Improving Outcomes for Children
and Youth through Collective Impact
National League of Cities Webinar
February 15, 2012
Boston | Geneva | Mumbai | San Francisco | Seattle | Washington
FSG.ORG
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Today’s Webinar
 Concepts and Elements of Collective Impact
 Examples from NLC Members
 Questions and Answers
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© 2011 FSG
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FSG and NLC Presenters
• Jeff Kutash, Managing Director, Head of Education &
Youth Practice, FSG
• Emily Gorin, Senior Consultant, FSG
• Douglas Scarboro, Executive Director, Office of Talent
and Human Capital and Education Liaison to the Mayor,
City of Memphis, TN
• Sid Sidorowicz, Strategic Advisor, Office for Education,
City of Seattle, WA
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© 2011 FSG
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FSG Overview
• Nonprofit consulting firm specializing in strategy,
evaluation and research with offices in Boston,
Seattle, San Francisco, DC, Geneva, and Mumbai
• Partner with foundations, corporations, nonprofits,
and governments to develop more effective solutions
to the world’s most challenging issues
• Recognized thought leader in social impact,
philanthropy and corporate social responsibility
• Staff of 95 full-time professionals with passion and
experience to solve social problems
• Advancing Collective Impact via publications,
conferences, speaking engagements, client projects
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Juvenile Justice in New York
$286,000 = 89% recidivism rate
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Actors In the New York Juvenile Justice System
Source: FSG interviews and analysis; State of NY Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, “State of NY, 2009–2011:
6
Three-Year Comprehensive State Plan for the JJ and Delinquency Prevention Formula Grant Program.”
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© 2011 FSG
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There Are Several Types of Problems
Simple
Complicated
Complex
Baking a Cake
Sending a Rocket
to the Moon
Rehabilitating a
Youth
Social sector treats problems as simple or
complicated
Source: Adapted from “Getting to Maybe”
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Traditional Approaches Not Solving Our
Toughest – Often Complex – Challenges
• Funders select individual grantees
• Organizations work separately and
compete
• Evaluation attempts to isolate a
particular organization’s impact
Isolated
Impact
• Large scale change is assumed to
depend on scaling organizations
• Corporate and government sectors
are often disconnected from
foundations and nonprofits
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Imagine a Different Approach – Multiple Players
Working Together to Solve Complex Issues
• All working toward the same goal and measuring the
same things
• Cross-sector alignment with government, nonprofit,
philanthropic and corporate sectors as partners
• Organizations actively coordinating their action and
sharing lessons learned
Isolated Impact
Collective Impact
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Achieving Large-Scale Change through
Collective Impact Involves Five Key Elements
Common Agenda
• Common understanding of the problem
• Shared vision for change
Shared Measurement
• Collecting data and measuring results
• Focus on performance management
• Shared accountability
Mutually Reinforcing
Activities
• Differentiated approaches
• Willingness to adapt individual activities
• Coordination through joint plan of action
Continuous
Communication
• Consistent and open communication
• Focus on building trust
Backbone Support
• Separate organization(s) with staff
• Resources and skills to convene and
coordinate participating organizations
Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012; FSG Interviews
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The Collective Impact Approach Can Apply to
Solving Many Complex Social Issues
Education
Healthcare
Homelessness
Economic Development
Community Development
*
Youth Development
*
*
*
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A Champion, Funding, and Urgency for Change Are
All Key to Launching a Collective Impact Initiative
Influential Champion
• Commands respect and engages cross-sector
leaders
• Focused on solving problem but allows
participants to figure out answers for themselves
Financial Resources
$
• Committed funding partners
• Sustained funding for at least 2-3 years
• Pays for needed infrastructure and planning
Urgency for Change
•
•
•
•
Critical problem in the community
Frustration with existing approaches
Multiple actors calling for change
Engaged funders and policy makers
Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012; FSG Interviews
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Collective Impact Efforts Tend to Develop Over
Three Key Phases
Phase I
Initiate Action
Phase II
Organize for Impact
Governance &
Infrastructure
Develop group;
structure
communication and
decision making
Create infrastructure/
backbone and
processes
Facilitate and refine
Strategic
Planning
Map the landscape
and use data to
make case
Create common
agenda (common
goals, strategy)
Support
implementation;
alignment to
goal/strategies
Community
Involvement
Facilitate
community
outreach
Engage community,
build public will
Continue engagement,
conduct advocacy
Evaluation &
Improvement
Analyze baseline
data to ID key
issues and gaps
Establish shared
metrics, indicators,
measurement
approach
Collect/track/report
progress; process to
learn and improve
Components
for Success
Source: Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, 2012; FSG Interviews
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Phase III
Sustain Action and Impact
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Backbone Organizations Require a Unique SkillSet to Support Collective Impact Efforts
Highlights of Successful Backbones
• Have high credibility
• Seen as neutral convener
• Have dedicated staff
• Build key relationships
• Frame issues
• Create a sense of urgency
• Promote learning
• Balance inclusivity vs. expediency
14 skills can exist within a single organization or within another organization in the effort.© 2011 FSG
*These
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Successful Backbone Organizations Tend to
Manage Six Key Functions
Function
Strategic
Coherence
Description



