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April 29 - May 1, 2015
Collective Impact Experts Exchange
Agenda
• Welcome & Introductions
• Group Check-In
• Thumbnail Sketch: Backbone Elements in Collective Impact
• Ogden United Promise Neighborhood, United Way of Northern Utah
• Washtenaw Coordinated Funders, United Way of Washtenaw County
• Ready by 21, Forum for Youth Investment
• Group Activity
• Q&A
Collective Impact Check In
• Received “that article” on collective impact?
• Sick of receiving “that article” on collective impact?
• Actively exploring a collective impact approach?
• Feel as though you’re getting sucked/pushed into establishing or participating in “the collective”?
References: •Kania and Kramer, “Collective Impact,” Stanford Social Innovation Review http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/collective_impact •Edmondson & Hecht, “Defining Quality Collective Impact,” Stanford Social Innovation Review http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/defining_quality_collective_impact•Vu Le’s blog post on collective impact, http://bit.ly/1aJzbtl
Results for this Session
Ability to describe key backbone functions for collective impact and funding collaboratives
Give permission to collaborate without calling it collective impact
Evaluate your readiness using self assessment questions about backbones
Inspire you to explore a funding collaborative or applicability of a collective impact approach in your community
Six Functions of Backbone OrganizationsGuide Vision and
Strategy
• Build a common understanding of the problem • Provide strategic guidance to develop a common agenda
Support Aligned
Activities
• Coordinate and facilitate communication and collaboration• Convene partners and external stakeholders• Create paths for, and recruit, new partners• Seek opportunities for alignment with other efforts
Establish Shared
Measurement
Practices
• Collect, analyze, interpret, and report data• Catalyze or develop shared measurement systems• Provide technical assistance for building data capacity
Build Public Will
• Create a sense of urgency and articulate a call to action• Support community member engagement activities• Produce and manage external communications
Advance Policy • Advocate for an aligned policy agenda
Mobilize Funding• Mobilize and align public and private funding to support
goalsReference: FSG, “Evolving our Understanding of Backbone Organizations” (2012) http://www.fsg.org/KnowledgeExchange/Blogs/CollectiveImpact/PostID/389.aspx
Presented By:Leslie Herold
Executive Director, Collective ImpactUnited Way of Northern Utah
Case Study #1: Accountability in a Backbone Organization
Managing & Measuring Accountability
Ownership – Action – Risk – Creativity – Results
Choosing a Database for Outcomes
Key Capabilities:
•Track and analyze participant demographic data
•Manage referrals
•Assess participant needs and progress
•Maintain comprehensive history of participant information
•Monitor participant attendance
•Identify and track key trends
•Measure program and staff efforts and effectiveness
•Identify which of your efforts, services, staff and programs are most effective at achieving desired outcomes
•Address multi-funder reporting obligations with dynamic reporting capabilities – in mere minutes
Change is hard . . . changing the culture of the way you work together is super hard!
Sharing the results and taking credit . . . still to be determined.
Lessons: The Hard Way
• What went wrong
• What we learned
• How we fixed it
• What we would have done differently
Presented By:Bridget Healy
Director of Community ImpactUnited Way of Washtenaw County
Case Study #2: Alignment and Resources Across Multiple Backbone Organizations
Goals for this Talk • Describe a funding
collaborative which shares backbone functions
• Understand “ingredients” for success informing the Coordinated Funding Model
• Discuss the value proposition of funding collaboratives to United Ways
• Evaluate existing assets and barriers in your community to development of a funding collaborative
Apologies in Advance . . .
Movement Along a Funding Continuum
Not Collective Impact. Why?
Assets•Strong relationships•Local government funding of human services•Succession planning•Nonprofit “skin in the game”
Risks•Staff workload•Greater focus leaves some out•Public official turnover•Retreat from current model
“Sticky Wickets”•Funder Identity•Communicating the model•Measurement & evaluation•Model is not “set it and forget it”
Benefits•Reduced work for nonprofits•Preservation of public funding•Leverage!•Greater aligned action & community impact
Getting to Aligned Action
Benefits:
•Why expand your role?
•Why now?
Assets:
•What do you need to do so?
•Who should be at the table?
•Trust (1-10) with potential partners?
•Existing synergy or partnerships?
Risks:
•What could go wrong if you move forward?
