What does it look like for a collaborative to balance planned strategies with new and rising needs?

In this new podcast discussion, we talk with Melissa Darnell, Heather Equinoss, and Luzette Jaimes from the organization CoCreative, and learn how they work with collaboratives to blend structured and emergent strategies when doing collective work.

Listen in as we explore:

• How to navigate complex challenges by embracing uncertainty while maintaining clear purpose and shared goals.
• What methods can be used for co-designing solutions, fostering continuous learning, and adapting to shifting contexts.
• Why embracing the messy, unpredictable nature within collaboration is critical to progress.

Resources and Footnotes:

• CoCreative and the organization’s Creative Tools library
• Collaborative Innovation Roadmap
• 6 Patterns in Collaborative Innovation
• 4 Agendas in Collaborative Innovation
• Collaboration Advisor AI Tool

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0. 

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

In a time when so many are grappling with division and polarization in their communities, where does one start to build connections to better understand when and why do you feel like you “belong” in your community? 

In this new podcast conversation, we talk with Anjum Rahman and Atarau Hamilton-Fuller from Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono, based in Aotearoa New Zealand. In the aftermath of the horrific Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019, their collective’s work focused on visiting communities across the country to foster understanding, empathy, and a sense of belonging by encouraging participants to share personal experiences of inclusion and exclusion.

Anjum and Atarau share about the unique, culturally grounded approach that they developed as their group hosted and facilitated “belonging conversations” across 46 cities and towns. These conversations, created with three simple yet revealing questions, helped create spaces where participants felt safe to be truly heard, learned the power of deep listening without judgement, and helped understand each other's shared humanity.

As part of this discussion, we also demonstrate the conversation, exploring the three core questions to help understand why these discussions have been so powerful for participants.

This discussion is essential listening for anyone seeking practical ideas for how to build understanding and foster genuine connection across different groups within the same community.

Resources and Footnotes:

• Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono
• Resource: What does belonging mean to you?
• Resource: How to Hold a Conversation on Belonging

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0. 

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

A backbone’s role in a collective is often to facilitate collaboration among partners and help the group make progress toward a shared goal. This can be a complex challenge, as the backbone doesn’t hold formal authority or decision-making power. Instead, it must rely on its central coordinating position to influence, build alignment, and advocate for the collaborative’s mission.

In this new podcast episode, we explore how a backbone can influence partners to take action, without holding a position of authority. We talk with Susan Dawson, the founder and former CEO of E3 Alliance, and author of the new book, Changing Education Systems: Wisdom Gained by E3 Alliance in Driving Effective Change Using Data and Collaboration.

Through her years at E3 Alliance, Susan learned many ways a backbone can influence change. In this conversation, she shares the necessary “best-ats” or core competencies a backbone team needs to activate multiple layers of influence, including:

- Delivering results
- Building relationships of trust
- Having the best data
- Facilitating stakeholders with diverse missions and perspectives
- Being doggedly persistent

The discussion also dives into powerful examples of E3's work, showcasing their own dogged persistence to deliver meaningful results in education for children and families in Central Texas.

Resources and Footnotes

• Book: Changing Education Systems: Wisdom Gained by E3 Alliance in Driving Effective Change Using Data and Collaboration by Susan Dawson
• E3 Alliance
• E3 Alliance Data and Trends Portal
• The University of Texas at Austin College of Education
• The University of Texas at Austin Education Research Center

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0. 

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

How can a community shift their economic future?

In this episode, we explore how communities heavily reliant on a single industry can come together to diversify and build a more resilient economy. This kind of transformation is complex and requires collaboration across a broad range of partners to support the wellbeing of the whole community.

We discuss what it looks like to diversify single-industry communities with Heidi Binko of the Just Transition Fund and Sherene Hess, an Indiana County Commissioner from Western Pennsylvania. We discuss the challenges these communities face, including job losses and economic uncertainty, and delve into development strategies that can support diversification, including how to leverage local assets, foster collaboration across communities, and access a variety of funding streams.

