Offices of Strategic Partnerships: Emerging government models for facilitating cross-sectoral social change

by Julia Pellicciaro

It is now recognized that bright ideas and their translation into transformative and meaningful change is not the sole province of any particular sector, underscoring the importance of new models for collaborative problem solving.

Overview

This post (and the one to follow) stems from my current exploration of the question What is the role of Design in changemaking efforts that occur at the intersection of the public and social sectors?

This past summer, during an internship with the Denver Office of Sustainability, I had the opportunity to interview officials in seven different city agencies as well as with over a dozen organizations (both local businesses and local nonprofits) that are active in Denver’s local food network. What I discovered overall was that while city officials seem to be sensitive to the needs of local organizations (funding, capacity, infrastructure), those organizations that don’t have an established relationship with the City tend to be unaware of either the existence of city support opportunities or don’t know how to tap into them.

This lack of awareness coupled with the lack of a mechanism to keep track of who’s doing what, where and how (and why) make it difficult for local organizations to maximize existing resources and access further resources that could help advance their cause. Additionally, there’s often a sense among nonprofit organizations that they are competing for the same funding.

As a response to these challenges, new models for cross-sectoral problem solving and changemaking have been emerging at every societal level in the commercial, social, and public sectors.

In this post, I take a look at a noteworthy new model that’s emerged in the public sector in just the past decade, Offices of Strategic Partnerships (OSPs). I’ll give an overview of a report on OSPs published in December 2012 by the Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy at the University of Southern California (PDF here). Ferris and Williams’ report covers historical context, organizational disposition, impetus for formal partnership, and challenges of such partnerships. Finally, I’ll propose some areas of opportunity for Design to mitigate these challenges.

Context

Historically, joint efforts between philanthropic organizations (foundations) and government have could be characterized as informal, episodic and happenstance. (p. 4) In the past decade, formal government organizations have arisen as a result of foundations’ and governments’ mutual goal of increasing capacity for making social change.

In their report, Ferris and Williams focus on partnerships characterized by “a shared commitment between philanthropy and government to work together to solve public problems.”

Characteristics of each sector

Foundations

Ferris and Williams characterize foundations as typically having a permanent endowment of funds that perpetuates their existence. They are neither loyal to certain nonprofits nor are subject to extensive government regulation. As a result, foundations have flexibility to craft strategies for grantmaking pursuant to their specific goals for creating impact. This ability to focus on and prioritize certain initiatives is a key differentiator from government.

Government

The authors describe government bodies as having the capacity to generate revenue (through taxation and regulation) and to “shape behavior through an array of incentives and constraints.” (p. 7) Because the purpose of government is to serve the public and its interests, government agencies have a laundry list of responsibilities, all of virtually equal importance.

Impetuses

As with many other societal phenomenon in the past five or so years, we can blame credit “the economy” for being a primary force for the emergence of new models of public problem solving in the past decade. Fiscal scarcity has bred resourcefulness in a place where those disenchanted by the powers-that-be would least expect to find it.

Another primary force is the belief that foundations are positioned to act as ‘venture capitalists’ in the realm of public problem solving.

Key sectoral differences

While there is interest in and momentum for foundations and governments to form partnerships, there are functional differences that make it difficult to give them traction. This table from page 6 of the report summarizes the differing dispositions of foundations and government agencies:

Mitigating these differences is where the Office of Strategic Partnerships model comes in.

The role and function of OSPs

Offices of Strategic Partnerships, whether at the city, state or federal level, essentially act as facilitators of collaboration between foundations and governments. This facilitation typically takes the form of translating, mediating, convening, and leveraging resources (p. 11). As put by Ferris and Williams, OSPs translate and mediate by helping “to educate government about philanthropy and philanthropy about government. ” OSPs convene by initiating and fostering “conversations among diverse stakeholders…with the purpose of having them understand their mutual interests, exchange information, and recognize the opportunities for partnership.” Finally, OSPs leverage resources by helping “to create the conditions under which such resources”—both financial and human—”can be identified, matched and leveraged more easily.”

