https://youtu.be/acotRX_7BlY The past year has created pressing new demands on social service providers, including food banks, nonprofits, and other food-related organizations. While the food systems sector was already a hub for collaborative innovation, COVID-19 further accelerated the importance of network leadership skills and strategy for
Anyone who has tried building or leading a coalition knows how difficult it is. Given all the work that goes into these efforts, many researchers are focused on identifying the key factors that lead to coalition success – both in terms of the social impact
Managing a network of community partners is no easy task. Unlike typical hierarchical organizations, a network is horizontal with few formal mechanisms for accountability through control. Network leaders have to rely on more abstract ideas like trust and mission alignment to keep their partners accountable,
“I assume that every collaboration will bring conflict that must be managed” ⏤ Nancy Cantor Tweet Conflict in a coalition is normal – in fact, it’s usually a sign that the coalition or network is quite strong and engaged. Its members are passionate and involved,
https://youtu.be/E9xdx2rygf0 How Can Networks Help Us Understand & Solve Health Inequity? In this VNL Network Leader webinar, Bria Thomas re-introduces the concept of health equity and then demonstrates how network and systems mapping can be used to demonstrate linkages in the causes of inequity. We
“Any tool can be used for good or bad. It’s really the ethics of the analyst using it.” ⏤ John Knoll Tweet Believe it or not, social network analysis has a lot of ethical pitfalls you might be unaware of. Unlike traditional survey research, social
“Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing ‘patterns of change’ rather than ‘static snapshots.” ⏤ Peter Senge Tweet Systems thinking is getting more popular than ever as more and more people realize
Network Leadership is the practice of building, managing, and evaluating cross-sector community partnership with a network approach. While traditional leadership emphasizes hierarchal styles of leadership, network leaders must manage a dynamic environment without formal roles, hierarchies, or authority. There are a lot of common examples
Network centrality is among the most well-known social network analysis metrics, measuring the degree to which a person or organization is central to a network. There are three different ways to measure network centrality, and some are easier to understand than others. Centrality is a
It’s more and more common for people working towards social impact to build and work in networks to reach their shared goals. By sharing information and resources, coordinating their activity, and collectively measuring their impact, a network can accomplish far more than a single individual
Click the link below to download a free resource to help strengthen your community partnerships, network, and collaborative ecosystem.
Advice for building, managing, and assessing cross-sector networks or coalitions of partners.
A template to map the connections and interactions between key stakeholders in your community.
A worksheet and guide to help you think through and develop your network or ecosystem strategy.
Get monthly updates on VNL news, new research, funding opportunities, and other resources related to network and ecosystem mapping and management.
Our Network Leadership Guide shares tips to build, manage, and strengthen your network of community partners. It’s perfect for those taking a systematic approach to address the root causes of health inequity or the social determinants of health.
