Introducing Collective Impact for Community Change MCN and NAF Sustainability Conference March 3, 2016
About Us Dennis Johnson Founder and Managing Partner Ben Williams Founder and Managing Partner
About Sort Sol Group Purpose Individuals and communities are at disadvantage as a result of complex, long-term, and systemic issues. Leaders within these communities seek capacity for collaborative change. We believe We do better, together. Everyone a learner, everyone a leader. Authenticity creates possibility. Continuous learning is what makes change sustainable. The assets necessary for real change already exist, and only need to be engaged and directed towards impact. Mission We engage social sector, business, education, government, and philanthropic leaders to be a collective force for community change. Vision We envision positive, meaningful, and sustainable systems change for the benefit of all.
What We Do With attention on learning and development, we are a consultancy rooted in collective impact focused on strengthening communities. We work with community leaders to co-create knowledge and become a collective force for social change. Within a networked model, our core practice areas include: Collaboration Governance Leadership Strategy Development Business Modeling Facilitation
What is your collective impact experience? Completely new to idea Heard about the framework Getting started or considering use Experienced member or backbone
Questions? What are your pressing questions? What do you hope to learn today?
Today, We Are Going to Review the 5 Key Conditions for Shared Success Between Organizations Difference Between Singular vs. Collective Impact Phases of a Collective Impact Initiative Value of Backbone Organizations Illustrations from Local Initiatives 7
COLLECTIVE IMPACT 101
FSG.ORG Isolated Impact vs. Collective Impact Isolated Funders select individual grantees that offer the most promising solutions Nonprofits work separately & 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 Collective Funders & implementers understand that social problems, & their solutions, arise from the interaction of many organizations within a larger system Progress depends on working toward the same goal & measuring the same things Large scale impact depends on increasing cross-sector alignment & learning among many organizations Organizations actively coordinate their action & shared lessons learned Corporate & govt. sectors are often disconnected from the efforts of foundations & 5 Corporate and govt. sectors are essential partners
Collective Impact is the commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem. Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012
Activity: Is collective impact right for you? What s your social problem? Do you need to work with others from across sectors to solve it? Is the problem we are trying to address of adequate scale to invest in a collective impact approach? Is our system broken? Are there silos, outdated policies, innovation challenges, equity challenges, lack of scale?
What is being done, today? Joint Projects? Joint Programming? Strategic Alliances?
Are the necessary pre-conditions for collective impact in place? Is there a prior history of collaboration? Are there influential champions? Is there an urgency connected to the issue? Are there adequate resources? Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012
Five Conditions for Collective Impact (+ one more consideration) Common Agenda Shared Measurement Mutually Reinforcing Activities Continuous Communication Backbone Support Advancing Equity 4
Phases of Collective Impact 0 - Scope and Readiness 1- Initiate action 2- Organize for impact 3 - Sustain action & impact Is this the right approach? Who needs to be at the table? How do we break up the work? How do we build momentum for the long haul? ~ 0-3 months ~ 4-6 months 3 months 7-9 months ~ 4-6 months 11-15 months ~ 6 months & ongoing 17 21 months & ongoing Source: Collective Impact Forum research
Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective ImpactFSG.ORG Work, 2012 Ready to go? What will we be doing? Components for Success PHASE I Initiate Action PHASE II Organize for Impact PHASE III Sustain Action & Impact Governance & Infrastructure Identify champions & form cross-sector group Create infrastructure (backbone & processes) Facilitate & refine Strategy Development Map the landscape & use data to make the case Create common agenda (goals & strategy) Support implementation (alignment to goals & strategies) Community Involvement Facilitate community outreach Engage community & build public will Continue engagement & conduct advocacy Evaluation & Improvement Analyze baseline data to identify key issues & gaps 5 Establish shared metrics (indicators, measurement & approach) Collect, track, & report progress (process to learn & to improve)
To catalyze social change, focus on the intangible elements Relationship & Trust Building Leadership Identification & Development Creating a Culture of Learning Fostering Connections between People The Power of Hope
Questions? Framework? Questions about. Stages? Conditions?