Challenges & design opportunities

As framed by Ferris and Williams, challenges—and hence, design opportnities—lie in 3 key areas:

1. Catalyzing a shared vision

What we found time and time again is: if you don’t have this extremely highly-energized go-getter, eyes-on-fire—‘wow, this is the coolest thing ever’—person, stuff doesn’t seem to really go anywhere. It’s not enough to sort of broker the interest in this at the very highest level, but you really need… the social entrepreneur inside government who really wants to make this happen. And, if not, there’s a real challenge to kind of keep this alive.

2. Creating evidence-based, scalable solutions

Not all foundations produce evidence that can be translated into large scale solutions and few governments have resources to scale up the solutions that are incubated in the philanthropic and nonprofit sector.

3. Documenting processes to ensure clarity, transparency and accountability

I think accountability is one of the most complicated pieces of being a good partner in these kinds of relationships. People come to the table with the best of intentions to be a partner and put out what they think is right for that collaborative, but there is a rigidity within government that calls people back based on a changing political context. There is also the fact that I have a boss, the mayor is his boss, and that—ultimately,
is where the pragmatic accountability comes in…

 

So the question then is, how do these design opportunities take form? And how can design get a foot in the door to support these new models of governance that have really good intentions embedded in an ambitious, and perhaps unwieldy, undertaking?

Changing your world view

By: Ana Vazquez-Trejo

After listening to Terry Irwin and her call “To change our world view” I wanted to write about changing my worldview. This is a recommendation to Policy makers/designers to think creatively and to open their minds to new solutions. I have identified some posing questions at the end. to see pictures: http://anasofia313.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/2/

Public Policy requires design, leadership, creativity, and innovation. Design requires the creator to be imaginative and to think about their product or policy. If designer is building something to be used by people, the designer has to put him or her self in the shoes of the people he or she is designing for. In other words, the designer must be inclusive. The designer must think of whom the product or policy is being created for. The designer is continuously analyzing what situations the user will encounter.

Today, governments across the world like Australia are using design to shape policy, simply because there is a need. The guardian news source states that there is “the need to innovate with fewer resources, provide more personalised services on a larger scale,[1]” for the growing masses of people so that governments can service their people. Therefore, design is the future of the policy making process.

In order for design to be effective and used correctly, a designer, must open his or her eyes to the realm of possibilities that can become a solution to a social problem. When designing a solution, there should be limitless ideas considered before narrowing in on a single idea. This is innovative in that it is so different from the usual rules and boundaries that regulate the way we think. Hence, when it comes to being a designer changing your worldview is key to making innovative policy.[2]

Changing our worldview is one of the hardest things to do. Since we were children, we have grown up with our own customs, traditions, and habits. We were taught from a young age about religion or no religion, hygiene, customs, traditions. Therefore, our upbringing makes up who we are, but we can change and develop ourselves to become more curious, reflective and innovative.

Our upbringing reflects how we think and how we handle situations in our lives. We have biased opinions about the “right” way to do certain things. When we are children, we have no conception of right or wrong. The mind of a child has no preconceived notions. In fact parents instill thoughts into their children.

For example, if you tell a child for the first time in their life to go and line up the shoes next to the door[3], it looks like this:

[4]

That child will literally make a line of shoes in front of the door.

