The Social Impact Exchange Blog

  • Lessons in Going to Scale: Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program®
    Joe Miller, Wyman Center National Network
    Posted: May 14, 2013

    Lessons in Going to Scale is a newly-launched blog series featuring on-the-ground stories from nonprofit organizations at different points in their scaling trajectory. Hear from S&I 100 CEOs and nonprofit leaders in health, education, youth, and poverty alleviation about the strategies and challenges of developing a scaling model.

    S&I 100 organization Wyman Center explores what it looks like to adapt their Teen Outreach Program® model to settings outside of their network.

    At Wyman Center, we take scaling with fidelity very seriously. The organization has a 115 year history serving children from low-resource environments, and the past 15 years have focused on nationally replicating programs, such as our evidence-based Teen Outreach Program®(TOP). TOP® is a nine-month program for teens in 6th to 12th grade that reduces the risk of problem behavior while helping teens make healthy choices, develop life skills and engage with their communities.

    In order to meet our growth goal to bring faithfully-replicated TOP® into the lives of 100,000 teens in the next five years, we developed a rigorous quality system and infrastructure to both support and monitor our 57 Certified Replication Partners.

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  • Scale Readiness: A Checklist
    John Gillespie, Veris Consulting
    Posted: May 10, 2013

    This post originally appeared on the Stanford Social Innovation Review's blog. It is reposted with permission.

    Scaling is critical to any nonprofit looking to increase impact—but of course, it is easier said than done. In addition to gaining board engagement around your strategy and building a focused business plan, organizations must secure sufficient capital—funds that they can raise only if potential donors have a clear enough picture of their growth plan and financials to invest with confidence.

    According to a recent study on the state of scaling impact, conducted by the Social Impact Exchange and Veris Consulting, only 24 percent of nonprofits currently scaling have started fundraising and only 42 percent have a growth business plan. When it comes to scaling, many nonprofits are trying to “build the plane while flying,” when a more disciplined approach is required.

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  • The Long and Winding Road: Evaluating and Scaling Evidence-Based Programs
    Marcia M. Kerz, The OASIS Institute
    Posted: May 3, 2013

    The following post was written to enhance the discussion that took place during the April 30 webinar, which explored the topic of using evaluation to scale for impact. "Evaluation: What an Organization Needs to Scale for Impact" is now available online.  

    With apologies to the Beatles, developing evidence-based programs that can be taken to scale does not happen in one hard day’s night. Rather, it truly is a long and winding road. At least for this organization.

    OASIS, a national nonprofit organization and member of the S&I 100, is dedicated to promoting successful aging for adults age 50 plus. Our three-fold approach provides opportunities for people to participate in lifelong learning, active lifestyles and community involvement. Through its programs, OASIS puts into practice the findings of the landmark MacArthur Foundation study of Aging in America. Researchers Rowe and Kahn found that the key ingredients for a high quality of life are maintaining a low risk for disease, a high level of engagement with the community and high physical and cognitive function; “It is the combination of all three that represents the concept of successful aging fully.”

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  • Lessons in Going to Scale: Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
    Sharon Miller, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
    Posted: April 29, 2013

    Lessons in Going to Scale is a newly-launched blog series featuring on-the-ground stories from nonprofit organizations at different points in their scaling trajectory. Hear from S&I 100 CEOs and nonprofit leaders in health, education, youth, and poverty alleviation about the strategies and challenges of developing a scaling model.

    How S&I 100 organization Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center used existing resources and infrastructure to scale geographically and open a fourth site in the Bay Area. CEO Sharon Miller shares what she learned during the process.

    Kasey Arnold was a talented writer and an accomplished corporate marketer who was feeling stuck and unable to generate enough business from her one-person operation. Recently, she was down on her luck as an entrepreneur, barely making enough money to get by and living out of her car. She heard about Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center’s (Renaissance) small business training and support services in her community, and intrigued by the possibility of boosting her bottom line, she signed up for Urban FIRE entrepreneurship class at our newest center in Marin. Through the training she received at Renaissance Marin, Kasey was able to transform herself from a contractor-for-hire to an independent business with a niche market. She was able to hone her marketing message and narrow her focus and her clients. As a result, Kasey was able to secure new clients who truly appreciated her expertise. Recently, she was offered shares as well as a significant hourly rate by a new startup. She now has more work than she can handle and was able to take a vacation for the first time in years.

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  • Venture Philanthropy Partners' Carol Thompson Cole on Investing in Scale
    Tamara Schweitzer Raben, Social Impact Exchange at Growth Philanthropy Network
    Posted: April 16, 2013

    Carol Thompson Cole is President and CEO of Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP), a philanthropic investment firm (and intermediary) that focuses on funding high-performing nonprofits in the National Capital Region. Carol brings a unique perspective to the field of venture philanthropy, having worked for over 30 years in both the public and private sectors. She spent significant time in government -- at both the federal and local level, and was the first woman to be appointed City Administrator in the District of Columbia.  She also served as Special Advisor to President Clinton on the District of Columbia, and prior to that, she was a Vice President at RJR Nabisco. The Exchange’s Tamara Schweitzer Raben spoke to Carol about the role of the intermediary in bringing together multiple sectors to fund and support the capacity of high-impact nonprofits going to scale.  

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