Our nation is facing some of the greatest challenges in a generation, and leading social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and other social sector leaders have stepped-up to fill gaps, to increase their impact, and to serve more people in need. Yet we also know that in many instances these individual, successful nonprofits are not “moving the needle” on communitywide metrics. They are serving more people more efficiently and effectively, but the economic and social challenges facing our nation’s communities are simply too large and require too many players for these individual nonprofit organizations to make dramatic progress on their own.
To get the kind of measurable, communitywide gains our nation needs, all sectors—nonprofits, business, philanthropy, and government—must pull together in the same direction. This kind of “collective impact” is happening in a number of communities around the country such as the Strive Partnership in Cincinnati. The White House Council for Community Solutions recently released an analysis that identifies examples of “collective impact” in communities and the keys to success.
The Center for American Progress invites you to join our panel of experts for a lively and informative conversation. The panel at this event will explore the potential of collective impact to drive significant communitywide progress on serious challenges and the important role social entrepreneurs play in developing and testing new solutions to community challenges.
Copies of Hearts on Fire will be available for purchase at the event.
Welcoming remarks:
Marta Urquilla, Senior Advisor for Social Innovation, The White House
Presentation on White House Council Collective Impact analysis:
Michele Jolin, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Member, White House Council for Community Solutions
Featured panelists:
Cheryl Dorsey, President, Echoing Green
Jeff Edmondson, Managing Director, Strive Network
Jill Iscol, President, IF Hummingbird Foundation; author, Hearts on Fire
Willa Seldon, Partner, The Bridgespan Group
Mary Lou Young, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Greater Milwaukee
Moderated by:
Michele Jolin, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Member, White House Council for Community Solutions