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Lessons Learned:2009 Knight Community Information Challenge

KCIC Boot Camp

March 21, 2010

Prepared for:

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors2

In 2009, FSG Learned a Lot about Cohort 1 Grantees and Their Implementation Partners through Our Interviews and Survey

These “lessons learned” helped to shape this year’s agenda for Boot Camp and other evaluation and learning activities

Introduction

1. Project Objectives

2. Partnership Structures

3. Foundation’s Role and Activities

4. Outside Resources

5. Community Networks and the Information Ecosystem

6. Sustainability

7. Challenges

Key Topics

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors3

KCIC Projects Are Addressing a Variety of Community Information Needs

Many grantees are trying to engage citizens both online and offline; a few are re-granting to multiple organizations that may be trying to do any of these things

1. Project Objectives

• Focus • Creating a credible news/info source• Giving voice to under-represented communities• Creating an education or awareness campaign• Building community’s info capacity

• Technology• Websites, social media, mobile,

“low-tech,” “off-line”• New and existing

• Desired Outcomes • Building awareness• Increasing engagement• Changing behaviors• Replicating models

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors4

Grantees Find that Partnerships Are Critical to Project Success

Grantees most often are working with more than one partner; a few are working with several in complex collaborations

2. Partnership Structures

• “Foundation-led” (13)

• “Partner-led” (9)

• University and library partners (5)

• Funder collaborations (4)

Source: FSG interview with Cohort 1 grantees

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors5

3. Foundation Role

Foundations Are Doing More than Just Making Grants

Foundations see their KCIC projects as an opportunity to play a community leadership role

Community & Place-based Foundation Resources

Discretionary Funding (17)

Donor Advised Funds (3)

Leveraging Outside

Money (5)

Neutral Convening (15)

Research/ Knowledge (5)

Capacity Building

Advocacy (4)

PR/Outreach (7)

Source: FSG interview with Cohort 1 grantees

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors6

4. Other Resources

Grantees Are Hiring Technical, Administrative and Journalism Expertise, as Well as Interns and Volunteers to Support Their KCIC Projects

• Technical Skills (7)

• Administrative Support (6)

• Content Expertise (5)

• Volunteers/interns (5)

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors7

4. Other Resources

Many Grantees Have Successfully Harnessed a Variety of Outside Resources to Support Their Projects

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CorporateSponsors

PublicFunding

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KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors8

Community Information Systems Map

5. Networks and Ecosystem

Grantees Are Engaging Other Local Anchor Institutions in Their Projects

University of Texas School of Public Health, San Antonio

Mark Cannan

Rackspace

Aquia Drupal

Kyte TV Esperanza Peace and Justice

Guadalupe Coffee/Baptist Child and Family Services

Our Lady of the Lake University

St. Mary’s University

Trinity University

Texas State University

University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio Public Library

City of San Antonio

Catholic Relief Services

Social Media Club of San Antonio

Advocate

U.S. Mayors’ Conference

IgoSA.com

Alamo City Times

Unnamed (multiple)

Clean Technology Forum

Council on Foundations Conference

San Antonio Community Radio

NOWCastSA

San Antonio Peace Center

San Antonio Area Foundation

Community Information NOW (CINOW)

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors9

6. Sustainability

Grantees Are Taking a Range of Approaches to Address Long-Term Sustainability

• Building an earned revenue component into their project (15)

• Promoting replication of model (10)

• Negotiating long-term transfer of project to new host (5)

• Seeking institutional funding and sponsorships (4)

• Seeking individual donors (3)

• Seeking government funding (1)

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors10

7. Key Challenges

Grantees Share Many Similar Design and Implementation Challenges

• Identifying the right business model to ensure sustainability (9)

• Reaching/engaging target audiences (9)

• Getting the technology to work well (6)

• Accessing the right technology expertise (6)

• Hiring new staff (5)

• Assessing the needs of the target audience (3)

• Finding effective partners (3)

• Getting board buy-in (2)

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors11

What Advice Can Your Cohort 1 Colleagues Give to You?

Let’s ask our panel!

Discussion

• Do your homework

• Don’t reinvent the wheel

• It takes more time than you think

• Things will change

• This is more than just a website

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors12

Grantee Panel

Today’s Panel

Roberta KingVice President for PR and MarketingGrand Rapids Community Foundation

The Rapidian

Slade SundarDirector of Digital CommunicationsCommunity Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties

YourPBC.org

Vivian VahlbergProject Director for Community NewsChicago Community Trust

Community News 2.0

KCIC Boot Camp – FSG Grantee Panel (March 2010) © FSG Social Impact Advisors13

Questions for the Grantee Panel

Discussion

• What’s one thing you didn’t know when you started your project that you wish someone had told you?

• What has been critical to maintaining a productive partnership during your first year?

• What does “life after launch” look like?