EDI Caucus’ Post

There were once active governmental institutions set up to advance #socialimpact in this country, such as the Office of Social Innovation and the Social Innovation Fund. How closely do we as CSR practitioners align with the work they began 15 years ago? In the international development arena, often the gov’t interventions are the first step, with national objectives being set, regulatory agencies put in place, cross-sector partnerships pursued, and fiscal incentives added to encourage investment and innovation. Do we align ourselves in this model or do too many of us go-it-alone? We should pursue relationships with the long-standing stakeholders in the social impact space like gov’t, nonprofits, academia and foundations. To inform our efforts, we should seek collaborations with traditional innovators at universities. How many of us are leveraging the research, faculty, visiting professors and students at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy? Some of our conferences can also expand to include not just social innovators in the corporate space, but leading social researchers from academia, like the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS). Networking events are great, but where are the brainstorming rooms where we work across sector to develop new models of giving? And the discovery rooms to research how other countries and cultures implement social impact strategies? There’s a bifurcation happening in #CSR, with focus being split between workforce engagement and social impact. If we’re asking people to take our claims to the latter seriously then we’ve got to evolve our efforts.

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." I am a big fan of James Baldwin. His words, written many years ago, still hold weight today. They are a reminder that unless we confront uncomfortable truths head-on, we cannot even begin to create space for critical conversations. When I think about a lot of organisation/donor-driven monitoring, evaluation and research, whether it's exploring the disparities in access to education, healthcare, or economic opportunities, there is often a resistance to acknowledging the deeply entrenched structures and dynamics that perpetuate inequality. There is more of a focus on proving that X organisation's signature approach/intervention works and can be scalable across many contexts. What we need to see is more research and evidence that focuses upwards. On the structures, systems, institutions and people within them that shape the way services are delivered, prioritised and resourced. If we did that, we might uncover some uncomfortable truths. But by shining a light on these uncomfortable truths, we would gain a deeper understanding of the root causes of social injustices and also lay the groundwork for meaningful change. Only by acknowledging and understanding these realities can we begin to dismantle oppressive systems and build a more equitable future for all. And thats why doing participatory consultations and calling it "PAR" is not enough. The purpose for research design for social impact should always be structural change and action. I'd love to hear any examples of research/MEAL projects you've on that have led to small or large shifts towards structural change. Example in the comments please :) #nonprofit #designthinking #equity #research #systemsthinking ______________________________________________________________________________ Design for social impact (DFSI) is a social enterprise on a mission to support organisations and practitioners design equity-centred programs, policies, research and learning Our upcoming course Research Design for Social Impact launches 24th of May https://lnkd.in/epjgaCQf You can learn more about DFSI in our free upcoming webinar, Wednesday 15th May , 15:00 BST https://lnkd.in/gu4pJJxc We've also created a free guide where you can explore the principles we feel are important for research and project design. Click here to download https://lnkd.in/ekRHmBhr

Flipping the Script: Redefining Risk in Youth Funding Imagine a world where the funding landscape prioritizes and fully supports youth and youth-led organizations. Too often, the funding world overlooks the power of young people, citing them as risky investments. But in reality, not investing in youth is the true risk we face. Stepping Back to Move Forward Challenging these assumptions is long overdue! We must continually table the inherent value of funding youth. Supporting activities and short-term projects is a bare minimum. Funders and adult-led organizations need to take a step back and create spaces that supercharge young people to harness their superpowers, embrace innovation, and showcase their bravery. It is time to stop talking about the potential of youth and instead, reevaluate the perceptions of risk and recognize that young people are not only capable but are actively driving positive change in their communities, often with limited resources. Young people are leading social change work and impactful campaigns on a broad array of social justice issues, however, sustainable funding of their work is still a big challenge. How do we rise to meet them where they are at this opportune moment? What if funders actively engaged with young people to co-create innovative approaches to youth-led funding? The impact could be undoubtedly transformative! The focus would shift to different aspects of their work such as innovation in their approaches to meet their needs and increase impact and connection to their communities. Young people are spending many hours writing project proposals, chasing trust-based partnerships and collaborations, and seeking funding for individual activities, and still, a majority are met by negative responses. By including and partnering with young people in the decision-making processes, we can collectively shift power dynamics and address the systemic injustices that affect youth globally. As the world evolves rapidly, we must evolve with it, shedding outdated structural and cultural barriers to truly support and amplify youth-led engagement. Investing in the power of our youth and recognizing that they are not just the future, but the change-makers of today will bring us closer to a better world! Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable future for all. #YouthEngagement #FutureLeadership #InnovationInFundingYouth

🌍 The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is here to make a difference in our communities as it is the European Union‘s main instrument for investing in people and supporting the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. With a focus on social inclusion, employment, and skill-building, it is empowering individuals across the European Union to unlock their full potential. From education and training to job creation initiatives, ESF+ is dedicated to creating opportunities for all, regardless of background or circumstance. 🙌 Happy to announce that our Visionary team, together with Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini, is working on a study commissioned by the European Commission titled “Study supporting the Impact assessment of the future European Social Fund proposal. Achieving structural change: conditions for success in the areas of ESF intervention”. The study aims to expand the knowledge base on causal mechanisms and necessary conditions for successful structural change in broad areas of ESF+ intervention, i.e., #employment, #skills, and #socialinclusion. 🔎Read more about the study in our latest #Spotlight in the comments below! #KnowledgeforImpact #VisionaryAnalytics