BACKBONE ORGANIZATIONS 101
Six core functions of the successful backbone organization(s) Guide vision and strategy Support aligned activities Establish shared measurement practices Build public will Advance policy Mobilize funding
Common misperceptions about the role of the backbone The backbone organization sets the agenda for the group The backbone organization drives the solutions The backbone organization receives all the funding The role of backbone can be self appointed rather than selected by the community The role of backbone isn t fundamentally different from business as usual in terms of staffing, time, & resources
Effective Backbone Leaders Share Common Characteristics Stakeholders describe backbone organization leaders as: Visionary Results-Oriented Collaborative, Relationship Builders Focused, but Adaptive Charismatic & Influential Communicators Politic Humble Source: Collective Impact Forum
When one accepts a partner in any endeavor, it means that you have taken on the responsibility for mutual welfare, and that you have given up the right to make decisions independently without regard to the impact on one another, in exchange for the mutual benefit that working together will accrue. - Margaret Wheatley
strategic guidance and support Steering Committee Collective impact infrastructure: Structuring for intentionality & uncertainty Common Agenda and Shared Metrics partner-driven action Ecosystem of Community Partners = community partner (e.g., nonprofit, funder, business, public agency, resident) Work Group Chair Chair Backbone Organization (or set of organizations that collectively play backbone function) Chair Chair Work Group Chair Chair Chair Chair Work Group Work Group * Adapted from Listening to the Stars: The Constellation Model of Collaborative Social Change, by Tonya Surman and Mark Surman, 2008.
Each stakeholder & group plays a specific role Stakeholder / Group Community partner Work Group (a.k.a. network, action team) Steering Committee (Strategy Group) Description and Role Individual organizations and members of the community (e.g, nonprofit, funder, business, public agency, student, parent, resident) Partners should have access to a variety of opportunities to learn about and engage in the initiative Comprised of cross-sector community partners targeting particular element of common agenda (e.g., early childhood, K12, postsecondary, OST, data, policy, funding) Designs and implements a targeted action plan, involving non-work group members as needed Led by two co-chairs willing to invest time and (ideally) staff capacity Some groups or networks serve slightly different functions, e.g., funders group (to identify opportunities for alignment), or inclusive community network to raise awareness about project and provide mechanism for vetting actions Comprised of cross-sector community partners (representative of the large ecosystem) Provides strategic direction for the initiative and champions the work In some cases, committee members are chairs for action teams Backbone Organization Provides dedicated staff Supports the work of partners by assisting with strategic guidance, supporting aligned activity, establishing shared measurement, building public will, advancing policy, and mobilizing funding
Measures of backbone influence Leveraged Funding The amount of funding that has been leveraged or redirected based (at least in part) to the efforts of the backbone organization Indicators of Initiative Progress Evidence of Systems Change Stakeholder Perceptions of Backbone Value Initial outcomes the backbone can share related to process (e.g., # of partners involved) or systems change impacts (e.g., legislation passed that supports initiative goals) Indications from stakeholders that shifts are taking place in the way that the community makes decisions about policies, programs, and the allocation of its resources and, ultimately, in the way it delivers services and supports its citizens and constituencies* Observations from community members about the importance of the backbone organization 29
Questions? Questions about. Backbone activities? Where to house the backbone? Roles in an initiative? Measures of influence?
ILLUSTRATIONS OF LOCAL, REGIONAL & STATEWIDE INITIATIVES 28
QUESTIONS? 29
Guiding questions for getting started What is the problem you are trying to solve? Who must be engaged for us to be successful? What relationships must be in place to work well together? How will change happen?
Sources and Resources CCI Tools for Federal Staff FIO Partners FSG and the Collective Impact Forum Stanford Social Innovation Review
Thank You! Dennis Johnson and Ben Williams For more information, visit: www.sortsolgroup.org Email: info@sortsolgroup.org Phone: 608.960.8284 32