What would happen if we worked together?

By RYANNE JENNINGS

The term “collective impact” has been used in the nonprofit sector for at least a decade now. Why has this had such sticking power? Because it works. Complex challenges in any community require solutions that come from many different perspectives. To embrace these perspectives, stakeholders across the community need to be brought together to work on a common agenda. Collective impact provides an avenue and approach for taking on these challenges that allow for changes at a system level and for more people to be positively impacted. I like to use the phrase “We’re all working to row in the same direction.” 

In my lived experience, when I was in middle school (or high school and college for that matter) any time I was assigned a group project, students that were at the top of the class would groan and students that may have won “class clown” for superlatives in the yearbook would be delighted, as working together in the group would likely ensure a higher grade than working alone. Now that we’re adults, all working in the same community, collective impact can sometimes feel like it’s going to be a middle school group project all over again, but there are some ways to help ensure that everyone is pulling their own weight and contributing what they meaningfully can. This includes working to set a common agenda, having a group agreement on how partners are going to contribute, showing up in collaboration, and having clear reporting and communication processes so that everyone is on the same page. 

Working together in community does not happen without significant intentionality. Collective impact only happens with an investment of time and resources and a backbone organization to continue with the progress once it’s off the ground. It takes time to connect program partners to one another and strategize. It takes time to build coalitions and partnerships. The Wayne County Community Foundation often acts as a convening partner to help be the backbone and take the time for collective impact and others in the community do the same for different projects in our community. All of this to say, I hope those of you reading this hear the message that at the local level, we’re really working hard to continue to build strong relationships and row in the same direction, to ensure sustainable changes that allow our community to thrive. 

To learn more about the Wayne County Community Foundation, visit www.waynefoundation.org or email info@waynefoundation.org.

Ryanne Jennings is the president/CEO of the Wayne County Community Foundation.