July 2018

CATALYTICCOMMUNITYBUILDINGORGANIZATIONS

LearningExchangeFordInstituteforCommunityBuilding

cat·a·lyt·ic relatingtoorinvolvingtheactionofacatalyst

anagentthatprovokesorspeedssignificantchangeoraction

synonyms

cat·a·lyst

stimulus,spark,spur,impetus

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Manyorganizationsstrivetobecatalystsforchange.Whatmakesorganizationsnotjusteffective,butcatalytic?Howdoorganizationsbuildcommunityasastrategyforcatalyzingchange?Whatgetsintheway,andwhatsupportisneededtosustainacommitmenttothiswayofworking?

When22rural-basedandrural-servingorganizationsfromacrossOregonandSiskiyouCountyconvenedwiththeFordInstituteforCommunityBuildingandtheNonprofitAssociationofOregonforalearningexchangein2017,participantsexploredthequestionsabove,sharedsuccessstoriesandlessons,andconsideredvalues,beliefs,andbehaviorsthatdriveorganizationalcommitmenttobuildingcommunityandcatalyzingchange.

Drawingontheircollectiveexperiencesandresources,participantsidentifiedfourcorecompetenciesthatencompass14organizationalpracticesvitaltobuildingcommunityandcatalyzingchange.

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AbouttheLearningExchange

FourCoreCompetenciesand14Practices

CreatingInclusiveCommunity

PracticingPrincipledLeadership

BuildingaCultureofLeadership

InfluencingSystemicChange

Learningexchangeteamfacilitatingasessiononcatalyticcommunitybuilding(lefttoright):TobyWinn,NeighborsforKids;LolaJones,

SamaritanHouse;LauraIsiordia,FordInstituteforCommunityBuilding;EricJohnston,TodosJuntos;JuanCarlosGonzalezandMariaCaballero

Rubio,CentroCulturaldeWashingtonCounty;GustavoMorales,EUVALCREE;AmyCarlson,OrganizationalDevelopmentConsultant

(missing:HarvSchubothe,GreaterBandonAssociation)

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CreatingInclusiveCommunity Acommitmenttocreatinginclusivecommunityrepresentsthebeliefthatourworkisbornofandsustainedbythecommunity,andthatoursuccessisboundtothesuccessofallofourcommunity.Inclusivecommunityisgroundedinknowing,engaging,andworkingwiththecommunitytodowhatisneeded.Inclusivecommunityisbuiltthroughlivingourvalues,tappingintodiverselocalassets,inspiringhope,andempoweringactionoverthelonghaul.

Wefocusonsolutionsandactions,notbarriers,tofosterpositivechangeinourcommunities.Westaymission-focused,butchallengeourselvestotakeriskstoaddresscommunityneeds.

TheexperienceofNeighborsforKidsinDepoeBay,anonprofitprovidingafter-schoolandsummerlearningprograms,offersanillustrativeexample.In2017,20fosterkidsjoinedthesummerprogram,butduetolackofbussingandresources,participationhadtoendinthefall.

“Wedecidedtoprioritizewhatwasneededtoincludethiscommunity,andengagedpartnerorganizations,whoralliedwithfundingandfamilysupport.Byorganizingtoincludemoreofourcommunity,wewereabletolaunchafter-schoolbustransportationfromanewregiontorespondtotheneedsofthesechildren,”saidTobyWinn,ExecutiveDirector.

Sampleactionstepsforcreatinginclusivecommunity:

1. SíSePuede:Nexttimeachallengearises,shifttoa“sísepuede”or“yeswecan”mindset.Shareandinvitesolutions.Takeonesteptobeginaddressingit.

2. LivingintoWe=Community: Learnthedemographic,economic,andracialhistoryofyourcommunity.Togetherexplore,“Whoinourcommunityisnotincludedinourwork?Why?Whatcurrentandhistoricbarriersexist?Whatdoweneedtolearn?”

3. EngagingtheCommunity:Startwithparticipatinginanactivityofacommunitywithwhomyourorganizationisnotcurrentlyengaged,andsupporttheirsuccess.

4. CommittedtoAlloftheCommunity:Identifyacommunitythatisunderrepresentedinyourwork.Listentolearnhowyourorganizationmightadapttorespondtotheirneedsandinterests.

CREATINGINCLUSIVECOMMUNITYPractices:1. SíSePuede(Can-DoAttitude)2. LivingintoWe=Community3. EngagingtheCommunity4. CommittedtoAlloftheCommunity

NeighborsforKidsfriendlynewafterschoolbus

Participantsgivingabigthumbsup!

