Collective Impact is working with the Joint Commission on Sports Medicine and Science (JCSMS) to engage its membership in the Collective Impact approach. JCSMS serves as a convener and catalyst for cooperative ventures. The Collective Impact approach is a commitment of a group of individuals from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem, using a structured form of collaboration. The concept of collective impact hinges on the idea that organizations need to coordinate their efforts and work together around a clearly defined goal if they are to create lasting solutions to social problems on a large-scale. This approach was highlighted in a Stanford Social Innovation Review article titled “Collective Impact”. More recently, with financial support from the Wallace Foundation, the Teachers College of Columbia University engaged in research relating to collective engagement around education reform. Their report (Collective Impact and the New Generation of Cross-Sector Collaborations for Education) describes the development of cross-sector collaborations and presents findings from a scan of initiatives across the United States. With assistance from Collective Impact, JCSMS membership is exploring how the model might be used to address relevant issues facing their member organizations.
Collective Impact developed a community housing plan using our signature Community Design Innovations model with Coalfield Development Corporation, Inc., and a diverse team of stakeholders in Lincoln County, West Virginia. Community Design Innovations is out signature service for facilitating "collective impact" among diverse partners from various disciplines and sectors. It is a promising practice for leading communities of geographic location and/or common purpose through a holistic and integrated planning process. Community Design Innovations is a model for training and developing a backbone team of community stakeholders in comprehensive outcome-based planning and development. Coalfield’s mission is to be a community based organization that provides affordable homes, creates quality jobs, and generates opportunities for low income families in southern West Virginia.
"Bruce Decker was assigned to the City of Shinnston as our Community Coach during our participation in Federal Home Loan Bank's Blueprint Communities Program. Our team was very new to the concept of community development and Bruce was an integral part of bringing us around to the highly effective team we are today. Particularly while facilitating our efforts to write a strategic plan for the City of Shinnston, Bruce was incredibly skilled in drawing from us OUR ideas of what we wanted Shinnston to become and the steps to get us there. Our plan won an award in the course of the program and is currently undergoing its third update as we accomplish one goal after another." ~ Debra Herndon, City Manager, City of Shinnston, WV
