Boston | Geneva | San Francisco | Seattle | Washington FSG.ORG

November 2014

Collective Impact

FSG.ORG

2© 2013 FSG

There Are Several Types of Problems

Source: Adapted from “Getting to Maybe”

Simple Complicated

Baking a Cake Sending a Rocket to the Moon

Social sector treats problems as simple or complicated

Complex

Raising a Child

FSG.ORG

3© 2013 FSG

Our Traditional Approach to Complex Problems

• Funders select individual grantees • Organizations work separately and

compete• Evaluation attempts to isolate a

particular organization’s impact• Large scale change is assumed to

depend on scaling organizations• Corporate and government sectors

are often disconnected from foundations and nonprofits

IsolatedImpact

FSG.ORG

4© 2013 FSG

A Different Approach

• All working toward the same goal and measuring the same things

• Cross-sector alignment with government, nonprofit, philanthropic and corporate sectors as partners

• Organizations actively coordinating their action and sharing lessons learned

Isolated Impact Collective Impact

FSG.ORG

5© 2013 FSG

Collective Impact is the commitment of a group of

important actors from different sectors to a common

agenda for solving a specific social problem at scale.

Introduction to Collective Impact

Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012

FSG.ORG

6© 2013 FSG

What Makes Collective Impact Different from Other Approaches to Collaboration?

Conditions

Mindset

Structure

Leadership

FSG.ORG

7© 2013 FSG

FSG.ORG

8© 2013 FSG

Five Conditions for Collective Impact

Common Agenda

Shared Measurement

Mutually Reinforcing Activities

ContinuousCommunication

Backbone Organizations

9

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Strive Is an Example Of Collective Impact

Materials developed by Strive, a subsidiary of KnowledgeWorks. For more information, see www.strivetogether.org

10

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Hallmarks of Strive

Materials developed by Strive, a subsidiary of KnowledgeWorks. For more information, see www.strivetogether.org © Strive

Common Definition of Success / Overarching Vision and Framework

10 Key Indicators Common Report CardPriority Strategies

11

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Collective Impact Is Getting Results

• In Youth Substance Abuse Preventiono In eight years…

46% reduction in binge drinking 44% reduction in smoking 28% reduction in marijuana use

• In Educationo In five years…

Track K-readiness, 3rd grade reading, HS graduation By year five, 40 of 53 tracked student outcome

indicators moving in right direction

• In Workforce Developmento 6,000 public

housing residents in new jobs in five years

• In Juvenile Justice Reformo 45% fewer youth

entering systems, no decline in public safety

FSG.ORG

12© 2013 FSG

Working in Collective Impact Requires a Mindset Shift

Adaptive vs. Technical Problem Solving

No Silver Bullets.… But we do have Silver Buckshot

Credibility vs. Credit

• Allowing answers to come from within• Supporting common agenda building,

information sharing and coordination/ alignment

• Many small changes implemented in alignment can add up to large scale progress

• Creating new approaches that lead to collaborative action vs. competitive

FSG.ORG

13 © 2012 FSG

Healthy Community Strategy

Collective Impact

14

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

SUS Saw Statistically Significant Decrease in Body Mass Index among Young Children between 2002 and 2005

6261

6767 6666

Girls

-1%70

-1%

65

55

60

Boys

With intervention (8 years, 8 months old)Without intervention (8 years, 8 months old)Baseline (8 years old)

Weight

0.70.7 0.70.7

0.60.6

0.50

0.60

-15%-15%

GirlsBoys

0.65

0.55

0.70

BMI Z-score

lbs

BM

I z-s

core

On a population level, a reduction of ~1lb of weight gain over 8 months for an 8yr-old translates into large numbers moving out of the overweight category

FSG.ORG

15© 2013 FSG

SUS Is Aimed at Transforming the Community Through Establishing a Culture of Health

Increase daily physical activity

Increase healthy eating

Improve infrastructureand policy

Common Agenda, Shared Goals:

Str

uctu

re

Diverse Stakeholders Targeted:

Schools | Families | Citizens | Government | Community Groups | Businesses

The Beginning: 3-year, research

trial (Tufts University) with

core funding from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Structure Today:30 member Steering Committee

Mayor | City Departments | Somerville School Committee | Community-based and Statewide Orgs

BackboneThree positions created within city government

Planner | Coordinator | Director

Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis, Shape Up Somerville Website: http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/departments/health/sus

