Designing Social Programs and Funding for Impact...Designing Social Programs and Funding for Impact...
Transcript of Designing Social Programs and Funding for Impact...Designing Social Programs and Funding for Impact...
DesigningSocialProgramsandFundingforImpact
ElenaFarah,PhDThePowerToolsforNonprofits
November2018
ChallengesofFundingSocialChange• Promisingorganizationsendupundercapitalized andundermanaged
• “Ferrarisdrivingonmudtracks”(BornsteinandDavis)
• Majorconstraintisaccessinggrowthcapital(scale)inadditiontostartupcapital• Philanthropicinvestmentstendtobemodest• Short-term(averagegranttermisoneyear)• Noseriousequivalent(yet)ofcapitalmarketsforsocialventures
• Marketsforimpactinvestments- seekingfinancialreturnsandsocialimpact- areunderdeveloped
• Lackofunrestrictedgrants thatpayfor• impactmeasurement• capacity-buildingsupportfortrackingdata• patientlong-termcapitaltoincentivizehonestreportingofresults(Janus)
• Governments• Havesizeablefinancialresources• Prefertopayforservicesastheyaredeliveredinsteadofinvestinginbuildinginstitutions(contracting)• Multiplecompliancerequirements• Fundingisoftenbasedonpoliticalmoodandnotonmerit• Socialchangegroupsoftenhavetoreshapethemselvestofitthemold
• Philanthropy• Moreflexiblebuteachhasuniqueapplicationprocessandreportingformats(littlestandardization)• Fundraisingistimeconsumingandexpensive• Fundingisoftennotlinkedtoresults• Strongbrands– andpoliticalconnections– maytrumpmerit
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Iffundingweremorepredictable…• Socialventuresandnon-profitscould(andshould)
• Createmultiyeargrowthplans• Raiseupfrontcapitaltoexecutetheseplans• Evaluatetheirperformanceagainstpre-establishedgoals andusingmetricsagreeduponapriori
• Insteadofadhocbackfittingdata• Iterateandtweakdeliverysystemsbasedonresultsandfeedback• Pitchmorefundersbasedonresults• Scalebasedonresults• Magnifyimpactinanintentionalway
• Benefitsofplanningforgrowth• Forcesunifiedactionbyallmembersoforganization• Allowstosetpriorities• Forcesagreementondetailsofimplementation• Turnsvagueintentionsintotime-boundgoals• Enablesaccountabilityforfunding• Forgranteesandforfundinginstitutions
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FundersArePeople,Too• Developyourfundingrequestwithempathytowardsandunderstandingoffunders’goalsandconstraints
• Doesyourprojectfitwiththefunders’mission?• How- whatisthespecificpurposeforwhichyouareseekingfunding
• Isitprogrammatic(brandnewprogramsorscalingofexistingprograms)?• Isthemoneyforinstitutionorcapacitybuilding(organizational)?• Areyouraisingfundsforevaluationofexistingprogramsorprojects?• AreyouraisingmoneyforPR,buildingsupportforyourprogram(s)andservices(s)?
• Howdoesyourprojecthelpthefundingorganizationmeetitsowngoalsandobjectives(bespecific,notgeneric)• Fundersalsoareheldaccountableforhowtheyspendthemoneyandfortheoutcomesoftheprojectsthey
fund• Theyaremorelikelytofundyouifyourprojecthelpsthemreachtheirgoalsandobjectives• TellyourstoryfromthisPOV
• Roleplaywithyourteammates– putyourselfintofunders’shoes• Makeapitchfor whyfundersshouldgive$$$toyourproject• Askthe“why?”questions• Trytoescapegroupthink– “wearegreatbecausewearegreat”
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UnderstandYourOwnProposedSolutionFrom To
Specificsolutiontoanabstractproblem(eg.Poverty)
Synthesis afteradeepdiveintotheopenendedsolutionspace –Isyoursolutioninnovative– howisitdifferent?Howdoesitsolvetheproblem– mechanism,theoryofchange?Haveyouincorporatedbehavioralinsights – isitforrealHumans vsEcons?Isitinformedbysolidevidenceoranthropologicalobservationsinthefield?Didyouletgoofassumptions?
Broadusergroup(general)Welldefinedusergroup–Who exactlyareyou serving?Howwelldoyouunderstandyourclient/serviceconstituency- Empathy?
