Sustaining Social Impact Tools for the Race Jason Trimiew
Social impact…not a sprint, but a marathon The “it’s the last hour of the last day” session. (AKA the “I’m standing between you and a cocktail/flight/family” session.) SO LET’S DO AN ACTIVITY!
Social impact‌not a sprint, but a marathon
Sit down if your organization is‌ Less than 5 years old. 5-10 years old. 11-20 years old. 21-50 years old. >50 years old.
Social impact‌not a sprint, but a marathon
In 1-2 words, what is your organization’s key to sustaining social impact?
Social impact…not a sprint, but a marathon
Sustaining social impact — whether your organization was recently founded or is an anchor institution in your community— requires…
Strategy
Learning
Benchmarking
Session Agenda REDF Background • What we do • Impact and aspiration
Session Goals
Tools for Sustaining Social Impact • Strategic Planning • Performance Dashboards
Discussion • Bright spots • Peer-to-peer learning
• REDF’s experience • Practical tools: • Strategy • Benchmarking • Appropriating best practices • Learning
What is REDF?
REDF is an intermediary that helps nonprofit jobsfocused social enterprises employ people with multiple barriers REDF contributes to the fields of philanthropy and social enterprise by communicating the lessons we learn through publishing, speaking, and sharing information on our website (www.REDF.org) In all areas of our work, REDF is deeply committed to measuring the results of our efforts
REDF’s Theory of Change
Work brings dignity and independence to people living with severe barriers to employment People with severe barriers to employment can be most effectively trained and employed by non profitrun businesses REDF dramatically boosts nonprofit-run businesses ability to succeed
REDF’s Theory of Change
Help people move into employment and out of poverty
Social enterprise
Employment
• REDF provides the capital, know-how and networks to start and grow social enterprises
• Social enterprise jobs are a first step and pathway into the regular work-force for those who can’t get jobs otherwise
• A social enterprise job leads to a rise in hours worked, health status and income; and reduces homelessness and incarceration
• REDF shares lessons to build the field nationally
• The enterprises and their employees earn income – Offsetting taxpayer costs
• Social enterprise is an innovation that would benefit every community
What does REDF provide? _______________________
_______________________
Organizational Development
Capacity Building Investments
Connections to Support Services
__________________
Social Outcome Measurement
REDF Portfolio Organization
_____________________
Strategic Business Assistance
_______________________
_______________________
Access to Technology
_______________________
_______________________
Business Development
MBA Interns/Fellows
REDF Portfolio Organizations: 1997-2011
Special events recycling Light construction
Janitorial Clerical services CafĂŠ and catering
Multifamily housing recycling
Bicycle shop Screen printing
Ballpark and stadium concessions
Street cleaning Graffiti removal
Maintenance work crews
Electronic waste recycling Landscaping Wholesale Assembly bakery Landscaping
Janitorial CafĂŠ Fresh-cut Produce
Street cleaning Staffing services
Desk clerk staffing Maintenance Bedbug remediation
TBD Current portfolio
What have been the results? • Success for People – 5,700 people in jobs – 77% of those interviewed still employed two years later – Average wages increased by 31%; monthly incomes by 90%
• Success for Nonprofits – $114M in earned revenue – 11 Bay Area nonprofits; 45 social enterprises – REDF “investment” = $17.3M grants + TA + network leverage
• Success for Society – Net costs reduced – Wage-earners pay taxes, some reduction in public assistance – CEO (NY) RCT study shows 40% reduction in recidivism
Where is REDF going? GOAL 1 Create jobs in nonprofit social enterprises in multiple California communities that employ at least 2,500 people by the end of 2015
1997-2010 11 nonprofits 5,700 people in jobs
2011-2015 7-9 more nonprofits 2,500 more people in jobs
by 2015 15+ total nonprofits 10,000+ total* people in jobs * Jobs created in social enterprises continue to employ people beyond REDF’s initial investment. If REDF stopped investing in social enterprise today, 600+ people with significant barriers to employment would still get jobs in 2011 and beyond in social enterprises that REDF previously assisted.
Where is REDF going? GOAL 2 Develop a sustainable, replicable, and scalable model for social enterprises employing people with significant barriers
= Flow of people into jobs = Flow of funds
Purchasing ramps-up People advance in careers
Social Enterprise at Scale
People enter jobs
Employee support services grow
Systems change
Social impact…not a sprint, but a marathon
Tools for Sustaining Social Impact
Strategy
Learning
Benchmarking
Strategic Planning Guide Tool
STRATEGY
A helpful roadmap‌ Strategic Clarity To develop a Theory of Change concrete description of the impact for which the organization will hold itself accountable and create the organization’s theory of change to explain how their work will achieve that impact.
Strategic Priorities To determine the specific actions and activities that must take place to achieve the intended impact.
Resource Implications Assess the financial, human and organizational implications of the proposed program structure and create a plan to secure the resources needed.
Performance Metrics Strategic Establish the Plan quantitative and qualitative milestones that will be used to measure progress toward the intended impact
Strategic Planning Guide Tool Strategic Clarity
• • • •
STRATEGY
To develop strategic clarity the organization needs to answer the following questions:
Who or what are we ultimately trying to serve? What are the specific outcomes for which we want to be held accountable? What activities must we undertake to achieve concrete and measurable results? How does our specific portfolio of programs and services lead to change?
A concrete description of the impact for which the organization will hold itself accountable. The organization’s theory of change to explain how their work will lead to that impact.
