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June Spark News: Changing the World, One System at a Time
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Spark News

Changing the World, One System at a Time

This month, we’re looking at how organizations can support large-scale systems change, either as a backbone, partner, evaluator, fiscal intermediary, or through many other roles. But we would be remiss if we didn’t take a moment to talk about what happened in Orlando. Earlier in June, we witnessed the worst mass shooting in our country’s modern history. In the wake of the shooting, there has been a lot of discussion about how we got here and where we go.

As some of you may know, Spark was originally conceived to replicate, improve on, and expand the types of systems change work one of the founders helped  lead in response to the Columbine High School shooting. During that process, over a hundred leaders from across the system, community and private sector came together to try to find a systemic solution – they found some small changes, but it took years before anything significant shifted. Spark was created to help catalyze, accelerate, learn from, and scale systems change efforts across issues and needs. It was born of a recognition that meaningful change doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it requires a cross-system, cross-sector approach.

The why of what happened at Pulse on June 12 is complex and there is no easy – or singular – way to prevent similar incidents happening in the future. But we can work toward achieving a solution together by recognizing the complexity of the situation and the ways in which we all play a part in creating, implementing, and continuing to improve that solution.

Spark Policy Institute develops innovative, research-based approaches to help clients solve complex societal problems that defy easy solutions.

Tools for Social Innovators

Tools for Social Innovators toolboxAlthough we haven’t solved all of society’s complex issues, we are working toward this goal by supporting incremental change. Recognizing that we are all in this together, we’ve collected a lot of lessons and developed a lot of tools over the years, which we have compiled in our Tools for Social Innovators series. We’re highlighting a few here that are designed to drive systemic change while keeping a focus on equity and inclusion of those most affected by the change.

  • The Engaging Nontraditional Voices Toolkit explores how and why governance structures can and should engage nontraditional voices in policymaking, providing practical tools, resources, and guidance for how best to engage these voices to support appropriate and meaningful policies.  
  • The Strategic Backbone Toolkit focuses on the critical, strategic roles and actions a backbone organization – whether part of a collective impact initiative or other collaborative structure – can take to elevate the initiative’s overall work and impact. This toolkit it is a next-level guide for backbones that want to be more than a basic supporting infrastructure, or that are going from managing to directing a complex initiative. Visit:
  • Tools for Integrating an Equity Lens looks at choice points – those places where decisions made will either increase or decrease equity – and how groups can increase equity through their planning processes by focusing on decisions made at those choice points. The toolkit does not look at the hows and whys, those are well-covered elsewhere; rather, it provides actionable tools, tip sheets, and resources that can help groups turn an equity value into action.  Visit:

Along these lines, we recognize the great work you as our partners are doing and contributing to these fields and encourage you to contribute a tool, resource, or case study.

Join the conversation: What do you think is essential to spark and support large-scale #systemschange? Share your ideas using #SparkChange to join the conversation!

Blog: Five Years in the Life of a Backbone


By Lyn Kathelen, PhD
 

The Colorado Farm to School Task Force has seen incredible success in their five years of existence, sun-setting ahead of schedule, being recognized as an organization “to know” by Food Tank, and increasing the number of districts engaged in FTS five-fold. Even more incredible is the fact that this was accomplished while operating at the complex, messy intersection of a variety of systems, regulations, and laws. Part of this success is due to Spark’s role as a backbone, which helped the initiative be greater than the sum of its collective parts. This blog explores some of the roles Spark played over the past five years and how those supported the Task Force in achieving their meaningful outcome. 

Share this: How can #backbones play a key role in helping #collaborative or #collectiveimpact initiatives achieve their end goals in complex settings? http://bit.ly/2987lbO 

ICYMI: Children, Trauma, & The Aurora Shooting


By Natalie Portman-Marsh, LCSW
 
Most adults need a little help figuring out the right way to talk with children about tough topics, such as incidents of mass violence. Fortunately, there are some resources and simple tips for initiating discussions with different age children. This blog, written following the Aurora movie theater shooting, looks at how adults can talk to youth about traumatic events and includes a number of resources for talking to children after a traumatic event. 

Making a Meaningful Difference

One of our values and priorities at Spark is working closely with our partners, learning every step of the way, and achieving outcomes that make a meaningful difference. We believe in going beyond project by project work and applying the lessons we’ve learned that can help the field and others learn and grow. In response to the Orlando shooting, Spark and individual team members came together to donate to three organizations:

We hope you join us, whether by donating blood so the medical system is ready for the next crisis, taking an action that will make a difference during this crisis, or working toward systemic change to prevent future ones.

Learn more at Spark Policy or find us on Twitter: @SparkPolicy.  Have a great day!
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