The
philosophy behind strategic philanthropy is that by implementing important core
principles - commit to clear goals,
data-driven strategies, heightened accountability, and rigorous evaluations
–there will be more successful outcomes.
Sounds good. This is the approach
that has been adopted by many foundations and individual philanthropists who
have been advised on how to approach philanthropy.
But new ideas emerge…….
A new article on this subject in the Stanford Social Innovation Review recognizes that this is a complex world and a more-nuanced
strategic model is needed. The article
distinguishes between straightforward projects such as building a hospital or
running an after school program and projects meant to get at the root cause of a
problem. The latter being considered
complex.
This is where I parted company with the authors of this
article. In my opinion, all problems
that are intertwined with the human condition are complex. The issues dealt with in after school
problems can frequently be complex. Or
sometimes getting to a simple root cause like a child needing glasses can make
a big difference. The concepts
of this emergent strategy model can apply to a wide range of situations and
that foundations and private philanthropists should be more flexible in the
parameters they set for nonprofits.
This model can work for many nonprofit programs. And there is
no need to throw the baby out with the bath water. The current strategic model is the base that
it is built on. Nonprofits start out
with goals and develop strategies and programs to achieve those goals. Through assessments and evaluations they
frequently learn that they need to make adjustments. This should not be seen as failure to meet
goals but rather “unrealized strategies” exiting and “emergent strategies”
entering. This happens every day. Rather than the linear model often purported
by logic models this more flexible approach is more akin to the model used in
business and industry for years – it is the model of continuous
improvement. That’s all it is – it doesn’t
have to be sophisticated, complex, philosophical or whatever big word you
like. It is simple and used every day in
business and industry.
I love this
line in the SSIR article – “Emergence
is where rigor and flexibility meet.”
The article goes on to say, “ Emergent strategy still requires that a
clear strategic intent guide the funder’s actions, but it acknowledges that
specific outcomes cannot be predicted. Emergent strategic philanthropists will
continually strive to react to changing circumstances, so flexible and textured
frameworks such as system maps must replace the linear and one-dimensional
logic model as the primary means of clarifying strategy. “
I’m sure some of you are
thinking so “system maps” will replace logic models. Yes, no matter what the model, accountability
is here to stay. And there needs to be a
framework for accountability. System
maps it will be.
John Cawley at the McConnell
Family Foundation (Canada) describes this as having a compass rather than a
map. “A map
assumes that you’re going over terrain that somebody has been over before. A
compass, on the other hand, keeps one oriented toward the ultimate goal
regardless of the unanticipated obstacles and detours that may appear during
the journey.”