This is how our creativity is inhibited. Another example is telling a child they must eat half of their half dog before they can leave the table. You and I would think half a hotdog means eating it like this:

[5]

but a child would think of it like this:

[6]

This is an example of how our imagination and creativity has been molded. In order to go back to the way we were as children, to think creatively without any preconceived notions. We have to be inclusive. According to the relational leadership model, being a leader is a process that involves being inclusive, purposeful, empowering, and being ethical. [7]

We must all undergo a process to continuously improve ourselves. This does not mean improving ourselves physically, it means improving ourselves mentally. It means checking our thoughts and making sure that they are generally positive, that our actions are going to benefit us and the people around us. In the words of Google “don’t be evil.” For example, when it comes to recycling. You could easily just throw away that plastic Aquafina bottle into the regular trashcan. You will not have to go out of your way to find a recycle bin and you won’t have to carry around the bottle when it is empty. However, if you think about the possible consequences of that bottle ending up in a landfill and not decomposing for ten years, or the chances the bottle ends up in the ocean, you begin to become compassionate and conscientious of the world around you.

If you are a policy creator, ask yourself these things when you are designing:

Will this policy empower someone?

What is the purpose of this design?

Is this policy ethical?

Is this policy inclusive?

We must be leaders by asking questions, thinking creatively, and reflect on what others value. This process will help design policy that will benefit our future.  What do you think? Can we make new policy that will improve the lives of others? Or are we doing things the right way already? Is our current process the only way to get things passed through the system(government)? Can we incorporate design into government?

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[1] http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2013/apr/08/design-methodology-public-service-delivery

[2]http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nec/StrategyforAmericanInnovation

[3]http://www.reddit.com/r/Parenting/comments/v2cic/when_you_tell_your_3_year_old_to_pick_up_all_the/

[4] http://i.imgur.com/xxSGN.jpg

[5]http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/billyboy71_2006/NJ%20Hot%20Dog%20Tour%202009/IMG_0104.jpg

[6] http://i.imgur.com/dRY3LUs.jpg

[7] http://edld350group1.wikispaces.com/file/view/relational_leadership_model.jpg/33142553/339×339/relational_leadership_model.jpg

SparkTruck: Hands-on Creativity to Revolutionize Learning

“We drove 15,323 miles and met 2,700 kids between California and Massachusetts, teaching them about tinkering, brainstorming, and how to get unstuck.” – Eugene Korsunskiy, SparkTruck founder

What began as a thesis project in the d.school at Stanford in 2012 has now become an “educational build-mobile,” intended to drive change in education.  Welcome to SparkTruck, an initiative begun by a group of graduate students who spent a year exploring the intersection of creativity, technology, and learning.  The group realized that many schools don’t have the flexibility or equipment to allow students to try hands-on building and making, which is a key skill for learning to brainstorm, prototype, and problem solve.

Now in its second year, SparkTruck operates as a mobile work station full of both high-tech equipment (ex. laser cutters, 3D printers) and low-tech supplies (ex. post-its, pom poms).  The original group has passed on the torch, so now it’s a new group of students who drive the truck and run workshops for kids, parents, and teachers at each stop along the tour.  SparkTruck serves literally to “spark” creativity and interest in technology, by providing some simple tools to help kids learn through making.  It also encourages parents and teachers to imagine the future of learning as something that incorporates this hands-on creativity.

The group has seen an incredible response to their makerspace – they’ve seen kids light up as they learn to collaborate and build working robots; they’ve watched adults catch a glimpse of the rewards of hands-on education; and they’ve set a precedent for a low-cost solution to a big problem.  Look here for an interview with one of the original founders, who says, “One of the things that has been pushing exploratory activities like making out of schools is rigid curricular standardization,” which explains the SparkTruck vision for free exploration and unstructured brainstorming.

I got to meet the original SparkTruck founders when they visited Pittsburgh last summer, and it was eye-opening to hear their optimism and vision for shaking up the status quo of education.  In my opinion, the most important takeaways from SparkTruck are these:

1. Innovation & social change requires a willingness to be flexible.  The SparkTruck founders recognized a problem in schools (a lack of hands-on learning), but instead of attempting to change the situation from the inside out, they offered a solution from the outside and wiggled their way in.  By bringing the tools and workspace to kids and schools, rather than expecting schools to build classrooms dedicated to making, SparkTruck demonstrates the value of their initiative in a low-cost, low-risk environment.