FSG.ORG

16 © 2012 FSG

Video

Shape Up Somerville Example

FSG.ORG

17© 2013 FSG

Mutually Reinforcing Interventions at Multiple Levels Were Designed to Reduce Child Obesity

Mutually reinforcing interventionsSource: FSG Interviews and Analysis, Shape Up Somerville Website: http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/departments/health/sus

Before School:• Breakfast Program• Walk to School

Campaign

During School:• School Food Service enhances the quality

and quantity of food for students• Classroom Curriculum on Healthy Eating• Enhanced Recess

After School:• After School

Curriculum (e.g., cooking, yoga, soccer)

At Home:• Parent Outreach and Education

through newsletters and events• Family Events• Parent Nutrition Forums

In Community:• Walkability and safe routes to encourage pedestrians

and bicyclists• Farmers’ Market• Approved Restaurants to enhance healthy food options• Physician and Nurse training to identify overweight kids• Policy Development

FSG.ORG

18© 2013 FSG

FSG.ORG

19© 2013 FSG

Mutually Reinforcing Taskforces Were Set Up To Tackle The Various Strategies Built to Ultimately Reduce Child Obesity

Taskforce Group Objective/Strategy Groups InvolvedPositive Education Program

Enhance physical activities for 4th-8th Grades during and after school

Schools, ICH, Tufts, BG, EPH, YMCA, SPC

Fire Department Physical activity and nutrition initiative Tufts, City

Shape Up Coordinator Citywide health promotion campaign City, Tufts

Healthy Mind Healthy Body

To educate Portuguese speaking community on physical activity & nutrition MAPS

Shape Up Somerville 5K One day family fitness fair hospital initiative HH, CHA, Tufts, LB, R, City

Active Living by Design Addresses walking promotion, policy, and extension of community path, traffic safety, and land utilization

City, GWS, WB, CHA, MAPS, FCP, BC

Greenline Community Forum

Ensure extension of Green line & community path through Somerville

STEP, SCC, BC, MVT, City, ESNC, WB, LSA, USMS, FCP, Tufts

Safe Start Traffic safety City, Tufts, CHA, SPD

Growing Healthy School Garden InitiativeTo increase healthy eating for families

GWS, FMFM, ICH, SPS

Healthy Eating by DesignUnion Square farmers marketTo increase healthy eating opportunities for low income families

FMFM, MAPS, USMS, CHA, City

WIC Program To provide nutrition education and awareness to low income families CHA

Phy

sica

l E

xerc

ise

and

Hea

lthIn

frast

ruct

ure/

Polic

yN

utrit

ion

/H

ealth

y E

atin

g

Source: Shape Up Somerville, FSG Interviews and Analysis

20 © 2012 FSG

FSG.ORG

A Broad Set of Partners Work to Achieve the Common Vision, Supported by a Backbone and Steering Committee

* Adapted from Listening to the Stars: The Constellation Model of Collaborative Social Change, by Tonya Surman and Mark Surman, 2008.

partner-driven action

strategic guidance and support = community

partner (e.g., nonprofit, funder, business, public agency, resident)

Ecosystem of Community Partners

Backbone Support(or set of

organizations that collectively play backbone

function)

Steering Committee

Work Group

Work Group

Work Group

Work Group

ChairChair

ChairChair

ChairChair

Chair

Chair

Common Agenda and Shared Metrics

FSG.ORG

21 © 2012 FSG

Teen Substance Abuse Prevention

Collective Impact

FSG.ORG

22 © 2012 FSG

Since the Coalition’s Inception Teen Use of Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco Has Been Cut Down by More Than 30% Locally

Source: Communities that Care Coalition: Community Action Plan 2010

The Coalition has helped mobilize nearly $5 Million to spread throughout the community toward youth development and strategies of the plan

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

200920062003

CigaretteMarijuana

Alcohol

Percent

30-Day Use of Substance for 10th Graders

Nearly $5 Million in Funding from various community funding sources:

• Health Department• Government• Public Safety Department• Local Foundations• Attorney General Office• Juvenile Justice Department• Personal Contributions

Franklin County’s Communities that Care Coalition

FSG.ORG

23 © 2012 FSG

Franklin County Communities that Care

FSG.ORG

24 © 2012 FSG

Franklin County Communities that Care

FSG.ORG

25© 2013 FSG

What Makes Collective Impact Different from Other Approaches to Collaboration?