•What could go wrong if you don’t move forward?
Presented By:Larry Pasti
Senior Director, Field Services The Forum for Youth Investment
Case Study #3: So You Really Want to Be a Backbone Organization
Launching a Collective Impact Initiative Has Three Prerequisites
Urgency for Change• Critical problem in the community• Frustration with existing approaches• Multiple actors calling for change• Engaged funders and policy makers
!
Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012; FSG Interviews and Analysis
Selecting a Backbone: A Process that Builds the Credibility of the Backbone and the Initiative
PredeterminedSemi-Open Process
Open Process
Conduct landscape scan of key players, including the “usual suspects” and beyond
Build understanding backbone’s role among early initiative leaders
Approach high-potential backbone organizations to assess interest in serving as a backbone
Issue an RFP & interview applicants
Steering Committee and/or funder(s) selects backbone
An “early backbone” helps guide the initiative from the beginning, including helping to select the Steering Committee
6-12 months after the first SC meeting, a determination is made to either make the early backbone into a permanent backbone, or open the process to other backbones
Based on existing knowledge of key players, backbone is “named,” usually by the initiative’s funders
The backbone helps recruit a Steering Committee, potentially with the help of an early “advisory group” or funders
Pros: Transparent, builds credibility, open to many organizations with different skill sets
Cons: Takes time; must work through potentially difficult decisions
Pros: Quick; Avoids difficult conversations in the short-term (though may arise in the long-term)
Cons: May not have high credibility, may not find the org. with the best skill set, assumes funders know best
Pros: Allows for a backbone “pilot”; backbone staff available from beginning of initiative
Cons: May be politically difficult and inefficient to switch backbones
Source: FSG.org
Many Types of Organizations Can Serve as Backbones
Types of Backbones Examples
Funders
New Nonprofit
Existing Nonprofit
Government Agency or School District
Shared Across Multiple Organizations
“Backbone for Backbones”
Private Sector
Collective Impact Infrastructure:Structuring for Intentionality and Uncertainty
Common Agenda and Shared MetricsStrategic Guidance
and Support
Backbone Organization
(or set of organizations that collectively play
backbone function)
Steering Committee
Partner-Driven Action = community
partner (e.g., nonprofit, funder, business, public agency, resident)
Ecosystem of Community Partners
Work Group
Work Group
Work Group
Work Group
Chair
Chair
ChairChair
Chair
Chair
Chair
Chair
Adapted from Listening to the Stars: The Constellation Model of Collaborative Social Change, by Tonya Surman and Mark Surman, 2008.
• Maintain a high level of credibility within the community
• Serve as a neutral convener
• Include a dedicated staff
• Build key relationships across members of the initiative
• Focus people’s attention and create a sense of urgency
• Frame issues to present opportunities and difficulties
• Use evaluation as a tool for learning and progress
• Ensure coordination and accountability
• Stay “behind the scenes” to establish collective ownership
• Set the agenda for the group
• Drive the solutions
• Receive all the funding
• Self appoint rather than be selected by the community
The Backbone Organization Brings Value to the Work Through “Leading from Behind”
Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis
Does … Does Not …
“If you’re leading and no one is following then you’re
just out for a walk.” – Afghan Proverb
Backbone Support Organizations: Diagnostic
Do you Have the Skills?6 Activities of Backbone Organizations
1.Guide vision and strategy
2.Support aligned activities
3.Establish shared measurement
4.Build public will
5.Advance policy
6.Mobilize funding
Is it a Fit?
1.Partnership’s vision matches your vision
2.Geographic Scope – similar to Partnership
3.Geographic Levels – neighborhood, city/county state
4.Leadership Levels – respected by grasstops and grassroots
5.Credibility – are you seen as the natural leader in this space?
Do you Have the Bandwidth?
1.Dedicated Staff (with skills)
2.Organizational buy-in
3.Sustainability potential
4.Start-up flexibility – willingness to serve in interim or time limited role
©The Forum for Youth Investment
• Leslie Herold, Executive Director, Collective Impact @ United Way of Northern Utah
[email protected] (801) 399-5584 x107
• Bridget Healy, Director of Community Impact @ United Way of Washtenaw County
[email protected] (734) 677-7209
• Larry Pasti, Senior Director, Field Services @ The Forum for Youth Investment
[email protected] (202) 207-3723
Q&A