A large white paper is almost completely covered with yellow post-it notes with writing. The words "sustainable policies" are written on the white paper background. There are colored circles added to the image for visual effect.

The 2019 Solutions Collaboratory

The 2019 Solutions Collaboratory

Voices of the nonprofit sector

For our 27th annual fall conference in Phoenix, we wanted to try something new, something collaborative, something that leveraged the energy and ideas of the hundreds of nonprofit professionals gathered in one ballroom.

And so we conceived The UnConference: CommYOUnity Solutions, a space to give voice to the key issues in our nonprofit and philanthropic community and to collectively find real solutions to these shared challenges.

During the morning-long Solutions CollaboratoryJeff Snell, the Sr. Fellow for Social Innovation at the ASU Lodestar Center, guided the UnConference participants through an interactive exercise designed to surface the major, shared issues in the sector – and, critically, to talk through ideas for solutions. Snell posed six big-picture questions, handed out sticky notes and tasked everyone with writing down responses. Student volunteers at each station then grouped the notes into categories that guided the discussion; afterwards, participants used brightly colored stickers to vote for the answers that most resonated.

All of the responses that received votes have been reproduced below, a snapshot of our sector's hopes and fears, triumphs and failures, opportunities and challenges.

To close the Collaboratory, David Bornstein of the Solutions Journalism Network and The New York Times shared his thoughts on the day's key themes. Bornstein's work looks at how people and organizations respond to social problems, providing insights and evidence of results that others can use. He encouraged attendees to continue this process – of confronting problems and seeking solutions – at their organizations. "The last thing we need is more leaders who are not self-reflective," he said.

And now, here are the results of the ASU Lodestar Center's 2019 Solutions Collaboratory.

Inside a large room, a person gives a lecture in front of a wall filled with yellow post-it notes. Several people stand and listen.

 

Question #1

"When I think of my organization's work in the community, it would be great if..."

Votes

8

Community partnerships were easier to navigate
Votes

7

We could collaborate more to maximize impact
Votes

5

Didn’t see each other as competition but collaborators for greater impact
Votes

5

Collaboration working together to expand and grow
Votes

3

We created more win/win partnerships
Votes

2

We had more partnership and collaboration to move the needle on policy
Votes

2

More collaborative partners
Votes

1

Collaborate together to provide more resources
Votes

1

Build community within the sector
Votes

1

Worked together, not compete against
Votes

1

Be less competitive and more collaborative
Votes

1

More collaboration, more "water cooler conversations"
Votes

1

Collaborate, not compete
Votes

1

There were more collaborative efforts across the board
Votes

1

True collaboration
Votes

1

Collaborate together to provide more resources
Votes

12

We could lobby together to better address root causes on a policy level rather than create programs that address symptoms
Votes

2

We were involved in more advocacy together
Votes

6

Similar organizations would merge together
Votes

4

Nonprofits merge to achieve economies of scale
Votes

4

Organizations would consolidate to concentrate impact
Votes

5

The “that’s not my job” mentality was gone
Votes

1

There was more personal accountability
Votes

3

Nonprofits were taught how to spend money
Votes

1

Fundraising worked together
Votes

1

We had the funds to grow and achieve our core values
Votes

2

We could focus on our assets
Votes

1

We could eliminate homelessness
Votes

1

Abide by best practices
Votes

1

They invest more in branding, communications and marketing
Votes

1

We worked directly with beneficiaries

A person puts a yellow post-it note on a wall, next to several other post-it notes. The wall has a large white paper with the words "If I had a million dollars show up, no strings attached, I would (blank) to create a lasting impact."

 

Question #2

"If I had a million-dollar gift show up, no strings attached, I would _____ to create a lasting impact."

Votes

15

Invest in my employees
Votes

4

Hire and train more nonprofit professionals
Votes

4

Invest in people
Votes

3

Halt operations for one month to focus on staff, vision and overall heal the organization
Votes

2

Build capacity, additional staff, training/professional development
Votes

1

Invest in organizational infrastructure to be able to expand
Votes

1

Set my programs up to be sustainable for years then be able to focus revenues also on new programs that are needed
Votes

7

Invest in future leaders, create systematic change that would more equitably fund systems for long-term change
Votes

2

Educate our future leaders on the importance of nonprofit work
Votes

2

Take different groups of kids to new and different environments
Votes

2

Invest in early education (pay for tutors, teachers and supplies)
Votes

1

Scholarships for nonprofit leaders to further education
Votes

1

Increate visibility of the important role of nonprofits play throughout or community using widespread public campaigns
Votes

1

Train and provide education for better volunteerism leadership
Votes

7

To create lasting impact I would use 1 million to develop an interface that allows nonprofits/agencies to share resources and opportunities
Votes