2. Lasting change requires baby steps.  The SparkTruck founders know that a one-time makers workshop is far from the ideal of a lifetime of hands-on learning for kids and adults. However, they are intensely optimistic that this single interaction with the SparkTruck will be enough to spark an interest in technology for at least a few kids at each stop.  One commentator even suggests that the experience will be enough to convince some of the participants to pursue STEM majors in college.  The founders of SparkTruck are also eager to equip teachers with small ways to integrate making into their daily classroom routines, either by setting aside physical space for making or by incorporating design thinking into the approach that students take when solving problems.

3. Do something.  After the problem was identified and explored, the SparkTruck founders didn’t just park their idea.  The found a truck, rigged it up as a build-mobile, invited people to come, and then found places to park it!  It sets a great example of seeing change in action.  Even after the original batch of founders was ready to move on to other work, they met with students and professors at Stanford to make sure the project would continue.

The #1 question that the SparkTruck group gets from kids is: “Are you coming back tomorrow?”

 

 

Robyn Hammond,
Design & Public Policy
Blog Entry #1

Angels’ Place Provides Social and Educational Support to Pittsburgh Parents

Pro-life advocates catch a lot of flak for shaming anyone who might consider abortion after an unplanned pregnancy, only to leave those who continue the pregnancy and their resulting children with no social or financial support afterwards.

The cycle of pro-life

Caring for a child is difficult and costly, and new parents may feel the need to sacrifice their educations in order to raise their children. Fortunately, organizations like Pittsburgh’s own Angels’ Place exist to combat the cycle of poverty that accompanies young, unplanned pregnancies. Available to single, low-income, parents, who are full-time students with children up to the age of five, Angels’ Place provides free-of-cost daycare and pre-school in so that parents are able to achieve their goals of secondary or post-secondary education.

Committed to the belief that every life is valuable, the mission of Angels’ Place, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is to provide single parents who are low-income, full-time students with the help needed to complete their education, so that they may secure satisfying employment, establish careers and become self-sufficient citizens. Through no-pay child care and family support programs that embody the best practices of education, family and child development, Angels’ Place provides a loving, nurturing, safe and healthy environment that every parent and child deserves.

-Angels’ Place Mission Statement

This non-profit organization not only offers childcare, but also provides counseling, support, tutoring, and career workshops for enrolled parents. Food and diapers are supplied at the centers, along with clothes and other necessities for families in need.  The list of valuable social aids afforded to participating families continues: “programs on parenting, nutrition, health, safety, finances, legal rights and other life skills.”

I first heard about Angels’ Place from a friend of mine at Carnegie Mellon University. Her six-year-old daughter attended from one-year- to five-years-old. Now that I have a ten-month-old daughter myself, I can truly appreciate the need for adequate childcare, especially as a full-time student. My boyfriend and I toured Angels’ Place in Swissvale a few weeks ago and were very impressed with their program. They strive to build nurturing relationships with the children and parents, and work to foster a community of support and understanding. I applaud this pro-life organization for taking a stand AND taking action.

http://www.angelsplacepgh.org/

by Alysia M. Finger

Empowering Women

Tim Napoli

9-24-13

 

Last Spring, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History hosted a traveling exhibit called “Empowering Women” which promotes the efforts of female artisan cooperatives from around the world. The exhibit displayed the various arts and crafts and also included  videos and information about how the various co-ops were formed. Many of the items in the exhibit were purchased by the museum or sold in the museum gift shop. While all of the artifacts were beautiful and unique, the real focus of the exhibit was on the women who made them and the impact these co-ops had on their lives as well as the economies of their countries. All 6 co-ops were in developing nations where women seldom made their own money. The co-ops have given them the opportunity to develop their own source of income and independence. They also help to keep these traditional arts and crafts alive in our increasingly corporate global economy.

