Are We Serving Or Solving The Problem In Our Communities?

The majority of NGOs exist to solve a problem in the community: housing, food insecurity, immigrant relocation, chronic diseases – the list is long. And yet, do we partner with other allied or similar organizations to work together to accelerate a solution? Or do we continue to serve the problem to keep our organization competing for resources? As NGOs proliferate in response to growing issues in our communities, mastering cooperative approaches to accelerate results is imperative. In this session, Kay will offer some examples of NGOs that have come together to solve community problems and have done so with an increased benefit to the people they are helping. If our NGO sector is to be as strong as it needs to be to confront the issues of our times, it calls for new approaches and new solutions.

Learning outcomes: 

Participants will:

• Learn the “multiplier” effect: that when organizations work together their impact is not diminished, but increased;
• Understand that funders want to see us working together because they want to see the problems solved, not just served;
• Leave the class knowing how to present this new approach to staff, board and donors as a new way for organizations to strengthen communities by marshalling resources for greater impact.

Who should attend: 

• Senior level professionals/decision-makers involved in strategy setting and leadership of NGOs.