1

Fund a merger for nonprofits with the same mission & vision
Votes

1

Create a collaborative effort between all three sectors
Votes

1

Invest & fund problem-solving programs
Votes

1

Fund collaboration effort to close income gap
Votes

1

Collaborate with other leaders in the nonprofit sector
Votes

5

Start an endowment that started an open grant cycle focusing on solutions for cross-sector collaboration
Votes

2

Build the endowment fund, fund the greatest need
Votes

2

Create an endowment fund
Votes

1

Create an endowment
Votes

2

Housing
Votes

2

Create integrated housing and job training program
Votes

2

Build senior housing continuum of care community in phoenix
Votes

1

Fund a program that provides housing to the homeless families
Votes

1

D.V. shelter for LGBTQ individuals
Votes

3

Use it to lobby the state government to change the way K-12 education is funded – to equal distribution of property taxes in a county to each school, to level the playing field of “poor performing” schools, because education for all is the key
Votes

3

Fund progressive advocacy
Votes

5

Invest in and support local nonprofits by means of trust funds to keep money over time
Votes

5

Invest in youth programs
Votes

4

Create a social/sustainable entrepreneurship program in ___’s business school
Votes

1

Invest, fund & support local nonprofits by means of trust funds to keep money over time
Votes

1

Invest it, grow it, contribute to innovative strategies for social change
Votes

1

I would establish a foundation for the purpose of ending the education gap for low income students, spend the first year planning, ensure sustainability of the funding
Votes

2

Prevention
Votes

1

Long term evaluation
Votes

1

Hire Jeff Snell
Votes

1

Give money to low-income people
Votes

1

Give to parents or students in need who find selves in a cycle of poverty/financial stress towards goals to get out of cycles

A person looks at a large white paper on a wall, filled with yellow post-it notes. On the white paper, is written "Reader's choice: Probably the biggest threat to | opportunity in the nonprofit sector today is...".

 

Question #3

"The biggest threat/opportunity to the nonprofit sector today is..."

Votes

15

Lack of diversity in leadership
Votes

2

Lack of diversity
Votes

1

No diversity, forgetting the mission
Votes

6

Competition outweighs collaboration
Votes

4

Competition versus collaboration
Votes

1

Competitiveness between nonprofits
Votes

1

Oversaturation of market. Too many cooks in the kitchen not enough collaboration
Votes

1

Competition, no intergenerational collaboration
Votes

2

Overwhelming needs, not enough resources both monetary and human capital
Votes

2

Funders not allowing “true cost” program budget
Votes

1

Diluted resources
Votes

1

Lack of funds and interest to help others through selflessness
Votes

1

Fragmented giving
Votes

1

Loss/lack of financial vision
Votes

1

Ongoing funding
Votes

1

Fear of losing/not getting funding
Votes

1

Dwindling support
Votes

1

The amount of nonprofits attempting to solve the same issue because of limited resources
Votes

4

Risk aversion
Votes

1

Concentrating on negative vibes
Votes

1

Doing things the same way
Votes

3

G.O.P.
Votes

2

New tax law and hostile federal government
Votes

4

Lack of education of how NPOs work/function
Votes

5

Negativity (pessimists)
Votes

5

The illusion of business
Votes

4

Losing touch with communities they serve
Votes

3

Threat – thinking just your organization along can’t make an impact
Votes

2

Selfishness
Votes

2

Lack of communication efforts: utilizing modern tech efficiently
Votes

2

Nonprofits not operating like a business and therefore not attracting bright, motivated, driven minds
Votes

2

Win, winism
Votes

2

Ignoring systemic problems for the sake of positivity
Votes

2

Inconsistency in fundraisers/staff and volunteers

 

Votes

1

Social media
Votes

1

Capacity
Votes

1

Sustainability
Votes

1

Lack of education of leadership and donors
Votes

1

Employees leaving the field for higher wage jobs/change of career
Votes

1

Lack of equality

3 people examine a wall of yellow post-it notes.

 

Question #4

"Legit leaders in the nonprofit sector focus on...."

Votes

11

People
Votes

7

Their team and recipients of service
Votes

3

Relationships
Votes

2

Inspiring people
Votes

1

Serving the people
Votes

16

Culture
Votes

7

Collaborating instead of competing
Votes

2

Collaborative solutions
Votes

1

Collective collaboration to complement the work of other organizations in the community
Votes

1

Collaboration, facilitation, empathy, listening, kindness
Votes

1

Partnerships
Votes

1

Communication & collaboration between sectors
Votes

6

Mission/impact
Votes

2

Driving the mission
Votes

1

Impact, long-term, big picture
Votes

1

Their mission and vision grassroots driven
Votes

1

Equity. Advocacy. Access, achieving purpose/vision and planning for sustainability of the agency
Votes

1

Vision, empowering team
Votes

5

Educating staff and empowering volunteers to best express and utilize their talents and gifts
Votes

