Maximizing Impact
Letting Possibility Bloom
Year after year, social impact organizations leave massive amounts of impact on the table, what would surely be the equivalent of billions or even trillions of dollars, if it were measured in monetary terms (though money is a poor gauge of the true cost of this ineffectiveness). Take for example, these findings from Stanford Social Innovation Review that estimates the most effective global health charities are a stunning 100 times more effective than the average health charity. Some of the ways we can help you maximize your effectiveness and impact are by leaning into creativity and an assets-based mindset, research, and network mapping tools.
Learn more about power tools for maximizing impact here.
"My stars are tucked in my pocket, ready for battle. If we flood the streets with salt water, we can flood the sky with wings."
—Tamiko Beyer
How can we help?
Network Mapping Analysis and Workshops
Network mapping makes visible the riches of social capital and collaboration that create strength in numbers. When stakeholders can see the often invisible threads that connect people and institutions and that mediate the flow of resources, information and trust, they can work better together. In addition to conducting network mapping research, evaluation and facilitation, we also offer workshops to train you and your team in the necessary skills to build on this work! Check out our growing Atlanta food system map, below.
Creativity and Assets Based Thinking
Human creativity and the innovation that it can bring about, greatly expand choices and opportunities for growth and impact. See our Creativity @ Work offerings for more information.
Research for the Big and Thorny
If you feel as though your team or organization is flying blind, or continually pushing up against large, unforeseen forces, research can dramatically help turn that around. We tackle big, thorny questions through research – questions that, if answered, could reveal the scale, trends, root causes, and high- leverage intervention points of problems you are addressing.
Food Systems
Some topical areas intersect with so many social ills and areas of promise that they warrant extra attention. We work in the area of food systems with an intent to strengthen the human capabilities within it, working outside of the paradigm of mechanistic solutions.
Network Mapping
One of our favorite tools for understanding systems and strengthening collective impact is network mapping and analysis. When stakeholders can see the often invisible threads that connect people and institutions and that mediate the flow of resources and information, they can work better together. While a work in progress, this map of collaboration among Food Systems Actors in Metro Atlanta can be used to explore relationships. The map uncovers a complex and interconnected web of food system actors working on a diverse set of issues, including hunger relief, food access, sustainable agriculture, and nutrition education. Key actors and their relationships were identified using a snowball sampling methodology informed by internet search and website review.
Have additions or corrections for the map? Need a mapping project of your own done?
Contact us at info@ignitedword.com.