Community Catalysts / Backbone Organizations
Whether you refer to them as community catalysts or backbone organizations*, at the hub of any effective community partnership is a clearly identified support
organization with skilled staff dedicated to the success of the effort. For communities that are working to galvanize collective action around a big picture,
cradle-to-career agenda, there can be nearly as many candidates to play this strategic leadership role as there are existing coalitions, partnerships or task
forces that are already tackling some part of the picture. In these cases, it is even more critical to have a frank, transparent assessment up front about who
has the capacity, skills and credibility to manage the collective impact effort.
Below are several attributes to consider when determining which organization(s) are the strongest candidates for playing the backbone role.**
At the top of each column, list the major entities currently playing key leadership and coordination roles in your community.
Based upon their demonstrated track record, rate their capacity in each of the dimensions below. (If possible, complete this step individually.)
Discuss implications and options for structuring the work. Some questions to consider: a) Given the current context for your work, are some of these
capacities more important than others? b) Based on your assessment, is there one clear lead? Are there organizations that could partner to play
complementary leadership roles in the effort? Does this analysis help clarify roles? c) Are you identifying a candidate for a start-up period? If so, consider
revisiting the “backbone” question as you move into long-term implementation and management or when major shifts occur in the organization or the work.
2 3 4 5 RESOURCES ACCOUNTABILITY SKILLS ALIGNMENT Credibility Fund Development* Staffing Organizational Buy in . . . act with confidence by virtue of credibility of those involved (e.g., top-‐level decision-‐makers, cross-‐sector) based on buy-‐in and engagement from all levels including frontline, community members, family, youth. . . . devote time to fund development priorities of the partnership not just own organization. . . . dedicate staff skilled in the above functions with sufficient time to prioritize the coordination and alignment work. . . . be sustained by a solid fiscal home that has an engaged and supportive Board and CEO. *These items are also listed by Kania & Kramer as “6 Activities of Backbone Support Organizations.” **For a structured discussion on the scope and attributes of the partnership effort itself, please see the companion diagnostic – “Structural Components of Ready by 21 Leadership Councils.” The backbone organization’s scope and required skills should be consistent with the focus of the overall effort.. © The Forum for Youth Investment, www.forumfyi.org
4. 5. 3. 2.
. . . support a set of big picture goals (across ages, populations, outcomes, approaches). . . . include the geographic footprint of the partnership. Geography
Geographic . . . connect across levels – neighborhoods, city/county, Levels local/state. Leadership . . . connect with, understand and be respected by grasstop Levels and grassroot leaders and coalitions. . . . connect and align efforts under a common agenda, Alignment* resolving competing priorities, directing resources and building bridges between groups. . . . convene stakeholders across sectors, systems, levels, Convening related coalitions, provider networks and partnerships. Strategy* & . . . facilitate strategic planning and coordinate Action implementation of action plans. Public Will & . . . build public will, effectively communicate agenda and, Policy* when necessary, help advance public policy. . . . use data for decision making in a public, transparent way Measurement* and help establish shared systems for measurement and & Analysis analysis for the partnership. . . . focus on accountability for own staff and the partnership. Accountability Vision* 1
SCOPE Backbone support organization(s) should have the capacity to… How would you rank the entities listed below on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high)? 1.
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