Collective Impact Forum

How can collaboratives build and ensure clarity of purpose as partners work together? In this episode, we’re doing a deep dive discussion into a specific collaboration tool—the project charter—and how this tool can help bring partners together to clarify roles, accountability, and a shared vision.

To share their own experiences using a project charter within their work partnering together, we hear from Staci Anderson, Angie Medina, and Rachel Minnick from PRO Youth and Families, and Keya Bell and Shakeya Bell from IQSquad. They share what they have learned supporting youth in Sacramento, CA, and how tools like a project charter can bring clarity and support mutual understanding within partnerships.

Find a link to access a project charter template and more resources in the episode notes.

Resources and Footnotes

Download a Project Charter Template on our website.

Youth and Family Collective

PRO Youth and Families

Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown 

Impact Networks by David Ehrlichman

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 [email protected].

In this episode, Collective Impact Forum senior advisor Junious Williams talks with Erika Bernabei and Theo Miller who co-lead the consulting group Equity and Results. Erika and Theo share what they’ve learned supporting organizations that want to embed anti-racism practices in their collective impact work. They also discuss a set of core principles that can help guide collective impact initiatives that want to go deeper into their racial equity work.

Resources and Footnotes

• Resource: Equity & Results
• Article: Centering Equity in Collective Impact
• Webinar: Centering Equity in Collective Impact
• Article: Interview: Bringing an Anti-Racist Approach to Collective Impact
• Resource: Targeted Universalism
• Article: The Curb-Cut Effect

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

In this episode, Collective Impact Forum senior advisor Paul Schmitz shares what he’s learned through supporting many collective impact initiatives, including some specific challenges that he has seen repeatedly come up and block progress. We dive into the dangers to avoid and also explore three key lessons that can help navigate through these challenges. 

This chat is jumping off of Paul’s recent article “10 Dangers to Collective Impact,” which was featured online in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and is part of the online series Collective Impact, 10 Years Later. 

Resources and Footnotes

• Article: 10 Dangers to Collective Impact
• Series: Collective Impact, 10 Years Later
• Article: Centering Equity in Collective Impact
• Article: The Culture of Collective Impact
• Book: New Power
• Book: Dare to Lead
• Tool: TRIZ

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

In our new episode of the Collective Impact Forum podcast, we’re talking with Justin Piff from Equal Measure about his recent article Data in Collective Impact: Focusing on What Matters. This piece was featured online in the Stanford Social Innovation Review and is part of the online series Collective Impact, 10 Years Later. In this chat, we talk about four key strategies for understanding and using data effectively to support collective impact work as well as ways collective impact funders can serve as a valuable data partner for initiatives. 

Resources and Footnotes

Article: Data in Collective Impact: Focusing on What Matters

Series: Collective Impact, 10 Years Later

Resource: OYF Evaluation and Assessment

Report: Equity Counts: Using Data to Increase Equity and Improve Metric Outcomes for Opportunity Youth

Webinar: Evaluating Systems Change Efforts: Where to Start

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

What are ways that funders can foster trust and support relationships with community partners? In this episode, Fay Hanleybrown, John Harper, and Victor Tavarez of FSG stop by the podcast to share from their own experiences supporting funders doing place-based work. In the discussion, they highlight four key practices that are effective in building and sustaining trust with community partners.

Listeners can check out more in the recent article that Victor, Fay, and John wrote, titled, “How Funders of Collective Impact Initiatives Can Build Trust,” that was featured online in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and is part of the online series Collective Impact, 10 Years Later. 

Resources and Footnotes

Article: How Funders of Collective Impact Can Build Trust

Series: Collective Impact, 10 Years Later

Report: Being the Change

Report: Advancing Funders’ Openness Practices: Lessons for the Field from the Collective Impact Funder Action Learning Lab

Resource: Power Moves

Resource: Reimagining Capacity Building: Navigating Culture, Systems & Power

Resource: Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

In this episode, we feature an unabridged roundtable discussion amongst a group of leaders who are part of United Way organizations from across the United States. In this talk, we get to hear what they have learned using the collective impact approach for collaborative, place-based change, and how they have seen their roles transition from a traditional funder role to that of a connected and collaborative community partner. Leading this discussion is Ayeola Fortune who serves as interim senior vice president for impact at United Way Worldwide. Joining Ayeola Fortune is Bill Crim, who is president and CEO of United Way of Salt Lake, Regina Greer, who is chief impact officer at United Way of Greater St. Louis, and Jill Pereira, who is vice president of education and impact at United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. 

