NNSI Editorial Team

Veterans Needs Are Still Unaddressed. This New Metric Could Help Predict Success

A 2023 report reveals that 50% of veterans grapple with unaddressed social and health needs like housing instability, financial difficulties, and limited access to healthcare, yet only 14% seek help through the VA. Despite efforts by various organizations, a significant gap remains in meeting these needs effectively. Since 2022, the Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact (NNSI) has been developing a metric to measure the effectiveness of veteran referral networks. This

What Do We Know About Network Designs for Effective Multi-Sector Collaboration?

Nowadays, many healthcare and social care organizations are discovering that it is difficult to build robust referral networks. Despite indicating a need for an infrastructure to facilitate cross-sector referrals and service coordination, research suggests that local providers did not achieve higher efficiency from implementing this type of software. This is because they are relying primarily on the technology’s adoption, not what we know about effective multi-sector network design. Our blog

Key Lessons for Sustained Collaboration Funders

Through the Nurturing Nonprofit Collaborations report, philanthropic funders can learn about the importance of sustained collaboration, identify the features of a quality application, and hear success stories from organizations nationwide. Grantmakers can learn critical lessons about sustained collaboration from this report. Here are a few key takeaways. The report is based on original research by NNSI founding director Michelle Shumate. After the original screening of 58 projects by Sustained Collaboration

Two people shake hands during a group meeting.

How Conveners Shape the Future of Collaborative Networks

Navigating modern social challenges, from educational disparities to environmental crises, requires innovative, collaborative strategies. Purpose-oriented networks have emerged as crucial platforms to unite diverse organizations to take collective action against these complex issues. Despite their growing importance, a significant knowledge gap persists around how these networks evolve and sustain their efforts amidst inevitable changes and challenges. Enter the role of conveners—the linchpins of these collaborative networks. Conveners are the orchestrators

Nonprofit Organizations Increasingly Form Alliances to Achieve Social Impact Goals

In today’s landscape, the intricacy and scale of many social impact challenges demand innovative approaches beyond collaboration between two institutions. As a result, nonprofit organizations are exploring ways to build large-scale alliances and networks. By harnessing the power of multiple organizations, social impact leaders can pool resources and expertise to address systemic issues more effectively. The Sustained Collaboration Network’s (SCN) report Unlocking the Power of Sustained Collaboration, authored by NNSI’s

Arts Access Demonstrates the Value of Shared Project Collaboration

After witnessing mass layoffs of art reporters at the Dallas Morning News, Jennifer Altabef had an idea. It was 2020, and Altabef, a National Public Radio Affiliate KERA board member, wanted to develop a solution to fill the void of art coverage in Dallas. An enthusiastic supporter of the arts herself, Atlabef decided to introduce KERA President and CEO Nico Leone to DallasNews CEO Grant Moise. KERA and The Dallas