In this edition, we're unpacking the new role of field catalysts, reflecting on the past 10 years of Collective Impact and diving into the meaning of Participatory Grantmaking. We also have a special feature in this edition relating to co-founder and co-CEO Paul Born's retirement.
How Field Catalysts Accelerate Collective Impact
By: Sylvia Cheuy, Mark Cabaj and Liz Weaver
As the number of Collective Impact initiatives increases, there is a growing need to foster better alignment and synergy between them. Field catalysts are uniquely positioned to identify and facilitate opportunities for coordination among complementary Collective Impact initiatives. Tamarack has had the privilege of acting as a field catalyst throughout its history, and we recognize the essential contributions that field catalysts can provide to individual Collective Impact initiatives and their work implementing systemic solutions.
Learnings From 10 Years of Collective Impact summarizes the key takeaways from the articles released in the Collective Impact, 10 Years Later series. This article will provide you with a high-level summary of the wisdom and learnings gleaned from successful Collective Impact initiatives. Our hope is that this might help to inform the design and implementation of your own Collective Impact initiative, as well as encourage you to reflect on and share any of your own insights implementing Collective Impact to support the evolution of this important field of practice.
For their new participatory grantmaking pilot project, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund has partnered with the Tamarack Institute to support the economic mobility of the immigrant and refugee population in the Peel Region. Simply put, participatory grantmaking means shifting the decision-making power from the foundation to the community itself which is impacted by these decisions.
Paul Born, Tamarack’s co-founder and co-CEO, was the creator of Tamarack’s signature 10 Guides. As a way to celebrate Paul and his retirement, we have created a 10 Guide to feature the things we’ve learned and loved about our time working with Paul. Our hope is that this guide serves as a way for Paul – and each of you – to reflect and preserve Paul's vision of ending poverty in Canada, and the legacy of emboldening community change efforts across the world.
