In June 2025, NNSI invited leading practitioners from across the country to Chicago for a working convening on integrated referral networks. The two-day session focused on how we can build smarter, more sustainable cross-sector referral networks for human and health services.  The insights and key questions below reflect conversations from that day. Attendees Autumn CampbellDirectorPartnership to Align Social CareHeather BlackVice President, 211 System StrategyUnited Way WorldwideMegan AndrosProgram OfficerHeinz EndowmentsBrandon WilsonCOOAsheville

By Courtney KimEach year, nearly half of Americans across the nation experience material hardship—food insecurity, housing instability, or a lack of access to healthcare. Yet only a fraction of those in need ever receive help from social service agencies. What accounts for this gap? Researchers at the Northwestern Network for Social Impact (NNSI) set out to investigate by listening directly to individuals’ experiences with seeking help in America. By centering

By Matilda Le Collaboration 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,

By Courtney Kim What 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

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