Where does it come from local communities, government, donors? Knowledge Resources What do you need to know? What information do you need to collect and manage? Influence Resources What access do you need to whom to influence change? Try to identify the key gatekeepers who need to be onboard in order for your idea to be accepted in a new region. These could include government, religious, civic, or traditional leaders as well as key civil servants and of course beneficiary communities. Again, don t get stuck on the categories there might be other things that you need that are not listed above. Look at each of the answers and ask yourself if you have what it takes to mobilize more and more of these resources as you scale up your initiative. Assessing Scalability At this stage you should be able to make an assessment of how scalable your idea is. Obviously, the more transferable and the greater access to resources required, the more scalable the idea. You may need to rethink your theory of change in light of this assessment. Is there a way to tweak your theory of change to make it much more transferable and much less scarce resource dependent?
3. Models of Scale The third step in the scale process is to think through how you would scale your idea. Essentially there are three options and they represent a continuum of both control and cost. The options are: Branching / wholly-owned you and your organisation starting to work in a new region. This obviously give you the most control over the work but will also cost you the most. Partnerships / affiliation working with another organizations to implement your idea in a new region. This also includes the possibility of partnering with government to implement your model. You obviously loose a measure of control over the work but you also share the costs. Dissemination publishing information (possibly a manual) on how to implement your idea and leaving it up to others to learn the lessons and implement the idea independently. This of course means that you loose control of the work, but also have no costs and have maximum spread. There are a number of key drivers in making an assessment as to which of these models of you will use (and in reality you may use a combination of them in different areas): Risk If consequences of implementing the innovation incorrectly are negative (for clients, society), then central control through branching or tight affiliation are more crucial. Must balance with the risk to the central organization of tighter, more resource-intensive strategies Resources In assessing the resources required to scale up your idea it may not be possible to do so by yourself. Capacity Your own organizational and leadership capacity will influence both the model and the speed of your scale up. Need The size of the need that your idea addresses will have significant impact on which model you should use. Receptivity Depending on how radical your idea is, there may be very few organisations who would be willing to risk partnering with you. Potential partners where you work, and what needs you are addressing, will impact on the number of available potential partners. Also their capacity and ability to mobilise the required resources will impact on their ability tto partner with you.
Documenting your idea Irrespective of which of the three options you chose, it is always going to be necessary to document your idea in order to train others in how to implement it (even if those others are your own staff). We are working on other material (together with Tearfund) to look at providing help in documenting your work. Your role in the scale up Depending on the model you use, you would be expected to at least play some of the following roles in the scale up: Technical Assistance: Providing technical assistance, training, or consulting to others interested in offering similar programs or activities. Knowledge Dissemination: Sharing information with others through publications, the Internet, or presentations. Packaging: Packaging a successful program and licensing it to existing organizations in other locations. 4. Planning to scale The final step in this scaling process is to develop a business plan for your scale up. This would obviously need to include: 1. Deciding on where to scale up next (based on your context analysis) 2. Deciding on which model and if necessary which partners to work with 3. Mobilising the resources needed to scale 4. Deciding on a time line for implementation See help on developing a business plan in the resource library on the Inspired website. Where to Scale Out Deciding where to scale up is driven by you theory of change, business model, and context (ecosystem) analysis. Factors to consider in selecting high impact locations: Levels of unmet need and demand Transferability of theory of change Feasible business model for new sites Presence of enabling and absence of disabling ecosystem factors Potential strategic value (learning, politics)
Achieving systemic change We mentioned in the introduction that there is an alternative to scale up your work. You could also seek to contribute to sustainable systemic social change reducing the problem, magnifying the effectiveness of those addressing it, or institutionalizing successful solutions. Key to this approach is: Lasting alteration of key player behavior Changing environmental conditions and/or Stimulating widespread adoption of an effective innovation Strategies for Systemic Change The following strategies have proven successful in achieving sustainable systemic social change: Influence Public Policy: Increase impact by changing public policy in order to increase the number served or needs addressed, or to reduce the need that necessitated your social enterprise. Establish a Social Movement: Increase impact by creating cultural, political, or social change through a large-scale social movement that influences public opinion or collective action in support of an issue. Research & Public Policy Development: Researching and generating knowledge about the social issue and proposing public policy, i.e., a think tank approach. Influencing Public Awareness, Norms or Behaviors: Using various means of communication to inform, educate, and influence public awareness, opinion, or action about the social issue. Direct Advocacy & Lobbying: Engaging public policy makers, legislators, and other government officials to influence the legislative or resource environment for the social issue. Convening Networks: Organizing social-purpose organizations or individuals from the same field into a network or association mobilized to advocate for shared goals and policies.