Principles and Success Stories of Collective Impact

Here’s how these two pathfinders(Kania & Kramer) explained about collective impact in an article published by SSIR in 2011.

For decades, attempts to reform the U.S. public education system have felt like trying to steer a cruise ship with a paddle. Despite the valiant efforts of major funders like the Annenberg Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Pew Charitable Trusts, many have thrown in the towel after realizing that reform seemed as elusive as finding a needle in a haystack.

Once the global champion of education post-World War II, with the highest high school graduation rates, the U.S. has slipped to 18th place among industrialized nations. Every year, over a million students drop out of secondary school. That’s a staggering number. So, despite countless teachers, administrators, and nonprofits pouring their hearts and billions of dollars into this, widespread progress has remained just out of reach.

But hold onto your hats, because there’s a glimmer of hope shining brightly in Cincinnati. Enter Strive, a nonprofit that’s proving that teamwork makes the dream work. Strive is a subsidiary of KnowledgeWorks, and it’s been rolling up its sleeves and getting to work in greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky for the past four years. They’ve managed to turn the tide, improving student success in a multitude of key areas across three large public school districts. Even in the face of a recession and budget cuts, Strive’s efforts have shown positive trends in 34 out of 53 indicators they track. We’re talking better high school graduation rates, improved fourth-grade reading and math scores, and more preschool kids ready to start kindergarten. How did they pull this off? It’s all about swapping individual agendas for a united front.

More than 300 local leaders, from private foundations and city officials to school district representatives and university presidents, have banded together. They realized that fixing just one part of the education system—like boosting after-school programs—wouldn’t cut it. The key was to improve every aspect of a student’s journey from “cradle to career.”

So, instead of reinventing the wheel or begging for more cash, Strive focused on aligning the entire educational community around a single set of goals, measured in the same way. They created 15 different Student Success Networks, each one specializing in different areas like early childhood education or tutoring. These networks meet biweekly, working with coaches and facilitators to develop shared performance indicators and learn from each other.

Strive’s approach embodies what’s known as collective impact—a strategy where a bunch of key players from various sectors come together with a common agenda to tackle a social problem. And let me tell you, it’s not your run-of-the-mill collaboration. Unlike your usual partnerships, collective impact requires a centralized infrastructure, dedicated staff, and a structured process that includes shared goals, measurement systems, continuous communication, and mutually reinforcing activities.

This isn’t just theory. There are some stellar examples out there that show the power of collective impact. Take the Elizabeth River Project from 1993, for example. Marjorie Mayfield Jackson and her team tackled the pollution-ridden Elizabeth River in southeastern Virginia. They brought together over 100 stakeholders, including city governments, the EPA, local businesses, and community groups. Fast forward 15 years, and we’re talking about more than 1,000 acres of restored land, reduced pollution, and even bald eagles nesting by the river. It’s proof that collective action can really clean up.

Or consider Shape Up Somerville in Massachusetts, led by Christina Economos. This citywide effort aimed to curb childhood obesity through a mix of healthier school meals, nutritional education, and community-wide incentives for healthy living. They revamped sidewalks to encourage walking and certified local restaurants for serving nutritious food. Between 2002 and 2005, they achieved a significant drop in body mass index among kids. That’s some serious impact!

And guess what? Even companies are getting in on the collective impact action. Mars, the giant behind M&M’s and Snickers, is working with NGOs, local governments, and competitors to improve the lives of over 500,000 cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire. By improving farming practices and plant stocks, they’re aiming to triple yields and boost incomes while ensuring a sustainable cocoa supply. Talk about a sweet deal!

So, what’s the takeaway from all these examples? Large-scale social change isn’t about the solo hero; it’s about getting all the right people—nonprofits, businesses, governments, and the public—aligned around a common goal. Sure, it’s challenging, but the potential rewards are enormous.

Now, shifting from isolated impact—where everyone works in their own silo—to collective impact isn’t just a matter of collaboration. It requires a systemic approach that focuses on relationships and shared objectives. Successful collective impact initiatives typically have five key conditions:

• Common Agenda: All participants need to share a vision and agree on the problem and solutions.
• Shared Measurement Systems: Agreeing on how to measure success ensures everyone is on the same page.
• Mutually Reinforcing Activities: Each participant does what they do best, but in a way that complements others’ efforts.
• Continuous Communication: Trust and understanding develop through regular, open communication.
• Backbone Support Organizations: A dedicated team is needed to manage and support the initiative.

For instance, Strive’s backbone organization has a modest budget but coordinates efforts across organizations with combined budgets of $7 billion. They use tools like the Six Sigma process, adapted for the social sector, to drive continuous improvement. But here’s the kicker: funding for collective impact isn’t a short-term fix. It’s about supporting a long-term process, even if that means waiting years for results. Funders need to shift from backing single organizations to supporting the entire collaborative effort.

Imagine if more funders, nonprofits, and businesses embraced this approach. Strive is already helping other communities set up similar initiatives, spreading the collective impact model far and wide. It’s not just about scaling up—it’s about making the process adaptable and giving other communities the tools to drive their own success.

In conclusion, if we can transition from isolated efforts to a collective impact mindset, we might just be able to tackle some of our most pressing social issues with the resources we already have. It’s not easy, but it’s a change that’s worth striving for.

And who knows? It might just be the shock therapy our social sector needs to truly make a difference.