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PracticingPrincipledLeadership Practicingprincipledleadershiprequiresacommitmenttotheessentialworkofbuildingtrust,whichisthefoundationfortakingtherisksnecessarytoleadchange.Wemustintentionallyandauthenticallyinvestinrelationshipsandbeopentowhatemerges.Webuildtrustwhenweengagewithcuriosity,honesty,andcare;andareaccountablewithafocusonresults,notcredit.Principledleadershipempowerspeopleatalllevelsofengagementtoshapeourorganization’swork.Weshareownershipbecausewerecognizethenetworkofcontributorsnecessaryforsuccess.

Critically,principledleadershipcallsonustocommittoequityandjustice,andtoactwithmoralcourageforthecommongood.Courage,motivatedbysharedvisionandvalues,iswhatsustainsactionwhencapacityisstunted,oppositionisstrong,ortheoddsareagainstus.

TheOregonShakespeareFestival(OSF)isaworld-classtheatrecompanybasedinAshlandthatworkstomakeartaccessibleforall.Tworecentexampleshighlightwhatpracticingprincipledleadershiplookslikeinaction.

Thisyear,OSFisproducingOklahomawithsame-sexcouples.“WiththecreationofOklahoma!in1943,RodgersandHammersteinbrokesomuchgroundthattheyessentiallyinventedtheAmericanmusical

comedyaswehavecometoknowit,”saidBillRauch,OSFArtisticDirector.“Three-quartersofacenturylater,weareprivilegedtotrytohonorandreinventtheirgroundbreakingspirit.Thisproductionservesabovealltocelebrate,inthewordsofanothermusicaltheatretitan,‘Loveisloveislove.’”

Sampleactionstepsforpracticingprincipledleadership:

5. BuildingRelationshipsofTrust:Tapintotrustwithopen-endedquestions,suchas:

a. Gettoknowpeople:“Whatmotivatesyouinthiswork?Whoinspiresyou?”

b. Discovermutualinterest:“Whatsharedopportunitiesexist?”

6. SharingPower&Ownership:Regularlyandpubliclysupporttheleadershipworkofapartnerorganization,especiallyoneledbycommunitieswhohavebeentraditionallymarginalized.

7. ActingwithMoralCourage:Committostrengtheningdiversity,equity,andinclusion.Involveallstaffandboardintraining,dialog,andtakingaction.

“You'redoin'fine,Oklahoma!”PhotobyJennyGraham

PRACTICINGPRINCIPLEDLEADERSHIPPractices:5. BuildingRelationshipsofTrust6. SharingPower&Ownership7. ActingwithMoralCourage

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Billcontinued,“Ilovemusicals,andasagaykidandagayadult,Ifeltunrepresentedandshutout,andthattheywerenotaboutmeorpeoplelikeme.AndsotheideathatthisthingthatIlove—that’saclassic,thathasexisted—couldalsoreflectthegaycommunityfeelsverymeaningfulonapersonallevel,butalsointermsofsocialjusticeandtheartisticboundary-pushingthatispartofwhatOSFdoes.”

In2016,OSFofferedtohosttheConsortiumofAsianAmericanTheatersandArtists’(CAATA)bi-annual11-dayconference.CAATAinitiallydeclinedtheoffer.AftersubstantialdialogandevidenceofcommitmentfromOSFleadershiptolearnandimprove,CAATAagreed.ThepartnershipincludedadinnerwheretheCAATAboardshareddirectcritiqueofspecificOSFpracticeswith BillRauch.Bill listened, acknowledged mistakes, and agreed to a protocol to ensure that OSF does not humiliate or disrespect Asian communities.

“Tocommittoequityandjusticemeanswemustbewillingtoreceiveandlearnfromfeedback,toremedyharmfulpracticesandrepairtrust,andtocommitforthelong-haul,”saidBill.“Andwemustbetransparentaboutthatcommitmentandlearning,sothatothersmaylearnandleadalso.”

OSFUnidosleadershipclassfromLatinoNetwork

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Acultureofleadershipmaximizesmomentumandcreatesopportunitiesforaction.Byengagingmultipleperspectivesandlisteningwell,weco-createorganizationalvisionandvaluesensuringthattheyareownedandembracedbythecommunity.Wetranslatethatcollectivevisionintocollectiveaction,andtracklearningandprogresstoensureresults.

Acultureofleadershipisbasedonthebeliefthatleadershipisanactionallcantake.Weintentionallycreatespaceforleadershiptoemergearoundthesharedvision.Weensurethatleadershipisactivelysupportedandmentoredbecauseweknowourcollectivelong-termsuccessdependsonit.

