The Latest

Bringing Collective Impact Backbones into Focus

Building an effective Collective Impact effort is understanding how to apply the framework to both the unique context of the community and the issue being addressed.  The five conditions of Collective Impact provide a minimum specifications approach:  developing a common agenda; building shared measurement; aligning efforts through mutually reinforcing activities; focusing on continuous communications and engagement and supporting the work through backbone infrastructure. 

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5 Shared Measurement Challenges for Collective Impact Initiatives

My just-released paper, Shared Measurement: The Why is Clear, the How Continues to Develop acknowledges the importance of shared measurement as one of the five conditions of Collective Impact.  As noted by Kania and Kramer, “Collecting data and measuring results consistently on a short list of indicators at the community level and across all participating organisations not only ensures that all efforts remain aligned, it also enables the participants to hold each other accountable and learn from each other’s successes and failures.” 

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Turf, Trust, Co-Creation & Collective Impact

In my experience mobilizing communities to embrace large-scale change, I have learned that authentic communityengagement moves at the speed of trust. And, while most of us deeply appreciate the importance of trust-building, too often in our eagerness to launch into “the work” little time is actually invested and focused on intentionally building trust amongst partners. 

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Reflections from the Promising Young People webinar

On June 26, the Ontario Trillium Foundation hosted a collective impact webinar with Tamarack to learn from initiatives that are supporting the positive development of children and youth. We heard from two initiatives that openly shared  stories of their journey - both the successes and challenges they faced in supporting and facilitating collective impact. Many thanks to Graduation Matters Montana and The Child and Youth Health Network in Vancouver Island.

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Developing Collective Impact Strategies

Those of us engaged in the work of Collective Impact (CI) know that, having this clear and comprehensive framework, is an essential roadmap for effectively tackling complex issues.  However, applying the CI Framework to your own issue and developing wide consensus around a plan of action can still be challenging work.  If you find yourself nodding in agreement to the previous statement, then you will want to be sure to read my latest paper, Developing Collective Impact Strategies in which I share tools and approaches designed to help with the development of collective impact strategies.

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Engaging Change through Whole-self and Whole-systems Exploration

After attending Tamarack's Collective Impact 3.0 conference in May, as a systemic facilitator, coach and consultant, I began to wonder if there might be something I could offer that could be integrated into the processes already used by Tamarack? My answer is yes! I facilitate a process, tool and methodology called Systemic Constellation Work (SCW)¹ that offers a way for individuals, organizations, institutions, communities, and cities to experience and engage collectively in systems change. 

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