collaboration

Designing and implementing systems change strategies is essential to work for changemakers.  What we know about systems change is that: 

• Effective programs and services rarely generate the transformational and lasting change needed to meaningfully address complex social and/or environmental issues. 
• Systems change strategies focus on addressing the now institutionalized practices and perspectives, that unintentionally hold the issue in place. 
• Collaborative approaches are effective at helping to “see” and address system barriers  

Multi-sector collaboration drives community innovation by:  

• Engaging the wisdom of multiple partners – especially those closest to the issue – to create a richer, more nuanced, appreciation of a shared issue  
• Recognizing and harnessing the strengths and resources unique to each “place” 
• Leveraging collective creativity to co-design novel solutions  
• Aligning around a unified strategy to mobilize coordinated, community-wide action where leadership and responsibility are shared  

Field Catalysts accelerate and amplify the impact of local community change efforts by connecting them and intentionally linking them to broader systems change strategies.  To do this they play 4 integrated roles:  

1. Understand the field and engage system actors 
2. Strengthen the capacity of local community change initiatives 
3. Make the work of local collaborative initiatives more visible, coherent, and robust 
4. Nudge systems to catalyze system change