By Matilda LeCollaboration is at the heart of solving today’s most pressing social challenges – but effective collaboration doesn’t happen by accident. Here at NNSI, we are working in collaboration with researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago to better understand how social impact networks design their activities and drive lasting impact.Social impact networks are defined as groups of organizations that come together around a shared purpose, pooling their

By Courtney KimWhat happens when a program outgrows its original home, or when an organization’s priorities evolve, leaving successful programs in need of new champions? This is a challenge that many nonprofit leaders face, especially today as organizations navigate a turbulent funding environment and work to right-size their operations. A recent article by the Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact (NNSI) Lab in Stanford Social Innovation Review explores a powerful

The “take-up gap” describes the disparity between individuals eligible for social support programs and those who ultimately receive benefits. This challenge is especially pronounced among Veterans, who often face barriers such as complex bureaucracies, stigma, and lack of awareness. Project DeLorean, initiated by Veterans Services of the Carolinas (VSC) under Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM), addresses this gap through a strategic and personalized outreach model to connect high-need Veterans

By Michelle Shumate Most of our work in Systems of Care is centered on supporting people in finding the help they need to address their material hardship. We’ve focused on necessary outreach programs, systems that help identify and connect individuals to services, and innovative solutions to reduce the administrative burden of maintaining and renewing benefits. In the United States, however, there are two issues where better Systems of Care are

By Matilda Le Assessing the effectiveness of veteran referral networks has traditionally focused on the volume of services provided, but this approach overlooks the crucial question: Are these services truly enhancing client outcomes in the long run? The Trajectories of Care (ToC) metric, developed by NNSI researchers, offers a solution by providing a more client-centered evaluation of how veterans navigate care networks and how their needs evolve. In this interview,

By Matilda Le After months of hard work, we are excited to announce that the NNSI Resource Directory is officially live. This is a comprehensive database where you can access any work produced by NNSI faculty, students, researchers, and alumni, featuring four types of resources spanning ten categories. Through this directory, we offer a one-stop platform for academic researchers, nonprofit leaders, or anyone looking to deepen their understanding of social