Giving Compass' Take:

'• Learning networks are part of a collaborative process that helps stakeholders convene around an issue and address potential solutions through learning and listening to each other's experiences. 

• How can learning networks help the nonprofit sector grow and reduce competition between organizations? 

• Read about the benefits of collaborative philanthropy. 

Learning networks are a form of collaboration that enables groups of stakeholders to cultivate connections across communities and organizations, and to strengthen a whole system simply by focusing on the potential for participants to share information and learn from one another.

There are countless examples of learning networks around the globe, though many use different terms to describe themselves, including communities of practice or associations. Yet, regardless of their differences in size, purpose, and geography, all of the most effective learning networks do three things well:

  • The take in information from the field: To gather information from the field, learning networks must stay connected with participants, have a clear process to ask for and collect information, and have a functional technological infrastructure to organize, archive, and deliver the information back to the field.
  • They get information out to the field. Learning networks get information out to the field through webinars, calls, newsletters, learning opportunities, and other means of distribution. By aligning messaging from across the field, learning networks help fields build a sense of shared purpose and identity.
  • They enable information to flow across the field: Collecting and disseminating information is a valuable service, but it is not sufficient. Learning networks must also help stakeholders connect with each other directly so that information can flow freely, unrestrained from the bottleneck of a central hub. By actively weaving connections across the network and providing mechanisms for network members to connect with one another, learning networks can foster self-organization, support members to coordinate the activities they’re working on, and avoid duplication of efforts.

Read the full article about learning networks by David Ehrlichman & David Sawyer at Stanford Social Innovation Review