Strategic Planning Guide Tool
STRATEGY
Strategic Priorities
These activities can generate income to fund other programs but be careful not to get distracted from activities more aligned with the theory of change.
These activities generate income and are aligned with the theory of change – these are activities are winners and you should keep them
Prioritization should be done using the following framework:
+
Net Financial Margin ($)
Income Opportunities
Clear Winners
Distractions
Investments
0
These activities cost the organization money and don’t help to advance the theory of change. These are distractions.
Low
Alignment with Theory of Change
High
These activities are strongly aligned with the theory of change but need funding from other programs or external funders.
Strategic Planning Guide Tool Resource Implications
STRATEGY
To outline the resource implications the organization needs to answer the following questions:
•
Do we have the right organizational structure in place to implement the plan?
•
Does our existing staff have the skills and expertise to execute our strategic priorities?
•
How much new work does the new plan entail?
•
If so, how much capacity does our current staff have to take on new work? Do we need to add positions, or scale back our goals?
•
If not, what roles do we need to create? Where do we find the right people to fill these roles?
•
What new or improved systems do we need to do our work more effectively (e.g. IT, performance measurement, financial)?
•
What HR systems should we put in place to manage our organization (recruiting, orientation, training, evaluation)?
•
Can we manage the budget required by the human resource and infrastructure investments?
•
How will the new costs affect our cost per outcome?
•
How is the funding community likely to respond to the spending plan? Can we raise the money we need?
A outline of the financial, human and organizational resources needed to implement the strategic priorities A plan outlining how to secure the resources needed
Strategic Planning Guide Tool Performance Metrics
• • • •
STRATEGY
The organization needs to answer the following questions to set performance metrics and a measurement plan:
What are the long term social outcomes goals? What are the intermediate measures of progress towards these goals? How will we assess whether we have achieved our long term and short term goals? How do we implement a performance measurement process?
Quantitative and qualitative milestones that make it possible to measure progress A plan for implementing performance measurement
Social impact…not a sprint, but a marathon
Tools for Sustaining Social Impact
Strategy
Learning
Benchmarking
Performance Dashboards Revenue Dashboard
BENCHMARKING
Performance Dashboards ďƒ˜ Fundraising Dashboard
BENCHMARKING
Performance Dashboards Accounting Dashboard
BENCHMARKING
Performance Dashboards Program Dashboard
BENCHMARKING
Performance Dashboards
BENCHMARKING
How is a social enterprise dashboard different from a for-profit dashboard?
Nonprofits and social enterprises capture financial and operational indicators, similar to forprofits…
Similar to a for-profit, choosing the right operational metrics is important for a social enterprise…
…but they also need to track social indictors that show how successful they are in achieving the organization’s mission.
…but the most critical operational metrics might be different based on the capacity issues and cost/ revenue structures of social enterprises.
There will be missionrelated tradeoffs! Setting the right financial, operational, and social goals that will be tracked using a dashboard will require the organization to be aligned around these priorities
Performance Dashboards
BENCHMARKING
Key Performance Indicators Development Process Repeat and refine as necessary Inventory current performance measurement tools
Define KPIs
Identify data needs
• Define data • Inventory • Use small, current select groups to needs and sources for performance develop firstKPIs targets pass KPIs • Develop plan to • Develop initial • Identify key close data gap thoughts on key business and if necessary profit drivers social drivers • Develop and desired • Define KPIs historical time social outcomes series for KPIs to measure
Produce KPIs and review with management
• Decide upon process for data collection for routine reviewing of KPIs • Review with management to gain endorsement; refine as required
Build into management processes
• Establish infrastructure to deliver KPIs routinely (i.e. dashboard) • Incorporate into routine practices and core management processes
Repeat process for each team/group/business line
Set Initial Targets
• Set aggressive but achievable targets • Define acceptable control limits • Identify external benchmarks and compare performance to best practices
Performance Dashboards
BENCHMARKING
Top 5 mistakes to avoid when creating a dashboard 1. Do not have too many indicators: Limit to a subset of truly key indicators. The dashboard needs to be short and easy to understand in order for everyone to review it and act on it regularly 2. Do not make updating of data too cumbersome: If it is too onerous to keep producing the dashboards on a regular basis, the organization will stop doing so 3. Do not choose only historical charts: The dashboard should provide information that can guide managers in making future decisions; be strategic in the way you analyze data 4. Do not assume a dashboard will tell you everything you need to know: An organization still needs to use insight and analysis to determine what is driving dashboard metrics and what to do about it 5. Do not assume that everyone in the organization has the know-how to use dashboards
Performance Dashboards
BENCHMARKING
Dashboard Checklist Do any of my current software platforms have the appropriate dashboard capabilities? If not, would my current software be compatible with a dashboard? How long will it take to fully implement? How much time will be required to manage the data in the dashboard? Is it automated and easy to update? Will the dashboard provide real-time data?
Have we come up with the right KPIs to track on the dashboard?
Do the right managers know what they are supposed to look at on the dashboard and why?
Does someone in the organization “own� the dashboards i.e. a Dashboard Manager
Social impact…not a sprint, but a marathon
Strategy
Tools for Sustaining Social Impact
Learning
Benchmarking
In groups of 4-5…
Bright Spots What are 1-2 things your organization does in the areas of STRATEGY and BENCHMARKING that are working? Tactics…Tools… Resources…etc.
LEARNING
Wrap-up
LEARNING
Report Out and Questions? Jason Trimiew Director, Business Development
jtrimiew@REDF.org / (415) 561-6683
Session Evaluation Information
SESSION TITLE: Impact SESSION CODE: L-W300