The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (The Joint Center) creates ideas to improve the socioeconomic status and civic engagement of Black people in America. They were in transition when they reached out to us, but ready to capture and articulate a clear picture of their mission and strategy.
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In the midst of a journey of change, the Black American think tank, The Joint Center, found itself at a pivotal moment. Shaped by diverse lived experiences and driven by data, the organization was navigating a transition in leadership, necessitating a nuanced and collaborative approach to redefine its meaning and purpose.
Engaging The Collective Good, the organization sought to embark on a journey of exploration, unification, and enlightenment, anchoring their vision within a robust theory of change.
Amidst transitions, achieving clarity and cohesion demands a collective visioning process. We curated a collaborative space, bringing together a diverse working group from across the organization to delve deeply into the essence of their work and its impact.
Together, we examined the symbiotic relationship between The Joint Center and the communities it serves, fostering open dialogue and reflection to explore each individual's "audacious visions." Through iterative co-creation over multiple sessions, the working group forged consensus on both immediate and long-term objectives. The overarching aim was to identify key drivers of change and map the intricate connections between their efforts and the outcomes envisioned in their collective vision.
As with all of our projects, hearing from the people closest to the work is a critical step to truly understand the strengths, pain points, and opportunities to improve systems. In doing so, we captured a range of perspectives about how work is prioritized, delegated, and completed across the organization. This helped us identify areas of greatest alignment and misalignment across AIRA and among the team. We used a congruence framework to analyze our findings through a lens of alignment (or misalignment) between strategy, structure, work and people/culture. We then held deep dive conversations with leaders across the organization, digging into challenges and co-developing ideas for solutions and next steps.
We also mapped out their key partnerships. This helped us understand their impact on different communities and what made them truly special. By the end, our team had a crystal-clear picture of what Equal Measure did, who they worked with, and what everyone had to say.
From this process, Future Caucus gained a clearer focus on building a constituency for inclusive governing and amplifying new narratives.
Through this iterative process of co-creation, The Joint Center emerged with a theory of change firmly rooted in their shared vision. This framework not only provides a solid foundation for future development but also serves as a guiding light for the organization's growth. Team members acknowledged the power of fostering a positive, supportive environment for open dialogue, particularly during times of transition and uncertainty
By following this roadmap, we are confident that AIRA can position themselves for success and mature into their next phase as a larger organization.
From this process, Future Caucus gained a clearer focus on building a constituency for inclusive governing and amplifying new narratives.
The Joint Center's theory of change serves as a visual roadmap, illustrating how each department and team member contributes to the realization of the organizational vision. This shared clarity not only fosters a sense of connection among team members but has already ignited momentum within the organization. Having a defined framework enables all stakeholders to approach The Joint Center's work with a unified vision, addressing its multidimensional aspects and fostering ongoing collaboration.
The result was a clearer mission and theory of change and a new way of leveraging their influence in the space as evaluators, conveners, and agents of social change.
From this process, Future Caucus gained a clearer focus on building a constituency for inclusive governing and amplifying new narratives.
As a framework for incoming leadership, The Joint Center's theory of change offers a compelling narrative to engage stakeholders and potential donors alike. It equips the team with a comprehensive tool to articulate their work at both a strategic and granular level. This impact model serves as a beacon during times of transition, aligning ideas and aspirations with tangible outcomes for political action, all rooted in a collective vision.
The result was a clearer mission and theory of change and a new way of leveraging their influence in the space as evaluators, conveners, and agents of social change.
From this process, Future Caucus gained a clearer focus on building a constituency for inclusive governing and amplifying new narratives.
We worked with Equal Measure to create a plan for growing in a healthy way. By looking closely at what they did best, we found new ways to partner with others and make even more of a difference. We knew a solid foundation was crucial for sustainable impact. So, we dug deeper than just partnerships. We identified key areas where staff needed to bolster their skills and become even more effective partners, facilitators, and changemakers.
Beyond talent development, The Collective Good also streamlined Equal Measure's internal processes, optimized business development and consulted on thought leadership content, and even revamped the team structure. This efficiency boost ensured they could handle growth without losing their laser focus on racial justice. The team is forging deeper connections, reaching more partners, and growing community engagement in ways that will change systems for good.
By drawing upon AIRA’s self-knowledge and deep commitment to its health-oriented mission, The Collective Good offered an analysis and set of recommendations that were actionable, goal-oriented, and truly aligned with the vision of its most valuable asset – its people.
The result was a clearer mission and theory of change and a new way of leveraging their influence in the space as evaluators, conveners, and agents of social change.
From this process, Future Caucus gained a clearer focus on building a constituency for inclusive governing and amplifying new narratives.
If you are in the business of social impact, your work is urgent.
Reignite your team, clarify your strategic path, and grow your collective impact.
The Collective Good is a strategy firm that helps leaders drive social change by cultivating collective insight and turning it into aligned action.
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