Conditions

Mindset

Structure

Leadership

26

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

The Myth of Leadership

27

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Most Change Processes Don’t Go Deep Enough In Learning that Actually Leads to Transformative Change

Sense“Observe, observe, observe”-become one with the world

Realize“Act swiftly,

with a natural flow”

Presence

“Retreat and reflect”-allow inner knowledge to emerge

Most Change Processes

Analyze Act

Decide vs.

Transformative Change Processes

Source: Presence, An Exploration of Profound Change in People, Organizations, and Society; 2004; Senge, Peter, Scharmer, C.Otto, Jaworski, Joseph, & Flowers, Betty Sue.

28

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Collective Impact Requires Unique Leadership

Required Skills For System Leadership

• Support groups in getting to shared aspirations

• Foster a different, deeper type of dialogue that leads to greater clarity, understanding of difference, innovation

• Help people understand the greater system and the complexity of which they are a part

FSG.ORG

29 © 2012 FSG

Effective Backbone Leaders Share Common Characteristics

Source: FSG interviews

Stakeholders describe backbone support leaders as:Visionary

Results-Oriented

Collaborative, Relationship Builder

Focused, but Adaptive

Charismatic and Influential Communicator

Politic

Humble

“Someone who has a big picture perspective—[who] understands how the pieces fit together, is sensitive to the dynamics, and is

energetic and passionate.”

Backbone Support

30

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Launching a Collective Impact Initiative Has Three Prerequisites

Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012; FSG Interviews and Analysis

Financial Resources

• Committed funding partners• Sustained funding for at least 2-3 years• Pays for needed infrastructure and planning

Influential Champion• Commands respect and engages cross-sector leaders• Focused on solving problem but allows participants to

figure out answers for themselves

Urgency for Change• Critical problem in the community• Frustration with existing approaches• Multiple actors calling for change• Engaged funders and policy makers

!

Implementing Collective Impact

31

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

The Success of Collective Impact Also Depends on Having a Basis for Collaboration and Essential Intangibles

• Fostering Connections between People

• The Power of Hope

• Relationship and Trust building

• Leadership Identification and Development

• Creating a Culture of Learning

Collective Impact’s Intangible Elements

Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012; FSG Interviews

Elements for Success

Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis

32

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Developing a Common Agenda Requires Creating Boundaries for the Collective Impact Initiative

Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis

• “What’s in” and “What’s out”: Establishing boundaries for what issues, players, systems, and geographies (i.e., city, state, national, or global) to engage in the project is essential to its successful execution

• No Set Playbook: Determining boundaries is a situation-specific judgment call

• Loosely-Defined and Malleable: Boundaries change over time and subsequent analysis or activity may draw in other issues, players, or systems

Developing a Common Agenda

33

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Geographic Scope Is a Key Boundary Decision

State

Region

County

City

• Requires the alignmentof larger political institutions and systems

• Addresses issues relevant to a narrow set of high-level stakeholders

• Requires change in targeted policies at a wide scale

• Entails solutions that are directly applicable across a range of diverse communities

Wider geographic scope makes sense

if the problem …

Narrow geographic scope

makes sense if the problem…

• Involves a complex set of local stakeholders

• Requires on-the-ground community ownership

• Requires multipleinterventions for impact

• Requires extensive tailoring of solutions to local conditions

34

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

There Are Several Factors to Consider When Selecting an Area of Focus for a Collective Impact Initiative

The relative importance of each factor varies depending upon the local context and there is no one right answer for how to draw boundaries to your effort

Focusing the Collective Impact Effort

NATIONAL EXAMPLES

DEMONSTRATED NEED

SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY

SUFFICIENT ENERGY

• Are there relevant examples elsewhere that are demonstrated proof points?

• Is there a demonstrated need in the local community?

• Is there already significant local activity underway on which the CI initiative can leverage?

• Is there sufficient energy locally among local leaders and key stakeholders on which a CI initiative can be built?

Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis

35

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Funders Can Engage in Collective Impact Efforts in a Number of Ways

Types of Funder Roles

Sample Funder Role Description Examples

Catalyst• Funder initiates collective impact strategy

as champion, financier, and convener, potentially playing a key role in attracting resources throughout the effort

Backbone Support

• Funder organizes and coordinates the actions of cross-sector stakeholders to advance collective impact effort

Participant• Funder actively participates in collective

impact effort, and aligns funding and measurement to the effort

Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis

Funders can play a wide range of roles in Collect Impact efforts, even within these categories

36

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Funder Activities Can Take Diverse Forms Over the Course of a Collective Impact Effort

Examples of Funder Activities in Collective Impact

Phase IIOrganize for Impact

Phase IIISustain Action and Impact

Phase IInitiate Action

• Fund data collection / research to make the case for CI

• Encourage grantees and stakeholders to collaborate

• Encourage other funders to join the effort / align with other funders

• Use convening power to draw key stakeholders to the table

• Broker relationships to create open lines of communication between stakeholders

• Participate on Steering Committee

• Fund backbone infrastructure• Fund shared measurement

systems • Fund trainings to increase

stakeholder expertise in key collective impact skill sets

• Fund research on evidence-based practices

• Encourage grantees and other stakeholders to align evaluation to shared measures

• Convene community stakeholders

• Participate on working groups or Steering Committee

• Align funding with the common goals / measures of the effort

• Continue to fund backbone infrastructure and shared measurement systems

• Fund discrete initiatives identified through the effort

• Provide content expertise • Continue to encourage

grantees and other stakeholders to align evaluation to shared measures

• Align / coordinate strategy with other funders

• Participate on working groups or Steering Committee

Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis

Illustrative Funder Activities

37

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Effective Funder Engagement Requires Institutional Adaptability, Culture Shifts, and Long-Term Orientation

Success Factors for CI Funders

Culture Shift

Institutional Adaptability

Long-term Orientation

• Flexibility to work outside of traditional grant cycles and established processes

• Ability to be nimble in pursing opportunities as they arise, without being prescriptive

• Willingness to learn new skill sets required – including partnering, facilitation, communication, community engagement, and convening

• Comfort with uncertainty and adaptability required to engage with community and stakeholders

• Awareness of shift in power dynamic among funders, grantees, and other stakeholders

• Openness to funding infrastructure, which is often seen as less attractive than funding direct services or interventions

• Commitment to achieving progress on a specific issue, regardless of attribution vs. contribution

• Understanding of timespan required for systemic change, making a long-term commitment

• Comfort with measuring progress using interim milestones and process measures

Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis

38

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

Collective Impact is Different

1. Achieve a perpetual state of simultaneous planning and doing

2. Allow for the “Shock of the Possible” to emerge

3. Pay attention to Relationships• It’s what happens between people, organizations,

communities and systems that matters most

4. Listen, listen, listen for how to respond to unanticipated results • Data helps point the way

5. A certain mindset is crucial • Adopt an attitude of “burning patience”

39

FSG.ORG

© 2012 FSG

If You Are Thinking About Catalyzing Collective Impact You Should Consider the Following

Collective Impact: Readiness for Collective Impact

Is the Right Infrastructure in Place: Credible champions / catalysts exist to drive CI discussions

Neutral convener exists and is looked to by the community

Backbone support structure exists or key staff positions can be filled

Are the Conditions Accommodating:

Significant resources and attention are focused on addressing the problem

Existing collaborative efforts are present that can be taken to the “next level,” and with tools and processes in place

Funder alignment of local funders (public and private) willing to financially support / partner on an effort

Potential to engage a broad, cross-sector set of community players

Internal and external circumstances point to issue “ripeness” to the urgency of the issue at hand

Within the community, there is a shared understanding of why there is an urgency for change, often driven by data

Interest exists or effort is underway to understand the problem, key players, and / or evidence-based strategies

Source: FSG Interviews and Analysis

An Initiative of FSG and Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions

Save the Date: Collective Impact Funder Convening on May 4-6 in New Orleans

40

Catalyzing Large Scale Change: The Funder's Role in Collective Impact

InterContinental New Orleans | May 4 - 6, 2015

• Three-day convening for those who are funding, or interested in funding, collective impact initiatives

• Opportunities for in-depth learning and peer-exchange with other funders• Discussion themes include:

‒ Equity: Building an equity framework into collective impact efforts, and addressing issues of structural inequity

‒ Leadership: Developing leaders with the capacities needed to work on a collective impact approach

‒ Effectiveness: Maintaining rigor and quality with collective impact effort‒ Community Engagement and Inclusion: Ensuring that community

members more actively contribute to and co-lead collective impact efforts

For more information, visit www.collectiveimpactforum.org