Data
Management 
Facilitation


Communica- 

tions
Oversee strategic direction
Analyze landscape, identify gaps
Collect, house, analyze, and disseminate data
Manage process of defining and refining common indicators
Manage meetings and logistics
Act as neutral arbiter between players, as necessary
Identify communication strategy to reach stakeholders
Manage frequency, content, and delivery of messages
Community
Outreach


Support meaningful cross-sector community engagement
Help develop policy agenda and coordinate advocacy
Funding



Coordinate grant writing among initiative partners
Seek and manage new grants
Possible: Re-grant, serve as fiscal agent
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Many Types of Organizations Can Serve as
Backbones
Types of Backbones
Examples
Funders
New Nonprofit
Existing Nonprofit
Government Agency or School
District
Shared Across Multiple
Organizations
Steering Committee
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Strive Is an Education Collaborative in Cincinnati
That Is a Best-in-Class Example of Collective Impact
1
2
Common Agenda
Shared Measurement
• Programs working on the same
activity measure results on the
same criteria
• Vision: Improving educational
outcomes for all children in the
Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky
region from “cradle to career”
3
Mutually Reinforcing
Activities
• 300 organizations
work on 5 key
points in the
education pipeline
• Use evidencebased strategies
4
• Use Six Sigma to improve
performance across organizations
Continuous
Communication
• Networks have met
regularly for more
than five years
• Use web-based
tools, such as
Google Groups
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5
Backbone Support
Organization
• Strive is an
independent
nonprofit: 8 staff,
$1.5M annual budget
• Strive supports
technology,
facilitation and
communications
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The New York Juvenile Justice System Uses Collective
Impact to Improve Public Safety and Youth Outcomes
1
2
Common Agenda
Shared Measurement
• Key system-wide outcomes
tracked across organizations,
specific indicators by strategy
• Aggregate, system-wide data
and outcomes made public
• Vision: Improving public safety and
youth outcomes in communities
across the state
3
Mutually Reinforcing
Activities
• Developed strategies and
action steps for system
governance/coordination,
service continuum, shared
data, accountability
• Prioritize activities to
pursue in the near-term
4
Continuous
Communication
• Routine updates
to and from state
and local actors
• Regular
meetings of
steering group
and work groups
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5
Backbone Support
Organization
• Strategic Planning
Action Committee
(SPAC) and supporting
staff oversee
implementation
• Workgroups launched in
data use and continuum
© 2011 FSG
Appendix
FSG.ORG
The Community Center for Education Results Is Also Pursuing
a Collective Impact Approach to Education in Seattle
Collective Impact Need
Unacceptable achievement gaps for low income students and children of color, as well as low
achievement rates from cradle to college and career in South Seattle and South King County
Solution and Goal
“Road Map Project”: new initiative aimed at dramatic improvement in student achievement –
cradle through college/career in South Seattle, South King County
Goal: “to double the number of students in South King County and South Seattle on track to
graduate from college or earn career credential by 2020
Implementation
Working groups are coordinating action in 4 areas (10-12 cross sector people per group):
• Early learning
• Kindergarten to 12th grade
• Post secondary success
• Community Support
Shared set of indicators measuring progress towards: (1) healthy and ready for Kindergarten, (2)
supported and successful in school, (3) graduate from high school --college and career-ready, (4)
earn a college degree or career credential
Backbone(s)
The Community Center for Education Results is the “backbone” organization for this effort,
providing dedicated staff to support the initiative
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© 2011 FSG
Appendix
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The Roadmap Participants Have Agreed on One Framework and
One Set of Success Measures
Readiness
Healthy and
ready for
Kindergarten
• % children meeting
kindergarten readiness
standards
• % children accessing
comprehensive medical
and dental care
• % eligible children
enrolled in evidencebased early learning
programs
Achievement
Attainment
Graduate from
high school -college and
career-ready
Supported and
successful in
school
• % students proficient in 3rd
• % students graduating
grade reading
high school meeting
th
proposed Washington
• % students proficient in 4
State graduation
grade math
requirements
• % 9th graders who pass end
• % students who take
of course algebra exam
SAT/ACT and/or take a
• % students motivated and
community college
engaged to succeed in school
placement test in high
• % students who are not
school
triggering all three Early
• % high school graduates
Warning indicators
who take
• % parents who believe a
developmental
college degree is important and
education courses in
actively support their child’s
college
education
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Earn a college
degree or career
credential
• % students who earn a
post-secondary
credential by age 26
• % students who enroll
in postsecondary
education
• % students who persist
year to year
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Collective Impact Requires Four Big Mindset
Shifts
Context
• Adaptive vs. Technical Solutions
• Silver Buckshot vs. Silver Bullets
• Credibility vs. Credit
• Coordination vs. Competition
Strategy + Process + Trust
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City-Based Efforts that Involve Municipal
Government Have Unique Considerations
Sample Considerations

