We need to think differently to heal Earth. We need to deepen our relationships with each other. It will require us to take a new leadership journey that focuses not on the parts but on the whole. No single organisation can solve any major social or environmental problem at scale. We need to move from isolated impact to collective impact.
FSG describes collective impact as a disciplined, cross-sector approach to solving complex social and environmental issues on a large scale. The CI framework was coined in 2011 by John Kania and Mark Kramer of FSG Consulting. Their Stanford Social Innovation Review article distilled some key ingredients of successful community efforts to move “from fragmented action and results” to “collective action and deep and durable impact.” They outlined the five conditions of collective success:
- Common Agenda
- Shared Measurement Systems
- Mutually Reinforcing Activities
- Continuous Communication
- Backbone Support Organisation
Then, in August 2016, Marck Cabaj and Liz Weaver from Tamarack Community released a paper called Collective Impact 3.0. They believed it was time “for an evolution in the revolution” to upgrade the framework. Through the great work of the CI community, it became evident there were limitations to the original framework. They proposed five upgraded conditions for collective success:
- Community Aspiration
- Strategic Learning
- High Leverage Activities
- Community Engagement
- Container for Change
They also proposed that the CI framework move from a managerial approach to a movement building paradigm. CI 3.0 moves away from a focus on improving existing systems to “reforming, even transforming systems where improvements alone will not make a difference. Movement-building leaders bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including those not in traditional institutions or seats of power, to build a vision of the future based on common values and narratives. Movements ‘open up peoples’ hearts and minds to new possibilities,’ ‘create the receptive climate for new ideas to take hold’, and ‘embolden policymakers’ and system leaders.”
Community Aspiration
Its more than a common agenda it is about creating a broader movement for change. “A solid community aspiration can also create the kind of ‘big tent’ under which a wide range of participants can pursue the interdependent challenges underlying tough issues”. The aspiration needs to be contagious, unlike a common agenda. It inspires and motivates all stakeholders to come together and make collective impact successful.
Strategic Learning
This upgraded version of CI moves us away from common indicators and data collection towards a “larger system of learning and evaluation.” Shared measurement and shared learning are critical to evaluating impact and continued success. The focus is on learning rather than measurement as “measures are only part of learning”.
High Leverage Activities
Mutually reinforcing activities focus on collaboration and does not allow stakeholders to “pursue independent – even competing – pathways to a common goal.” Taking different approaches to a systemic problem is important, we need diverse approaches.
Collaboration is not working as it is fragmented and focused on the collaborators own interests.
Community Engagement
The community if front and centre in the change process in CI 3.0. Involving all stakeholders in an authentic and inclusive way to cultivate broad ownership. This commitment is essential for long-term success and provides a sturdy foundation for when things get tough.
Containers for Change
What makes CI successful is the backbone organisation that holds it all together. Containers for change hold the space for all stakeholders to come together and work towards our community aspiration. They are agile, flexible as our function and role evolve over time.
They do the grunt work of community engagement, high leverage activities and strategic learning through communications, governance, network growth and platform and resource development. We provide a critical role in the collective impact framework and is one of the most unique elements of collective impact.
They are the safe place for more people to join the collective efforts and contribute to systemic change. It is the centre for the collective work keeping focused on the reason we have been called together. But more importantly on the change we are working towards, our community aspiration.
Large scale social change comes from better cross-sector coordination rather than from isolated intervention of individual organisations.
More Than Collaboration
Collective Impact is more than just collaboration; collaboration happens frequently between organisations working on grants, new programs, and events. The process of collaboration builds momentum, brings new perspective to the work, and creates excitement among teams. It can be organic, between co-workers collaborating on an email, or more structured through official contracts and agreements. When partners take collaboration further and work together to achieve large-scale outcomes, that is when we work towards collective impact. It requires dedication to a shared outcome and will require organisations to set aside their individual goals for a bigger impact.