Explicitneed(symptom)
Underlying(implicit)needs–Isyourproposedsolutiontacticalorincremental(servesexpressedneed)orstrategic ortransformational (addresses latentneeds ordeepmeaning,rootcauses)?
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WhyDesignThinking?
Open-endedOpen-minded
IterativeNon-linear
Desirability
ViabilityFeasibility
Iceberg
ExpressedNeeds
LatentNeeds
Meaning
HowMightWecreatebetterpapercutters…
HowMightWecreatebetterscissors…
ReframetheProblem• FrameProblemsasQuestions• HowMightWe(HMW)• “How”issolutionsoriented,pointstotheMECHANISM(theoryofchange)• “Might”encouragesoptimism• “We”invitescollaboration
• ”HMW”questionallowsforbroadsetofsolutionsyetisnarrowenoughtoknowwheretostart• Writedowntheproblemyouseektosolveinyournon-profitwork• “HowMightWe…?”
GatherInspiration:CuriosityandEmpathy• Getcuriousaboutpeopleyouareserving– yourconstituency• Ask“why?”questions• Identifypatterns
• Repeatedbehavior,themesorroutinesthatpointtounderlyingneedsorvalues• Observecarefullyandlookforthingsthatpromptbehavior
• Signsthattelluswheretogo;explicitorimplicitinstructions• Lookforwhatpeoplecareabout
• Storiespeopletell– picturesonthedesk• Thingspeoplesurroundthemselveswith
• Findadaptations• Hacksorworkarounds– insightsintolatentneeds
• Lookforbodylanguage• Lookfortheunexpected
• Thingsthatarehidden– orstandout
Insights,ObservationandEmpathy• Insights
• learningfromthelivesofothers• thoughtlessactshacks
• Observation• watchingwhatpeopledon’tdo,listeningtowhattheydon’tsay– uncoverlatentneeds
• Empathy• standingintheshoes(orlyinginthegurneys)ofothers– extremeuser
• Collaboration– betweenthedesignteamandtheaudienceitistryingtoreach(targetconstituency)– “distributedparticipatorydesign”
• Practiceexercises:• Staycuriousasyoucommutetoclassorwork
• Keepaneyeoutforunmetneedsbylookingforpatternsortheunexpected• Jotdownyourobservations
• Tuneintonuancesofhowpeopleworkonyourteam• Observehowtheirenvironment– space,tools,etc.– impactsorinhibitscollaboration• Focusonwhatpeoplecareaboutandhowtheirbodylanguagereflectstheirenergyandlevelofinterestand
engagement
IdeationPhase:Synthesis
• Define– captureyourlearnings• Identifykeythemesandinsights• Turnlearningsintoopportunitiesfordesign• Learnings• Themes• Insights• HowMightWe’s• Ideas
“Download”YourDesignIdeas• Activelylisten
• compareandcontrastthingsyouhavelearnt• Doyouhavedifferentopinionsorcontradictions?Why?
• Captureinformationinsmallpieces• Writedownstoriesonpost–itsincompletesentences• Capturequotes
• Displayyournotes• Searchformeaning
• Clusterrelatedinformation• Findthemes• Turnthemesintoinsights• Revisityourdesignchallenge
• Howdoyourinsightstatementsrelatetotheoriginalchallenge?• Refineyourinsightsstatements
• Makesuretheyresonatewithanoutsideaudience(nojargon)
• Create“HowMightWe”questions
People,Sustainability,TechnicalFactors
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Open-endedOpen-minded
IterativeNon-linear
Desirability
Viability Feasibility
People,Sustainability,TechnicalFactors• People(humanfactor)
• Isyourserviceorproductdevelopedwithempathytowardsyourtargetaudience• Doesitgettopeople’smotivationsandcorebeliefs,takingintoaccountrealneedsanddesiresofclients?
• Sustainability• Canyoursocialproductorservicebeproduced,deliveredanddistributedinaneconomicallyviableway(forsocialenterprises)?
• Ifyouarenotchargingyourclientsforservices,isyourprojectsustainableintermsof• Politicalsupport(federal,state,local)• Internalleadership• Capacity toproduceanddeliverservices(inaconsistentmannerandw/ointerruption)• Willingnessofseveralfunderstocontinuefundingyourefforts
• Technicalfactors(mechanism)• Howexactlydoesyourserviceorproductcontributetosolvingthesocialchallenge?• Isyourproposedsolutioninformedbyevidence?
