Giving Compass' Take:

• The 2018 Nonprofit Summer Learning Series hosts panelists who offered advice on how nonprofits can motivate funders to invest and bring about sustainable change. 

• What is driving the interest in the systems change approach? And what can nonprofits do to shift focus if they have not done so already? 

• Read about the lessons in effective systems change thinking. 

As foundations and corporations strive to have greater impact on some of society’s most difficult challenges, their philanthropic strategies have moved along a spectrum from responsive to proactive. Strategic funders are now actively scanning the social sector landscape, commissioning research, becoming placed-based and issue-area experts, and building and supporting collaborative, cross-sector solutions.

In July, as part of its 2018 Nonprofit Summer Learning Series, WRAG delved into this trend and explored the idea that “today’s funders are looking to invest in solutions NOT organizations.”

The panelists shared with us their candid insights into what nonprofits can do to enact innovative systems change, and what motivates them as funders to partner with nonprofits. Here are some of the key takeaways:

  • Identifying Solutions for Upstream Interventions: Today’s funders are looking to invest in solutions, not symptoms. “It’s not enough to keep pulling people out of the river,” said Ms. Mathews. “You have to go upstream to fix the bridge.”
  • Demonstrate Results: Funders are interested in seeing how your organization is producing results. Knowing what measurements are possible and meaningful is an important responsibility of any nonprofit. But not just to satisfy their funding partners. Measuring success is important for all of your stakeholders.
  • Authentic Communication: All the panelists stressed how important it was for nonprofits to have authentic and transparent conversations with their philanthropic partners. Funders have a bird’s-eye view of the community and the nonprofits and other actors working on various issues.
  • Advocacy and Research: We heard about the power of advocacy from Miriam’s Kitchen. Scott and his team believed that ending chronic homelessness was possible. But there wasn’t enough permanent, supportive, affordable housing to go around. So, they collaborated with others to fix the system.

Read the full article about investing in solutions by Sean Herpolsheimer at The Daily Wrag