Geographic scope (city vs. county vs. region)

Role of policy makers / elected officials and the need for
a policy agenda

Backbone organization or staff within government

Use of political capital and convening power to promote
and support collective impact

Silos / funding streams that need to be aligned

Opportunity to catalyze and / or fund efforts
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© 2011 FSG
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Thank You for Joining Us Today!
To talk more with FSG about Collective
Impact:
• Jeff Kutash, Managing Director
jeff.kutash@fsg.org
• Emily Malenfant, Senior Consultant–
emily.malenfant@fsg.org
Collective Impact resources available on FSG’s website:
http://fsg.org/KnowledgeExchange/FSGApproach/Collec
tiveImpact.aspx
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© 2011 FSG
City of Seattle
Shared Measurement
Targets
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Children meeting age level expectations on WaKIDS
65%
69%
72%
75%
79%
82%
85%
3rd graders meeting MSP reading standard
79%
79%
80%
81%
82%
84%
85%
4th graders meeting MSP math standard
65%
65%
66%
68%
70%
72%
74%
5th graders meeting MSP science standard
64%
65%
66%
68%
71%
74%
78%
78%
79%
80%
82%
83%
84%
86%
7th graders meeting MSP math standard
67%
69%
71%
73%
75%
76%
78%
8th graders meeting MSP science standard
71%
72%
73%
74%
75%
76%
77%
Students passing EOC math 2 test
9th graders promoting on time to
10th grade
70%
89%
71%
90%
72%
91%
73%
92%
75%
92%
78%
93%
80%
94%
Students graduating on time
Students graduating with HECB requirements for entry
into college
75%
63%
78%
65%
80%
66%
82%
68%
85%
70%
87%
72%
90%
73%
Students completing CTE course of study before
graduation *
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
SPS graduates enrolling in
post-secondary education
68%
69%
69%
70%
71%
72%
72%
SPS graduates not taking
remedial courses in college
66%
68%
69%
71%
72%
74%
75%
SPS graduates continuously enrolled in college for one
year
74%
75%
77%
79%
81%
82%
84%
6th graders meeting MSP reading standard
Steering Committee
•
•
•
Develop a plan focused on the fundamentals
Improving Outcomes for Children and
Prioritize strategies
Youth through Collective Impact
Establish public/private sector alignment
•
Ground plan in best practices, facts and research
•
Incorporate broad base of community input (MFF based on
voices of more than 3000 people)
•
PeopleFirst Partnership
February
15, 2012
Be innovative, but
build on existing
assets and momentum
Steering Committee
PeopleFirst Partnership Mission: Grow, attract and retain talent in
Memphis/Shelby County.
• Develop a plan focused on the fundamentals
Core Activities:
•• Identify
Prioritize
andstrategies
prioritize actionable, measurable initiatives with gameimpact
on key performance
metrics.
• changing
Establish
public/private
sector alignment
• Encourage collaboration among partners and stakeholders.
• Ground plan in best practices, facts and research
• Advocate for local and state policy reform and public/private sector
• investment
Incorporate
broad
baseour
of community
input (MFF based on
that
advances
agenda.
voices of more than 3000 people)
• Monitor implementation progress using reliable, measurable
• information
Be innovative, but build on existing assets and momentum
• Communicate results to the community.
5
Steering Committee
The PeopleFirst Partnership drives the Education and Talent agenda
