The collective impact model has been at the forefront of social change for the last decade, tackling complex systemic issues through a long-term, structured process that aligns a broad set of local stakeholders from different sectors around a shared agenda, goals, and metrics.
Read more about what StriveTogether learned:
Validation Affirms We’re On the Right Path
Read the article featured in:
Filling the Gaps in Collective Impact
Read the evaluation’s executive summary.
“The work that Equal Measure and StriveTogether did is really revolutionary in the social sector and the field of collective impact. The theory of action we developed can be translated into other types of collective impact work outside of the cradle to career network—it’s a roadmap to get results.”
Bridget Jancarz, Chief of Staff, StriveTogether
Two Questions
Ten years into the collective impact model, we sought to answer two key questions as evaluation partners to StriveTogether, a national nonprofit cradle to career education network of nearly 70 community partnerships that reaches 13.7 million students in 29 states and Washington, DC. StriveTogether had received national attention for its innovative collective impact model, and over the last decade, worked from a robust theory of change (called their Theory of Action®) and collected outcomes data from a broad range of communities.
- What does collective impact look like “on the ground”?
- Is it effective in making big, bold, change to entrenched problems?
StriveTogether’s Roadmap
In 2013, StriveTogether launched a roadmap (called its Theory of Action®) for its cross-sector partners and communities to use the collective impact model to build what it calls “civic infrastructure.”
Civic infrastructure is a framework of shared community vision, evidence-based decision making, collaborative action, and investment and sustainability. Crucially, while the StriveTogether approach provides the framework for action, each community that adopts the framework has the power to make its own decisions on how it will take these elements, actualize them, and align them in the way the community thinks will work best to support their children.
The long-term goal of the StriveTogether network is to change systems in order to improve community-level outcomes, including kindergarten readiness, high school graduation, and postsecondary completion. Its Theory of Action posited that through building civic infrastructure informed by their framework, communities could drive powerful change and improve educational outcomes. StriveTogether asked Equal Measure to help answer the question: is our roadmap working?
“We developed a unique way of measuring a really complex concept. The tool we used to evaluate civic infrastructure was informed by the experiences of people doing the work in the communities — to reflect the work and do it justice.”
Justin Piff, Vice President, Learning And Impact, Equal Measure
Evaluating Civic Infrastructure
The evaluation surveyed more than 4,000 StriveTogether network members and local partners, reviewed outcomes data collected in ten communities, and interviewed network members and community stakeholders to further understand the findings.
The questions we sought answers to:
- How do the partnerships build civic infrastructure?
- What is the relationship between civic infrastructure and community-level outcomes?
- What strategies contribute to successful civic infrastructure development?
- Have partners shifted their practices and policies to support cradle to career success?
LESSONS FROM THE EVALUATION
Evidence from the evaluation confirmed that StriveTogether’s Theory of Action® was helping communities change systems and improve outcomes for children and youth.
The findings from our evaluation not only validate the work that StriveTogether is leading with its network, but also defines what quality collective impact looks like for the field, and can be used to inform implementations of the collective impact model in the social sector and beyond.
The evaluation provided valuable insights for communities looking to implement their own effective collective impact strategies.
- Develop a shared vision
- Use data to develop, support, and assess change strategies
- Spend time on community engagement
- Put equity at the center of process and outcomes
- Remember that change can happen at all stages