Weather the Storm of Collective Impact

"Community change efforts are akin to a snowstorm. There are many individual flakes of activity but they are difficult to distinguish once the snowstorm has finished." - Liz Weaver 

A snowstorm can be a magical thing. Millions of tiny, unique snowflakes whirling toward the ground, each one playing their part in the snowfall. It only takes a second, however, to lose sight of an individual snowflake. Although you can see at the end of a snowstorm everything that has been accomplished, how do you pull out those individual snowflakes, those unique players that made all the difference?

When it comes to community, in order to create positive and lasting change we must be able to distinguish the unique players, the significant actions and the powerful relationships that contribute to community outcomes. We must be able to step outside the whirlwind that often exists amidst community change efforts and pay attention to the individual pieces that will lead to great impact. 

So, how can you weather the storm of Measuring Community Outcomes? 

• Check out Liz Weaver's blog post Measuring Community Change by Using an Outcomes Diary
• Take a look at the Outcomes Diary Sample Template
• Join Tamarack's Evaluting Community Impact Community of Practice
• Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay connected & up to date with the latest information and resources