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Collective Impact

Large-scale social change requires broad cross-sector coordination, yet the social sector remains focused on the isolated intervention of individual organizations. Substantially greater progress could be made in alleviating many of our most serious and complex social problems if nonprofits, governments, businesses, and the public were brought together around a common agenda to create collective impact. Published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Winter 2011.

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Video - John Kania on Collective Impact

Webinar - Collective Impact: Creating Large Scale Social Change

Event - Collective Impact Conference

Related Resources

Webinar - Collective Impact: Implementing Shared Measurement

Video - Twin Cities United Way video on Collective Impact

Podcast - Fay Hanleybrown leads a discussion with Social Venture Partners

Video - Laura Herman at the Transforming Philanthropy conference in Colombia

Podcast - John Kania interviewed on NPR's "Think" program

Video - Collective Impact Conference livestream recordings

Article - "The Power of Partnerships" by David Bornstein in the New York Times

Video - The White House Council for Community Solutions session on Collective Impact with John Kania

Article - "NS Raghavan on Way to Change Indian Philanthropy" by Naren Karunakaran in the Economic Times

Video - Jeff Edmondson speaks at TEDxCincy on shared data as the key to educational improvement

Article - "The Networked Nonprofit" by Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano

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Jennifer Dang	(6/11/2011 10:55:20 PM)

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Is there an example of a community that has also measured the health status of their students and are there specific examples on how community funders and service providers responded to the data?

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Emily Gorin	(6/16/2011 8:49:06 AM)

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Thanks for your question, Jennifer.
The MetroWest Foundation (MA) funded an Adolescent Health Survey, a 10-year biennial effort across a 25-town region, to collect data about the health risks of middle and high school students (including alcohol, drug, and tobacco use). The first survey, in 2006, provided a baseline measure for towns on youth substance abuse (e.g., lifetime and 30 day use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs; drinking and driving; binge drinking). Most communities also surveyed parents to learn about their attitudes, actions, and needs on teen substance abuse. Communities then hosted public forums, developed publications, and worked with local media to share the information with parents and community leaders. (cont'd)

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Emily Gorin	(6/16/2011 8:49:44 AM)

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Based on this data, the communities planned prevention curricula, revised school policies, mobilized coalitions, and involved teens and others in community solutions. For example, in one town whose data showed high levels of teen anxiety and stress, the school district created a program to address stress, depression, and substance use.

Connie Crockett	(9/29/2011 11:39:06 AM)

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What kind of reaction is the paper receiving? Are philanthropic organizations reconsidering their funding strategies based on new insights?

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Emily Malenfant	(10/20/2011 12:14:57 PM)

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Hi Connie,

Thanks for your comment!

We're seeing a huge reaction to the concept: coverage everywhere from the NYTimes to the Economic Times, a leading newspaper in India; among the top 3 most downloaded 2011 SSIR articles of all time; 70+ references in online articles and blogs, etc. It really seems like an idea whose time has come! I encourage you to check out FSG's CI blog, with exciting guest bloggers from the field and responses to many questions we've heard from around the world.

As for changes in funder strategies, it's slower going. There's a lot of enthusiasm, and we're certainly seeing some funders adopt collective impact approaches, but it's not yet widespread in the field. Check out our blog for more information about the unique role funders can play in catalyzing and sustaining CI.