• Whatevidence?Howsolidisyourevidence?• Isitdoable(politically,technology-wise)– realitycheck?
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StatementoftheProblem• IsthereaProblem?
• Nametheproblem/issueyouareworkingtosolveandillustratewithdata/evidencethatthereisactuallyaproblem
• Don’tassumethatthefunderknowsthis• What?
• Specificsolutionforthisproblemyourorganizationprovides• ForWho?
• Knowandnameyourtargetbeneficiary:• firstgenerationcollegeboundstudent(ruralorurban?)• firsttimemom(teenage,singlemom,workingmom,divorcedmom?)
• Why?• Thisisthebigquestion– whywhatyoudomakesanimpact?DesignThinking,TheoryOfChange(TOC)
• How?• Howexactlywhatyoudomakesanimpact- mechanism?TOC
• Whyyou?• Whoelseisworkinginthisspaceandhowareyoudifferent?• Inotherwords,makeacaseforwhyyoushouldgetthemoneyandnotsomeoneelse• Thisisagoodplacetobragaboutresults/evaluations/testimonials/management– oracombinationofthese
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TheoryofChange(TOC)
• Equivalentofbusinessplanningforsocialventures– whyyoudowhatyoudo,howandwhyitmatters,howdoweknowitisworking?• Identifylong-termgoals• Mapbackwardsandconnectpreconditionsorrequirementsnecessarytoachievethesegoalsandexplainwhythesepreconditionsarenecessaryand/orsufficient
• Identifyyourbasicassumptions aboutthecontext– knowyourenduser(designthinking)• Identifyspecificinterventionstocreateyourdesiredchangeandgenerateimpact-mechanism
• Developindicatorstomeasureyouroutcomestoassess performance• Writeanarrativetoexplainthelogicofyourproject
• http://www.theoryofchange.org/what-is-theory-of-change/
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ImpactEvaluationandCreatingaDataCulture• Developingorganizationdataculture
• Deep,organization-widecomfortlevelwithusingmetricstomaximizesocialimpact• Buildinghuman-centric anddata-centric organizations• Rigorousfocusonresults
• Atthecoreofservicedelivery• Beyondreportingandfundraising– evaluationsanditerations,“constantprototyping”
• “Youdon’thavetobeadatascientisttotellagooddatastory”(KathleenJanus)• HowtoBuildDataCulture
• Shiftingfocustowardsoutcomesandawayfromoutputs• Awayfromtrackingoutputs:“growthofbudgets”“ornumberofpeopleserved”or“vanitymetrics”
(numberofwebsitevisits)• Towardslonger-termmeasuresofhowclientsactuallybenefitfromproductorservice
• Gettingcreativeaboutmetrics• Eg.Measure“grit”bywhoshowsupforswimpracticeinthecold(Janus)– contrasttoself-evaluation• Interimproxiesforlong-termresults
• Measuringinamission-drivenwayandassessingperformanceagainstTOC• Outcomesthataredirectlylinkedtotheorganization’spurpose• RememberyourTOC– whatdidyousetouttodoinitially?Bemindfulofmissioncreep
• Combiningdataandstorytelling
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“Noteverythingthatcanbecountedcounts.Noteverythingthatcountscanbecounted.”
• "ItwouldbeniceifallofthedatawhichsociologistsrequirecouldbeenumeratedbecausethenwecouldrunthemthroughIBMmachinesanddrawchartsastheeconomistsdo.However,noteverythingthatcanbecountedcounts,andnoteverythingthatcountscanbecounted.”• WilliamBruceCameron,1963
• “Therearethosewhoseethemovementasdivertingpoliticalsciencefromimportanttotrivialmatterssimplybecausethelatterlendthemselvestostudybythefashionabletechniques (‘whatcountscan’tbecounted’).”• DwightWaldo,UNESCOreport,1956
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Sources
• +ACUMENIDEO.ORG“DesignKit:TheCourseforHumanCenteredDesign”• IDEOU“HelloDesignThinking”Toolkit.IDEO.com.2017• Brown,Tim.ChangebyDesign. HarperBusiness:2009• Kelley,TomandDavidKelley.CreativeConfidence:UnleashingtheCreativePotentialWithinUsAll.CrownBusiness:2013• “DesignThinkingtoSolveSocialProblems”byNadiaRoumani.StanfordSocialInnovationReview webinar,October20,2015