This is a helpful conversation for anyone seeking to better prepare your community to withstand economic shifts and shocks, and proactively plan for long-term economic sustainability.

Resources and Footnotes

• Just Transition Fund
• Center for Community Growth
• Indiana County Thrives

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0. 

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

Collaboratives based in the U.S. that are working to solve for and reduce disparities in their communities are facing compounding challenges with the current chaotic sociopolitical climate, including sudden funding cuts, mass job losses, mis- and disinformation campaigns, demoralizing messaging from national leaders and those they have deputized, and vigorous attacks on both equity and democracy.

When everything seems to be coming down at once—overwhelming by intention, it feels like a tsunami of Executive Orders, department directives, and social media missives that range the spectrum from unprofessional to potentially illegal (or “extralegal”). The current context feels confounding. What do we do? What can we do?

In a candid and grounded podcast conversation that is both sobering and hopeful, Collective Impact Forum senior advisor Junious Williams talks with Erika Bernabei and Theo Miller (Equity & Results) about this current chaotic time for U.S. collective impact initiatives.

Together, they discuss:

• What it means to assess and mitigate risks right now—individually and organizationally;
• How organizations with more power or flexibility can provide cover and protect others, and how important it is to not “obey in advance.”
• The need for honest conversations amongst partners, including if you have a shared understanding around organization ethics and mission;
• The critical importance of storytelling to counter misinformation and support vulnerable communities;
• How to analyze the current context amidst overwhelming noise;
• How to identify both defensive and offensive strategies to protect and advance equity within the work. (Even if you can’t say “equity” right now at your job.)

Resources and Footnotes

• Equity & Results
• Junious Williams Consulting, LLC
• Responding to Threats and Changes Planning Tool
• Reckoning with the U.S. Election: 10 Reflections and Recommendations for Collective Impact Networks
• Core Principles to Support Anti-Racism in Collective Impact
• DEI, advocacy, and legal resources collected by Junious Williams

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0. 

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

Listening to community members and tapping into community expertise are key factors when trying to understand why social issues are happening, and what potential solutions may be best to address these challenges. This is especially true for philanthropy, a sector committed to traditionally funding social change through more “top down” strategies, rather than seeking and empowering community-driven solutions from the beginning. 

Over the last 10 years, the funder collaborative Fund for Shared Insight has been working to support philanthropy to better engage and uplift community voice by promoting resources and building capacity around community listening, centering community voice and expertise, and learning how to shift from “power over” to “power with” their community members and partnering organizations. 

In this new podcast discussion, we talk with Melinda Tuan,  Shared Insight's managing director. Melinda shares key takeaways from the last decade, including what it takes to support and encourage change in how foundations work with communities. From participatory practices to community advisory boards, we explore strategies that have helped foundations better connect to their constituents and reach their funding goals.

Resources and Footnotes

1. Fund for Shared Insight
2. Time for a Three-Legged Measurement Stool
3. Funder Listening Action Menu
4. The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
5. The What, Why, and How of Advancing Funder Openness
6. Advancing Funders’ Openness Practices Report
7. Building Capacity to Support Community Listening

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0. 

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

What are the skills and mindsets necessary to be a backbone leader for a collaborative?

In this new podcast discussion, we talk with Paul Schmitz and Dominique Samari, authors of the recent report, “Backbone Leadership Is Different.” We explore how backbone leadership is unique and why It differs from traditional, more hierarchical leadership styles. In the discussion, we dive into:

• The specific mindset shifts required in backbone leadership;
• The skill sets that are crucial for effective backbone leadership;
• The importance of building relationships as a vital aspect of backbone leadership(and why it’s necessary that relationship-building be specified as part of the backbone’s work, and not considered an add-on or “on the side”.)
• Advice and insights on how backbone leaders can effective support collaboratives.