In terms of design, I thought that using a museum exhibit to highlight the stories of these women was a smart move. Museum goers are people with an interest in learning about the world so these stories would have a greater impact on someone who is going to a museum with the intention of educating themselves about something new. It also allows there to be a dialogue about the conditions for women in these countries and for viewers to understand where these artifacts come from and the struggle to get the co-ops up and running. A woven basket in a store doesn’t have the capacity to tell a story the way the basket could if it was accompanied by a video and description of the women who made it. A traveling exhibit also allows for a wide audience to hear these stories and see the merchandise. I’m not sure how popular these items are in the countries where they are made, but an exhibit like “Empowering Women” puts these crafts on a global stage and will hopefully generate more business. I think the visual design of the exhibit is not particularly strong, but I really appreciate what the exhibit did for the women in these co-ops. The exhibit asks us important questions about societal structure, global economies, and the survival of traditional crafts. Most importantly, however, it gives these women the chance to grow, prosper, and develop a strong network amongst themselves.

 

 

http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2021409079_empoweringwomenburkexml.html

BioLite HomeStove: Social Innovation and Design

According to BioLite, a campfire stove design and production firm, “half the planet cooks on smoky open fires, causing over 4 million premature deaths each year and contributing to climate change.”  BioLite has designed the HomeStove to use wood more efficiently, produce less smoke, and eliminate black carbon emissions. Added benefits include producing electricity for use in charging flashlights and batteries. In underdeveloped regions, campfires are the most important method of food preparation, and collecting firewood consumes time that could be used more efficiently.  Details regarding specific improvements to existing technologies are shown below:

By utilizing firewood more efficiently, the HomeStove has the potential to improve the entire lives of citizens in underdeveloped regions. BioLite has announced that revenues from the sales of CampStove, their recreational camping product, will be used to aid BioLite in deploying HomeStove in large-scale pilot programs in India, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda.  BioLite is an excellent example of technologically advanced firms using existing strengths and advantages to spur social innovation and attempt to improve the lives of citizens and underdeveloped regions.  This firm has identified a social problem that requires innovative design, and has applied their skills and abilities to improve lives. Below are the improvements provided by the HomeStove when compared to existing similar methods of food preparation.

Sources:

http://www.biolitestove.com/homestove/overview/

http://www.biolitestove.com/news-press/news-events/news/jonathan-cedar-announced-as-sir.html

The Learning Labs Project

I’m a nerd. I love libraries. And while they may not change the world in the same way as AIDs research and clean water availability, I think they are an extremely important part of a community, especially for its youth.

Learning Labs Project

In 2012 the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the MacArthur Foundation awarded 30 US public libraries and museums grant money to build Learning Labs for teens. The majority of the awarded labs are still far from complete, but a number of innovative spaces have been popping up around the country. These spaces were to be designed after The Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago. The library center has set up an Innovation lab where they teach workshops on 3D printing, laser cutting etc. check out their blog here.

The Labs @ CLP

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh was one of the libraries awarded grant money and has been building a robust lab space for teens where they can work on their own projects with support from artist and designer mentors or take part in workshops that focus on a wide variety of subjects from filmmaking to programing and physical computing. The lab gives students a place to hang out and explore their own interests away from home and school, both locations where teens are required to spend time.

Many of the workshops that The Labs @ CLP host are in partnership with community institutions like the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, HackPittsburgh.org, the list goes on and on. These partnerships provide great community outreach, making teens more aware of the resources in the city, and expose teens to adults and mentors with a variety of skill sets, perspectives, and career paths.

I think spaces like this are integral to creating a culture of innovation and preparing students for 21st century lives and careers. They get students into a safe and productive environment after school and teach fun, interesting, and hugely relevant skills that teens are often unlikely to learn in a traditional classroom. I am excited to see the other projects that come of the Learning Labs Project.

 

— Molly Johnson, IxD