This roundtable was conducted as part of an online series published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, which explores the collective impact movement 10 years after the original article was published in SSIR.

Resources and Footnotes

• Article: Embracing Collective Impact at United Way
• Series: Collective Impact: 10 Years Later
• United Way Worldwide
• United Way of Salt Lake
• United Way of Greater St. Louis
• United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

In September 2021, Melody Barnes, chair of the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, led a conversation with four social change leaders who for more than a decade have used collective impact to create collaborative, place-based change. Participants included Jennifer Blatz, president and CEO of StriveTogether, a national network of local communities striving to achieve racial equity and economic mobility, supporting the success of every child from cradle to career; Geoffrey Canada, founder and president of Harlem Children’s Zone and the recently launched William Julius Wilson Center, nonprofits working to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty with comprehensive, on-the-ground programming that builds opportunities for children, families, and communities; Rosanne Haggerty, president and chief executive officer of Community Solutions, a nonprofit working to achieve a lasting end to homelessness; and Erik Stegman, chief executive officer of Native Americans in Philanthropy, an organization promoting increased and equitable investments in tribal communities that align with Indigenous values.

During this roundtable, the participants discussed how their years of experience with collective impact has evolved and what they have learned that will carry them into the next decade of collaborative work to improve communities. This discussion is an unabridged version of an article shared in the Stanford Social Innovation Review titled Reflecting on Collective Impact for Place-Based Social Change.

Resources and Footnotes

Article: Centering Equity in Collective Impact

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

How can the collective impact approach put anti-racism at the center of its work?  How can collective impact work authentically center Black and Pacific Islander families, as it focuses on improving infant and maternal health? In this podcast interview, FSG Senior Consultant Miya Cain, MPH, explores these questions and more with the Executive Director of Expecting Justice, Zea Malawa, MD, MPH, building on their time working together on the early stages of the initiative. This interview is an unbridged version of an article shared in the Stanford Social Innovation Review titled Bringing an Anti-Racist Approach to Collective Impact. 

Resources and Footnotes

Article: Centering Equity in Collective Impact

Expecting Justice

Resource: Racial Equity Impact Assessment (Race Forward)

Resource: White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

In this episode, we’re talking about the findings from a new article in the winter 2022 edition of the Stanford Social Innovation Review titled, "Centering Equity in Collective Impact." We’re doing a “behind the writing” deep-dive discussion with several of the articles’ authors to hear about what lessons they learned from collaboratives who are practicing deep equity work, and what strategies arose through the process. Moderating this discussion is Cindy Santos of the Aspen Institute Forum for Community Solutions, and joining Cindy for this chat are article coauthors Sheri Brady, Jennifer Splansky Juster, and Paul Schmitz.

Resources and Footnotes

Find a transcript of this episode here.

Article: Centering Equity in Collective Impact (Stanford Social Innovation Review)

Blog: Redefining Collective Impact

Article The Water of Systems Change

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].

How can collective impact initiatives leverage advocacy and community organizing to create more equitable systems and policy outcomes? In this episode we look into the findings of the new research study Rebalancing Power: Examining the Role of Advocacy and Organizing in Collective Impact. In this candid “behind the research” discussion, Rebalancing Power coauthor Brian Kennedy and Frontline Solutions senior partner and founder Marcus Littles discuss the report’s recommendations, research methodology, and notable takeaways from the team’s interviews with collective impact practitioners, funders, and community organizers.

Resources and Footnotes

• Rebalancing Power: Examining the Role of Organizing and Advocacy in Collective Impact
• Blog: Lessons in Examining the Role of Advocacy and Organizing in Collective Impact
• Frontline Solutions
• Book: Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story  by Timothy B. Tyson
• Webinar: How to Embed Equity Practices in Collective Impact Virtual Office Hour with Junious Williams
• Video and Transcript: Complementary or in Conflict? Community Organizing and Collective Impact 

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? You can send it to our short podcast listener survey or at [email protected].