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

lherold@uwnu.org (801) 399-5584 x107

• Bridget Healy, Director of Community Impact @ United Way of Washtenaw County

bhealy@uwwashtew.org (734) 677-7209

• Larry Pasti, Senior Director, Field Services @ The Forum for Youth Investment

larry@forumfyi.org (202) 207-3723

Q&A