1

Enabling their team to be a community asset
Votes

1

Building other leaders and empowering collective action to maximize impact
Votes

1

Building up other/next generation leaders
Votes

1

Developing emerging leaders in the sector
Votes

1

Educating youth on the impact of nonprofit work
Votes

3

Impact
Votes

1

Determining impact and measurement
Votes

1

The outcomes for those they serve
Votes

1

Long-term impact and measurement
Votes

6

Systematic change
Votes

5

Working for their community
Votes

2

Finding practical and inclusive solutions
Votes

1

The roots of the problem to find solutions
Votes

1

Innovative ways to address problems and be pro-active
Votes

3

Work-life balance
Votes

3

Being inclusive
Votes

5

Listening
Votes

3

Reality and hope
Votes

3

The assets a community already has and have to unite those assets first by outside help
Votes

3

Financial Sustainability
Votes

2

Action
Votes

2

Welcoming new ideas and solutions that can advance the mission and goals of the org
Votes

1

Tomorrow
Votes

1

Conflict resolution/management
Votes

1

Getting the work accomplished
Votes

1

Productivity
Votes

1

Their real passion
Votes

1

Manage risk taking
Votes

1

Authenticity in their words and actions
Votes

1

Reforming the corporate sector

A young person wearing glasses leans in to write on a board leaning against a wall full of yellow post-it notes.

 

Question #5

"Why do some social problems persist?"

Votes

15

We focus on symptoms, not causes/roots
Votes

6

Failure to address the root cause
Votes

3

We create boundaries rather than long-term solutions
Votes

1

Complexity: what are causes, what else impacts, how to ensure long-term support to solve, how to decide the solution
Votes

1

They persist because we all think in sound bites and short term
Votes

1

Not enough emphasis on prevention
Votes

5

Systemic inequality
Votes

3

Inequity
Votes

3

Social injustice and social inequality
Votes

3

Infrastructure/systematic inequality
Votes

3

Fear and ignorance
Votes

3

Racism and implicit bias
Votes

1

Generational social injustice
Votes

1

Isolation, “what can I do?” mentality
Votes

1

Stigma
Votes

1

Discrimination against minority groups, especially people who have disabilities
Votes

9

Money, power, want to keep money and power
Votes

5

Broken systems
Votes

3

Lack of action from our president and congress
Votes

3

Capitalism
Votes

1

Fake news
Votes

10

They benefit people with the most power/resources
Votes

2

Lack of empathy
Votes

2

Humans
Votes

2

Denial & selfishness/self-preservation
Votes

1

Lack of care, it doesn’t affect them personally
Votes

1

Social problems persist because too much focus is placed on profit and power over people and basic human needs
Votes

2

Equal access to education
Votes

2

Cycle of poverty/generational poverty, unequal opportunities in early life, Addressing the symptoms but not the root cause/issue
Votes

2

Poverty
Votes

1

Poverty without hope or optimism
Votes

2

Lack of funding
Votes

1

Problems persist because funding is not long term
Votes

2

Lack of perspective and POA
Votes

1

Lack of consensus on how to solve them

An elderly person stands and adds a yellow post-it note to several others on a wall.

 

Question #6

"What is the purpose of leadership education for nonprofit executives?"

Votes

5

Innovation, thinking outside the box
Votes

4

Bigger thinking
Votes

2

To motivate/inspire leaders to be innovative in how work is delivered
Votes

2

Allowing for other thoughts and new ways of solving problems
Votes

1

To help them remain effective and create innovative solutions to keep up with growing needs. Get out of the “this is the way we’ve always done it” mindset
Votes

5

To share and pick up new ideas/approaches to old problems
Votes

2

Provide knowledge and establish expectations
Votes

1

To develop more good leaders in nonprofits
Votes

4

Growth, continued change and improvement to reach more
Votes

3

To grow and evolve
Votes

4

Leaders are learners too
Votes

1

New ways of thinking, innovate new models of fundraising
Votes

4

To keep the table legs of the organization stable
Votes

1

Sustainability
Votes

1

Networking with those who fully commit to organization mission, vision and values
Votes

1

Society is always shifting, so it is important to know the who, what, when, where and why when it comes to serving as a leader. It’s important to stay updated
Votes

1

Really – you have to justify this

What comes next?

We were delighted by the response to our UnConference and by the data that emerged. In 2020, look for our programming to incorporate many of these themes, from more collaboration to investing in your people. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates from us twice a month.

Photo: On stage, Jeff Snell (left) and David Bornstein shared their observations about the Solutions Collaboratory.

On a stage, 2 people (Jeff Snell on the left, and David Bornstein on the right) sit in comfy armchairs and discuss the Solutions Collaboratory.

2 people smile and hold up white paper puzzle pieces. On the puzzle pieces are written phrases: "Supporting youth to reach higher" and "Changing Communities,  #MyCommYOUnitySolution".

#MyCommYOUnitySolution

See our community's ideas from The UnConference photo booth

What's your idea to make a difference? That's the question we posed to attendees at the 2019 UnConference's photo booth. See what this diverse group of nonprofit professionals, community members and students had to say.