5 Nov, 2020

PAPER | Evolving the Practice of Collective Impact: Inspiration from the Field

By Sylvia Cheuy

This resource is also available in French. Click here to access the French version.

Since John Kania and Mark Kramer’s article was published in 2011, understanding of Collective Impact (CI) has evolved beyond being viewed only as a framework for achieving high-impact outcomes on an array of complex social and/or environmental issues. Collective Impact practitioners have experimented with applying the CI framework to an array of issues at a variety of scales.

This paper profiles key milestones in the evolution of Collective Impact and explores examples at the neighbourhood, regional, and national levels. We profile lessons gleaned from the use of CI at each of these scales with an emphasis on noting their capacity and contribution to advancing systems-level change. Opportunities to further strengthen and/or accelerate systems change efforts with Collective Impact are also explored.

Author

Sylvia Cheuy

Sylvia is a Consulting Director of the Tamarack Institute’s Collective Impact Idea Area and also supports Tamarack’s Community Engagement Idea Area. She is passionate about community change and what becomes possible when residents and various sector leaders share an aspirational vision for their future. Sylvia believes that when the assets of residents and community are recognized and connected they become powerful drivers of community change. Sylvia is an internationally recognized community-builder and trainer. Over the past five years, much of Sylvia’s work has focused on building awareness and capacity in the areas of Collective Impact and Community Engagement throughout North America.

Sylvia Cheuy Resources