of Memphis Fast Forward.
• Develop a plan focused on18-Member
the fundamentals
Memphis Fast Forward
Steering Committee
•
Prioritize strategies
•
Gary Shorb, Methodist Health Care
Establish public/private
sector
alignment
A C Wharton,
Jr., Mayor,
City of Memphis
Co-chairs:
Mark H. Luttrell, Jr., Mayor, Shelby County
•
Ground plan in best practices, facts and research
•
Incorporate
broad base of community input (MFF based on
Memphis Shelby
Government Efficiency
Operation Safe Community
PeopleFirst Partnership
Growth Alliance
voices of more than 3000 people)
Dr. Bill Evans, Director & CEO
•
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Chairman
Bill Gibbons, Director
TN Dept. of Safety & Homeland Security
Chairman
Gary Shorb, President & CEO
Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare
Chairman
Mayor A C Wharton, Jr.
Mayor Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.
Co-chairs
Be innovative, but build on existing assets and momentum
Growth Alliance
Board
Crime Commission
Board
PeopleFirst Partnership
Board
4
Steering Committee
Identifying our priority initiatives.
In
a Planning
Council
identified
metrics, 4 Goals, 10 Strategies
• 2010
Develop
a plan
focused
on theKey
fundamentals
and a proposed set of priority initiatives for our starting point.
• • Chairman
Prioritize
strategies
-- Kriner Cash,
Superintendent, Memphis City
• Robert Lipscomb, City of Memphis Housing and
Schools
John Aitkin, Superintendent, Shelby County Schools
Sandra Allen, Director, Le Bonheur Center for Children and
Parents
Kenya Bradshaw, Director, Stand for Children
Julie Coffey, Shelby County Office of Early Childhood and
Youth
Reid Dulberger, VP of MemphisED Administration, Greater
Memphis Chamber
Nate Essex, President, Southwest Tennessee Community
College
Desi Franklin, Executive Director, Workforce Investment
Network
Community Development
Michelle Fowlkes, Operation Safe Community/Memphis
Shelby Crime Commission
John Moore, President and CEO, Greater Memphis
Chamber
Shirley Raines, President, The University of Memphis
Roland Raynor, Director, Tennessee Technology Center
Memphis
Douglas Scarboro, Executive Director, City of Memphis
Office of Talent and Human Capital
Blair Taylor, President, Memphis Tomorrow
Regina Walker, Sr. Vice President, The United Way of the
Mid-South
Fenton Wright, Director, Shalom Project
•
• •• Establish public/private sector
alignment
•
• •• Ground plan in best practices,
facts and research
•
•
• • Incorporate broad base of community
input (MFF based on
•
•
voices of more than 3000 people)
•
•
•
•
Be innovative, but build on •existing assets and momentum
6
Steering Committee
4 Goals, 10 Strategies and potential initiatives.
Goal A. Children enter
kindergarten “ready to
learn”
•
•
•
•
Strategy Three: Great Teachers and Leaders.
Initiative: MCS Teacher Effectiveness and
Leadership Effectiveness Initiative
Prioritize strategies
Initiative : Early Success
Coalition
Initiative: SCS Tennessee Educator Acceleration
Model
Strategy Eight: Post-Secondary Completion.
Initiative: Southwest Tennessee
Community College Completion
Initiative
Initiative: University of Memphis
Completion Initiative
Goal D. Talent is
attracted to and
retained in M/SC
Strategy Ten: Talent
Outreach and
Engagement.
Initiatives: In
development
Establish public/private sector alignment
Strategy Two: High-Quality
Early Learning.
•
