Building a Funders Network HOW YOU CAN CATALYZE CHANGE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

ELEMENT I: NO FUNDER CAN SOLVE TOUGH ISSUES ALONE We do not have enough money to tackle these complex issues without working together It’s not always about the money! If funders understand one another’s strategies, we can work together to create long-term change

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE AS A FUNDER? Analyze your own grantmaking Assess the way you communicate your grantmaking priorities Organize and host community conversations Convene “lunch and learns” with other funders, especially those who are not working in the same areas

ELEMENT II: BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND WORK TOWARD A COMMON GOAL Funders are not outside of the system just because they don’t operate programs Be proactive in building relationships Learn with others in the space

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE AS A FUNDER? Set the mission, vision, and goals early on Share your work with other funders Proactively identify key stakeholders Organize site visits Host a community mapping day Educate others about a systems approach

ELEMENT III: FORMALIZE A FUNDERS NETWORK Instrumental in forging commitments from a diverse set of leaders No one way to form a funders network BUT some kind of structure is important

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE AS A FUNDER? Invest in the backbone Make sure it is someone’s job to support the network Form a steering committee if that makes sense for your group Set benchmarks Become a regional affiliate of Funders Together to End Homelessness for support and connections to other funders networks

ELEMENT IV: BECOME A CHAMPION Funders play key role in bringing people together Push the community to think beyond the barriers and embrace solutions Drive change by making program investments consistent with the shared vision for success

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE AS A FUNDER? Invest in best practices strategies, data collection, development of assessment tools Support pilot projects to test new approaches Remove barriers that you can control Appoint a representative from the funders networks to the community governance council or decision-making body Attend conferences and report back on innovations and lessons learned

ELEMENT V: SHARE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED Be catalytic! Encourage other communities to adapt your lessons learned Work with federal partners to implement broader policies and funding strategies

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE AS A FUNDER? Connect with other funders networks and share your experiences Support organizations within your community that educate others on effective solutions Find ways to elevate your work to the national stage

IN SUMMARY: KEYS TO SUCCESS Take a step back. Why haven’t we solved the issue already? What connections are we missing? What can we change? Talk to funders from other issue areas and communities. Adapt lessons learned. Get a group of the willing together. Start small and track progress as you go. Share your experiences with others. They can learn from you!