CentroCulturaldeWashingtonCountyisanonprofitwithawide-rangeofprogramssupportingLatinofamiliesinbeingself-sufficient,engaged,andactivecommunitymembers.MariaCaballeroRubio,ExecutiveDirector,sharedherperspectivethatdevelopingandbroadeningleadershipisafundamentalresponsibilitytothemission.

“Acatalyticorganizationisaleadershiporganization.Itisourdutytotrainthenextgenerationbyprovidingthemopportunitiestolearn,experience,lead,andfail.Leadershiphappensacrossacatalyticorganization-thejanitor,programdirector,andvolunteer.Lookforitandnurtureit,”saidMaria.“Oneofmypracticesistonevertravelalonetomeetings.Ibringaleader-in-trainingtopreparethemforthefuture.”

YoungleaderswithCentroCulturalworkingtoengagetheLatinocommunityinplanningforthefutureofChehalemRidgeNaturePark

8. Action-OrientedLeadership: Takeagoalandcreatea30-60-90-dayactionplan.Celebrateateachmilestone.

9. CreatingSharedVision&Values:Talkaboutyourorganizationalvalues.Howaretheyunderstoodandexperiencedacrosstheorganization?Wherearetheybestrealized?Whereisworkneededtobetteralignyourworkwithyourvalues?

10. Responsive&Learning-Oriented:Learnhowtoassessyourimpacttounderstand:“Howhasourworktransformedthoseweserve?Howcanwedeepenourimpact?”

11. Developing&BroadeningLeadership:Noticewhensomeonenotinatraditionalleadership“role”expressesenergyforchange.Inviteandsupportthemtotakeleadershipaction.Considercreatinga70-20-10leadershipdevelopmentplan.

BUILDINGACULTUREOFLEADERSHIPPractices:8. Action-OrientedLeadership9. CreatingSharedVision&Values10. Responsive&Learning-Oriented11. Developing&BroadeningLeadership

BuildingaCultureofLeadership

Sampleactionstepsforcreatinginclusivecommunity:

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Asorganizationscatalyzingcommunitychange,wetakeactionatthesystemslevel.Weunderstandthesystemsweareoperatingwithinandhowtheyarechanging,sothatwecantakeacomprehensiveandinclusiveapproachtoourwork.Weknowthattoinfluencesystems,wemustworkstrategicallyandcollaborativelyformutualbenefit.Withasystemslens,wearebetterabletoidentifyopportunitiestogobeyondtraditionalmodels,andadaptandinnovateinresponsetochange

Becausenonprofitsareconnectedwithbothdecisionmakersandthoseaffectbythedecisions,nonprofitshavetheuniqueopportunitytoamplifythevoicesandstoriesofthecommunitytodemonstratetheimpactofaproposedchange(orlackofchange).Wemustbuildbridges,developstrategicnetworks,advocate,lobby,andmobilizecollectiveactiontoensurepoliciesandsystemsthatsupportthecommongood.Wehavearesponsibilitytoutilizeourinstitutionalplatformandpowerinpartnershipwithcommunitiestodrivesystemicchange.

Atremendousexampleofinfluencingsystemicchangeworkwasachievedin2017,whenOregonpassedlegislationthatwillextendhealthcarecoveragethroughtheOregonHealthPlantoallkidsinOregonupto300percentofthefederalpovertylevel.Italsoensuresenrollmentthroughculturallyandlinguisticallyappropriatecommunity-basedoutreach.

Thestatewidecampaign,CoverAllKids,wasamulti-yeareffortbackedbyacoalitionofnearly100organizationswhotogetheradvocatedandbuiltthegrassrootspowerandpoliticalwilltoachievethisgoal.

“OregonLatinoHealthCoalitionandpartnersfromallacrossthestatecollaboratedtoinfluencepolicytoensureallchildrenhaveaccesstohealthcare,”saidGustavoMorales,ExecutiveDirectorofEUVALCREE,anOntario-basednonprofitdevelopingsocialcapitalandleadershipcapacityofcommunitymembers,andapartnerintheCoverAllKidscampaign.“Inaddition,wehelpedensureastrongfutureofleadershipbyincludingyoungpeoplewhoareimpactedbythepolicytobethenextgenerationofleadersintheircommunities.”

12. Adaptive&Innovative:Intentionallyandcreativelydiscussastickychallenge,usingatoolsuchastheadaptiveactionframeworkorproblemreversal.

13. Networked&Collaborative:Mapyournetwork,withyourmission(notorganization)atthecenter.Identifythreestrategicconnectionsyouwanttostrengthenorcreate.

14. LeveragingInstitutionalPower:Takeapositionand/orlobbyonapolicyissuethatimpactsyourmission.Encourageyournetworktotakeactiontoo..