Goal C. Adults earn certifications and
college degrees that prepare for local
careers
Develop a plan focused on the fundamentals
Strategy One: PreNatal
Health and Early Parenting.
•
Goal B. Youth graduate high school “college ready”
Initiative: Advocacy for
Public Pre-K
Strategy Four: Instructional Reform and Higher
Standards.
Initiative: MCS & SCS - implement national
common core standards, new student
assessments, increased instructional rigor aligned
with new standards
Initiative: Partial Completers Initiative –
In development
Initiative: Student Financial Aid
Ground plan in best practices, facts and research
Strategy Nine: Career Pathways.
Initiatives: In development
Incorporate broad base of community input (MFF based on
voices of more than 3000 people)
Strategy Five: Student Supports: Academic, Health and
Mental Health
Initiative: MCS & SCS - improve data systems to
flag struggling students and connect them to
appropriate interventions
Initiative: Teen Pregnancy Prevention
PeopleFirst Partnership will dedicate an
upcoming Board meeting to review and
consideration of key K-12 efforts that should be
included in the new unified system. We will
provide our conclusions to the transition
commission and unified board, as well as make
sure our agenda is informed by their thinking.
Be innovative, but build on existing assets and momentum
Strategy Six: Parent Involvement.
Initiative: In development
Strategy Seven: Post-Secondary Preparation in Middle
and High School.
Initiative: MCS & SCS Expand use of ACT’s EPAS
system beginning in middle school
8
Steering Committee
Key Metrics
Metric
•
•
•
Current Baseline
Benchmark
Develop a plan focused on the fundamentals
Percentage kindergarten ready
(KRI score ≥ 70 in math and reading)
MCS in 2011: 44% English,
54% Math
No Benchmark
Percentage college ready
(composite ACT score ≥ 19)
MCS: 4% in 2011
SCS: 28% in 2011
25% in US in 2011
Prioritize strategies
Establish public/private sector alignment
School graduation rate
MCS: 70% in 2010
90% TN Target
• HighGround
plan in best practices,
facts
and
research
SCS: 96.3% in 2010
adults with post-secondary
SC: 28.2%
in 2010 (All
US: 28.2%
in 2010 based
(All
• Percentage
Incorporate
broad base of
community
input
(MFF
on
degrees; special emphasis on 25-34 year olds
adults over 25)
adults over 25)
voices of more than 3000 people)
•
College Board Target for
US: 55% of 25-34 year
olds by 2025
Be innovative, but build on existing assets and momentum
7
Steering Committee
Criteria for considering adoption of priority initiatives.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Major “game-changing” impact on one of our four goals, metrics.
Develop a plan focused on the fundamentals
Research-informed rationale for success.
Prioritize strategies
Leadership controls the necessary resources to effectively oversee
Establish public/private
sector
alignment
implementation
OR If the effort
is steered
by a collaborative, it has
clearly
established
rolespractices,
and accountabilities
part of formal
Ground
plan in best
facts and as
research
agreements or MOUs
Incorporate broad base of community input (MFF based on
Action
for 2012
with
realistic
objectives and metrics.
voicesplan
of more
than
3000
people)
Leverages existing resources for greater achievement (e.g. new
Be innovative, but build on existing assets and momentum
partnerships, new methods, redirecting resources to new priorities)
10