Resources and Footnotes

• Report: Backbone Leadership Is Different
• Webinar: The Skills and Mindset Shifts Backbones Need for Collective Impact
• Resource: Racial Equity Toolkit
• Online Platform: Kin Universe
• Article: Centering Equity in Collective Impact
• Blog: Making Meetings Work
• Podcast: What Makes an Effective Backbone Leader

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0.

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

Companies can be a critical partner in collective impact work. However, working with companies can pose unique challenges, from understanding how to initiate these partnerships to understanding how to best partner to sustain these relationships over time.

To learn more about how collaboratives can engage and partner with the private sector to advance social change work, we talk with Nikhil Bumb, Managing Director at the social change consulting firm FSG.

In this conversation, we discuss the multiple ways that nonprofits and companies can collaborate, from reaching out through corporate philanthropy to building deep, cross-sector partnerships. We also explore some of the unique advantages and challenges associated with partnering with companies, including the importance of:

• Challenging preconceived notions about what it means to work in the nonprofit or private sector;
• Understanding each partner’s strengths, resources, and limitations;
• Strengthening relationships by fostering a culture of mutual understanding, shared learning, and transparency;
• Moving beyond transactional relationships to establish a shared mission and values alignment.

Resources and Footnotes

• FSG
• Report: The Promise of Partnerships
• Blog: Partnering for Change, Committing to Learning
• Blog: What Business Leaders Wish NGOs Knew about Transformative Partnerships
• Podcast: Shifting from Competition to Partnership in Private Sector Collaboration

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0.

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

Achieving long-term change requires having government—whether local, state, or federal—at the collaborative table as a key partner. However, many collaboratives share that building these partnerships can be challenging, intimidating, or confusing.

To better understand how to build and sustain effective relationships with public sector partners, we talk with Caroline Whistler, CEO and co-founder of Third Sector, a nonprofit technical assistance provider that advises U.S. government agencies on effective ways to reshape policies, systems, and services toward better outcomes for all people no matter their race, background, and circumstances.

This discussion explores the opportunities and challenges collaboratives may face when partnering with government agencies. The conversation highlights:

• Shifting mindsets from a compliance-driven approach to an outcomes-focused approach, where government agencies work alongside their collaborative partners to define and measure progress towards shared goals.
• Why relationship and trust-building are necessary when collaborating with government partners.
• Why sustaining partnerships with government can help collectives reach better outcomes for everyone, but also needs to be recognized as an “ongoing process,” requiring commitment, patience, continuous learning, and a willingness to adapt.

Resources and Footnotes

• Third Sector
• Caroline Whistler on LinkedIn

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0.

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/

Later this fall, Tamarack Institute’s Co-CEO Liz Weaver will retire, closing a chapter that includes many decades supporting community change, collective impact, and poverty-reduction work across Canada and beyond.

Liz is a long-time collaborator and dear friend of the Collective Impact Forum, and it has been a true honor to work alongside her as she has served so graciously and thoughtfully as a change leader, mentor, catalyst, partner, and a lifelong learner.

In this special podcast episode, Liz reflects on her career navigating the many complexities within collective change work, including:

• The importance of balancing "people and process" in collaborative initiatives
• What to consider when working within complex systems
• The critical importance of storytelling to help illustrate how change is possible
• Why it is necessary to work in collaboration if your goal is to achieve long-term population-level change

Resources and Footnotes

• Tamarack Institute
• The Water of Systems Change
• The Innovation Ambition Continuum by Mark Cabaj
• The Cynefin Framework: Defining a Collaborative Problem or Opportunity
• Building a Plan on a Page

More on Collective Impact

• Infographic: What is Collective Impact?
• Resource List: Getting Started in Collective Impact

The Intro music, entitled “Running,” was composed by Rafael Krux, and can be found here and is licensed under CC: By 4.0.

The outro music, entitled “Deliberate Thought,” was composed by Kevin Macleod. Licensed under CC: By.

Have a question related to collaborative work that you'd like to have discussed on the podcast? Contact us at: https://www.collectiveimpactforum.org/contact-us/