InfluencingSystemicChange

Sampleactionstepsforinfluencingsystemicchange:

INFLUENCINGSYSTEMICCHANGEPractices:12. Adaptive&Innovative13. Networked&Collaborative14. LeveragingInstitutionalPower

YoungorganizersleadingchangethroughtheCoverAllKidscampaign

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CommitmenttoCatalyticChangePractices

Inordertoaddresscomplexsocialchallenges,nonprofitsandotherorganizationsmustcommiteffortstocatalyzecollectiveactionforthecommongood.Workingtocreatelastingchangerequiresadeliberate,long-term,strategiccommunitybuildinginvestmentonthepartofcommunityorganizations,aswellastheirfundingpartners.

“Oneclearmessagethataroseinourconveningisarequestthatourfundingpartnersinvestinthetimeandtalentrequiredtoworkinacommunity-basedinclusiveway,toengageorganizationalleadership,andtotakeonsystemschange,”saidJanetHamada,ExecutiveDirectorwithTheNextDoor,anonprofitworkingtoimprovethelivesofchildren,families,andcommunitieswithintheColumbiaRiverGorge.“Buildingcommunityisapowerfulandnecessarypartofcatalyzinglong-termchange.Asorganizationsadapttoworkinthisway,weneedourfundingpartnerstoadaptaswell,andprovidemoreflexibleandlonger-termfunding.”

“Thislearningexchangehelpedclarifyhoworganizationsthataredeeplycenteredincommunitycaneffectivelyinfluencechange.Wehopethisinspiresreflectionandactioninotherorganizations,includingourownandotherphilanthropicorganizations,”saidRoqueBarros,DirectorofTheFordFamilyFoundation’sFordInstituteforCommunityBuilding.“Wearepartnerswithruralcommunitiesforthe long-haul in their efforts to lead change.”

Organizations that work and learn with communities they serve and others who share their vision for the common good can be relevant, resilient, catalysts for transformative change. Let’s support one another in making this commitment—the challenges we face and the values we hold demand it.

EngageinFurtherLearning ConnectintheRuralCommunityBuildersFacebookGroup:Shareyourquestions,insights,andexperiencesintheRuralCommunityBuildersofOregonandSiskiyouCogroup.

Opportunitiestoengagefurther–pleaseletusknowwhatyouareinterestedin!1. Doanorganizationalassessment: Workwithyourteamtostrengthenyourcatalyticpotential.2. Engageinpeerexchange: Gatherwithfelloworganizationsforlearningandsupport.Wecanhelp.3. Sharewhatyoulearn: Yourinputwillshapefuturecatalyticcommunitybuildingorganizationswork.

Wehavecatalyticcommunitybuildingorganizations(CCBO)resourcestosupportyourengagement,including:• SummaryoftheCCBOcompetenciesandpractices• Organizationalassessmenttool–plusasampleoutlineforutilizingthetoolwithyourteam• Peerlearningandsupport–plusresourcesforfacilitatinganeffectivegathering• Plus,linksinthisarticleandtheassessmenttoolwilltakeyoutoadditionalresources

ContactLolaJonesandAmyCarlsonatcatalyticcommunitybuilders@gmail.comformoreinfoandtoshare!

AdelanteMujeres,ForestGroveBetterTogether,RedmondBridgingCultures,Canby

CAPACESLeadershipInstitute,WoodburnCentroCulturaldeWashingtonCounty,Cornelius

ChehalemCulturalCenter,NewbergCityofCornelius,Cornelius

EUVALCREE,OntarioGreaterBandonAssociation,Bandon

HappyCampCommunityinAction,HappyCampJosephineCountyFoundation,Murphy

MountainStarFamilyReliefNursery,BendNeighborsforKids,DepoeBay

OregonShakespeareFestival,AshlandPathwaystoPositiveParenting,SWOCC,CoosBay

PinerosyCampesinosUnidosdelNoroeste(PCUN),WoodburnSamaritanHouseFamilyShelter,Newport

SiuslawPublicLibrary,FlorenceTheNextDoor,HoodRiver

TodosJuntos,ClackamasCountyTreasureValleyChildren’sReliefNursery,Ontario

UnidosBridgingCommunity,McMinnville

~WrittenbyAmyCarlson,OrganizationalDevelopmentConsultantandformerDirectorof

RuralProgramswiththeNonprofitAssociationofOregon.Editedbyandbasedonthelearning

exchangeandexperiencesof22inspiringorganizationsworkinginruralcommunitiesacrossOregonandSiskiyouCounty.Theyare

catalyzingchangeacrossawiderangeofmissions,withcommunitybuildingatthecenteroftheirapproach.Learnaboutandsupportthe

importantworkoftheseorganizations.