An Example of Co-Location - Good Idea or No? January 13, 2013; Source:Star-Ledger Does “one stop shopping” work for consumers of mental health services?
In New Jersey, Morris County is hoping to woo nonprofit mental health groups to relocate to the same building with the idea that their proximity and collaboration will both save money and enhance services. Morris County is moving ahead with its plans to build this nonprofit mental health mall and are now seeking nonprofit groups to rent space at the complex. So far, they say, more than 15 nonprofits have expressed an interest in moving to the site. The county’s St. Morris County Assistant Administrator Mary Jo Buchanan tells the Star-Ledger that this plan makes sense in light of the growing demand for more “cost-effective, shared services.” Forget Networking. How to Be a Connector. Connector Josh Bycel raised $50,000 in three weeks to fund a medical clinic at a refugee camp in Darfur.
We all know people like them, people who seem to know everyone. Are Partnerships the New Mergers? April 30, 2011; Times Union | Last week NPQ published a newswire about a new fund in Massachusetts that is designed to promote partnership between agencies – again, partnerships and not necessarily mergers. This article (linked to above) from Schenectady, N.Y. provides another example of what people are intending in crafting such relationships.
Parsons Child & Family Services and Northeast Parent & Child Society have a number of similarities. They both serve children and families, they both have approximately 600 staff and both have budgets of approximately $38 million, but apparently they have complementary offerings that, if put together, would result in clients being served more effectively. How Networked Nonprofits Visualize Their Networks. Photo Tweeted by @starfocus during a network mapping session at NWF Two weeks ago, the social media maven from the National Wildlife Federation, Danielle Brigida, tweeted the above photo showing how they were mapping one of their networks with one of my favorite low tech tools: sticky notes.
This got my attention because I was designing a Networked Nonprofit workshop for E-Mediat and will incorporate a network mapping exercise. Danielle connected me to Daniel Chu, Vice President, Affiliate and Regional Strategies and resident network weaving enthusiast. Daniel facilitated a network mapping activity with NNF’s 10 education advocacy staff from regional offices and headquarters. They wanted to visualize their network for a specific purpose: getting a national bill (Moving Children Outdoors Act) on Obama’s desk for signature by Oct. 2012.
They used sticky notes to visualize the network. Database Links Giving with Need. January 2, 2011; The Day | The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy has always viewed itself as a nexus between foundations and nonprofits, a mechanism for connecting the state's nonprofits to the surprisingly small list of foundations in an otherwise comparatively wealthy state. The Council continues to fill that role by releasing its annual wish list of nonprofit needs that foundations – and charitable donors – might help fill. The Council’s Ways to Share database allows online searches by nonprofit name (242 nonprofits are listed), location, or interest area. We took a peek at the list and found much impressive content in this Connecticut Council for Philanthropy resource. It is particularly useful for individual donors, as the lists of needs are often small items that individuals might provide.
In addition, the nonprofits list volunteer opportunities – a very useful link for people who like to combine giving time and money. ‘Tis the Season—How the Nonprofit Sector “Shares” Itself Out of Impact (December 9, 2010) Nonprofits, government, and philanthropy need to take up better sharing practices to advance nonprofits and the communities they aim to serve.
This week I have walked into a dozen or more nonprofit organizations and have noticed that many of them have put up holiday decorations. In admiring the work, one of the words that I saw spread across the walls and holiday flyers was “sharing”. It is a word that makes increased appearances during the holiday season. Harvey Milk and the Human Rights Campaign. December 14, 2010; Source: Centre Daily Times | In its efforts to win support for gay rights, The Human Rights Campaign hasn't done such a good job making friends within its own community.
In fact the Washington, D.C. -based HRC is so disliked by some activists in San Francisco that they're trying to stop the group from opening an information center and gift shop at a store that served as the base for the political operations of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to a major public office in the United States. Milk, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, was assassinated 32 years ago at City Hall, along with Mayor George Moscone. Collective Impact (November 17, 2010) Large-scale social change requires broad cross-sector coordination, yet the social sector remains focused on the isolated intervention of individual organizations.
S ee also: " Roundtable on Collective Impact " " Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work " " Understanding the Value of Backbone Organizations in Collective Impact " " Embracing Emergence: How Collective Impact Addresses Complexity "