Collective Impact

Introduction

How do we move the needle on a complex community issue?

Collective Impact enables participants from different organizations to address a major challenge by developing an integrated plan of interventions that fundamentally changes population-level outcomes in a community.

When successful, communities solve big complex challenges (e.g., youth unemployment, low graduation rates, poverty) or make substantial societal shifts (e.g., more sustainable food systems) by creating a shared multi-sector understanding of the problem, a common vision, and an action plan with shared measurements and reinforcing activities.

Based on our experience working with Collective Impact initiatives, Innoweave has adapted the original five conditions of Collective Impact (Kania & Kramer, 2012) to underscore and prioritize the need for common outcome goals and approaches:

Priority # 1

• Clearly define population-level outcome goals

Priority # 2

• Define a clear model of the integrated efforts required to achieve those goals

Once Priorities #1 and #2 have been defined, they are supported by:

• Shared measurement of outcomes and leading indicators
• Continuous communication and improvement
• Backbone coordination and support

Collective Impact initiatives can help with issues that:

• Are difficult to address, and change with every attempt to address them
• Involve multiple stakeholders with different values and priorities
• Have causes and drivers that are interdependent
• Are filled with uncertainties and unknowns
• Require multiple new solutions that will need to be constantly tested and adjusted

Collective Impact Early Support

This stream helps participants from a group of different organizations apply the Collective Impact approach to achieve a shared population-level impact goal. Through customized coaching, the process is designed to help participants build a comprehensive plan on how to move forward with a successful Collective Impact initiative. 

Innoweave coaching supports aim to help participants of new/developing as well as established collectives/coalitions to* 

• Clarify their impact goals by developing  a collective Intended Impact Statement and Theory of Change 
• Conduct data gathering, engagement, and validation of the Intended Impact Statement and Theory of Change 
• Develop an engagement strategy 
• Develop the collective’s action plan which can include, for example: defining and confirming a governance model, developing a learning agenda, developing an evaluation measurement framework, developing a communications plan.

* Collaboratives that have strong elements of a Collective Impact plan already in place and believe that they need a customized approach to their coaching/funding should contact info@innoweave.ca to discuss options for moving forward.

Please note that Innoweave is currently reviewing our strategy and evolving our offerings. Stay up to date by checking back regularly and subscribing to our newsletter.