Registration Open for Day Symposium We are delighted to announce that the Voluntary Sector Studies Network, Volunteer Now, NICVA, ARK, Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University are to jointly host a symposium to explore pathways to collaborating on voluntary and community sector (VCS) research in Northern Ireland. This free event will be held on the 25th June thanks to support from  NICVA, WISERD and Queen’s University Belfast. Online registration is required before Friday, 21 June 2024, 12:00. Research within and about the voluntary and community sector springs up in many different settings and across a range of disciplines. Some of the challenges faced by academic and voluntary and community sector colleagues in Northern Ireland are how to retain past expertise on voluntary and community sector research, how to collate existing knowledge and how to connect with others interested in voluntary and community sector centred research. Key Aims of this Event will be: 1. To strengthen sustainable relationships between academic researchers and practitioners in the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland. 2. To recognise and map out the breadth of multi-disciplinary approaches to voluntary and community sector research in differing fields across the voluntary and community sector, such as health and social care, community development, youth, environment, arts, equality, employment, sports, social enterprise, housing, and social policy. 3. To consider models of Voluntary Sector Research Partnerships. 4. To identify gaps and inform a future research agenda for Voluntary and Community Sector Research in Northern Ireland. Format for the Event  The day conference will be a facilitated event, aiming to promote dialogue between academics and voluntary sector practitioners from a broad range of civil society organisations, recognising their dual expertise and drawing on inclusive and participative involvement methods.“Minds shall be open, conversations shall be kind, and different knowledges shall have equal value” (Locke and Grotz, 2022, p:191).[1] The conference event will begin by setting the scene to understand why it is important to bring together the breadth of key players engaging in voluntary and community sector centred research in Northern Ireland. Attendees will hear about the breadth of collaborative research between the sector and academia already happening in Northern Ireland. The afternoons session will include the opportunity to learn about how such research might be funded and resourced in the future and to attend a panel session on key lessons for strengthening such collaborative research. This will be followed by the opportunity to learn about the range of voluntary sector research partnerships in other parts of the UK, and to forge plans for future developments of collaborative working.

By all means, let's keep infantilizing nonprofit organizations with burdensome, overly-restricted grant awards as opposed to treating them like the professional problem-solvers that they are. The greatest irony is that with unrestricted funding, NPOs can actually build their internal capacity to "absorb more funding" and grow more programs and services. The fact remains that capacity building and organizational effectiveness drive programmatic excellence, and rely on fiscally healthy, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure, operations, administration, and systems. These in turn rely on unrestricted funding that nourishes the roots of our work so that our programmatic branches can thrive, reach out, and achieve mission-focused outcomes. Philanthropy should not be a zero sum game with grant award winners and losers populating the funding landscape. And people with money are not smarter than the people pursuing money. (Indeed, you want a lesson in how to stretch a dollar, follow a nonprofit finance person around for just one day.) Funders: if you are truly concerned about an organization's ability to "absorb more funding," then provide them with resources to build their capacity to do so. https://lnkd.in/dWFKHH4S

RurALL - Introducing the 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗭𝗦𝗜) 👋 We are happy to introduce our partner ZSI - Centre for Social Innovation, based in Vienna. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 💪 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 We are a private non-profit institute for applied social sciences. We support the design and diffusion of socially accepted and sustainable innovations. 🌍 𝗔𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 In this way, we aim at meeting global challenges and contributing to desirable future ways of life. 🤝 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 Following our mission statement “all innovations are socially relevant”, we investigate and shape the social embedding and impact of innovations through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methods. 🔄 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗔𝗟𝗟 In RurALL, we will put our expertise on participatory methods to use by developing a community engagement plan. This will support our partners in reflecting on and strengthening their own approaches of community engagement. 🏡 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 By combining local knowledge and existing resources with innovative approaches to revitalization, RurALL will promote locally specific and sustainable solutions to revive depopulated rural communities. #Depopulation #DanubeRegion #RuralRevival #NewEuropeanBauhaus #CommunityEmpowerment

Innovation in adult social care can help improve lives. However, there is little research evidence to help the sector start-up, implement and spread innovations that work well for everyone. Explore findings from the Supporting Adult Social Care Innovation project in a new blog. https://ow.ly/QeSY50TrG5P

"Systems capacity is an outcome in itself. Many funders have found, through experience, that the capacities that organizations and movements have, as well as the conditions in which they operate, are as important as the outcomes they produce... A strong system accelerates progress in opportune moments, deepens implementation of wins, and better protects gains when they are under threat." - Stanford Social Innovation Review #systemsthinking #systemschange

While I'm not necessarily a fan of setting arbitrary dates for trusts/foundations to 'sunset' themselves (although I can see the point), it would be far better to set *impact* goals as the closure trigger - perhaps with a sunset date as a backup. As long as there is transparency in what the goals are and how they are measured and communicated I would have thought this far preferable. An interesting article from the latest Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://lnkd.in/gnv6pfzw