Efficacy Before Scale framework (Article Also in SSIR’s “Essentials” ebook)

An article by John Newsome, Igor Rubinov and Aneesha Capur in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), lays out the “efficacy before scale” framework. To invest in and grow promising organizations and programs in a way that promotes efficacy prior to significant scaling and expansion, there are three pathways to follow: piloting, testing, and iterating. The article lays out valuable case examples from Mission Asset Fund, Working America and Nurse Family Partnerships showing notable impact after following one of pathways to scaling with efficacy.

The key to this “efficacy before scale” approach is a three-step process:

1. Build the prototype to demonstrate (early) results: Experiment, test, and refine programmatic approaches based on evidence, feedback, and clear metrics

2. Refine and “prove” the case: Codify the model to determine which elements can and must be replicated, guided by data and metrics, and develop “proof points” to show significant impact with chosen populations or target areas

3. Plan to scale: With clarity on effectiveness and replication, develop plans for expansion, replication, and/or dissemination, built on strengths of the refined model

Read the full article here.

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PROMESA: A Failed Colonial Experiment?

The 5th anniversary of the enactment of PROMESA has come and gone. PROMESA (Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act), is a US federal law enacted in 2016 that established a financial oversight board, a process for restructuring debt, and expedited procedures for approving critical infrastructure projects in order to combat the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis. Center for a New Economy has published an important policy brief outlining how US federal fiscal intervention overseeing Puerto Rico's finances has failed.

By replicating mistakes perpetrated by global financial institutions in dealing with Greece and other nations, the “Tropical Troika” made possible by Puerto Rico’s colonial status has led PROMESA to fail to accomplish most of the objectives set forth by its authors: about 2/3 of the bonded debt has not been restructured; no critical projects for economic development have been approved; audited financial statements are still three years in arrears; the shift to budgeting on a modified accrual accounting basis is a work in progress; and the government’s budget is still out of balance

Read the full report here.

I was apathetic about gun violence -- until my 6-year-old son was killed

Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, seeks to spur action to overcome apathy in the face of ongoing gun violence in the US:

We must take action now before the next tragedy strikes. We need to expand background checks for all gun purchases before more innocent people -- who want nothing more than to go to school, pick up a gallon of milk, or visit a house of worship -- are murdered.

These steps, while commendable, will not be enough. Americans need Congress to vote on common sense gun reform, to achieve things like universal background checks and stopping the sale of assault weapons. Voters need to hold lawmakers accountable.

Read more of the CNN editorial here.

Planned Parenthood reckons with legacy and advances racial equity

PEG is proud to stand with Planned Parenthood Federation of America in addressing their history and implications for their work:

“Planned Parenthood is taking [racial equity] work seriously. Our senior leadership team is diverse. We have invested in training designed to give everyone, from the board room to the exam room, a foundational understanding of how race operates. And we are establishing new diversity, equity and inclusion standards for affiliates seeking to be a part of the Planned Parenthood Federation.”

Read the full opinion essay by Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and chief executive of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in the New York Times.

PEG's framework for considering an organization equity journey

Drawing from a decade of client work, PEG developed the Equity Continuum: a framework to help organizations map and plan a unique equity journey. PEG is proud to have partnered with The Bridgespan Group to develop a short summary article outlining the framework.

Read the full article here.

Nonprofit transparency watchdog Espacios Abiertos unveils Fiscal Observatory

Given the challenges people face in making their voices heard in government debates and decisions on fiscal and budget issues, nonprofit Espacios Abiertos analyzed thousands of documents from the past 16 years to develop the new Observatoriofiscalpr.com platform, which seeks to provide greater accessibility and narrow information gaps for residents of Puerto Rico.

Find out more about this initiative here

22 Foundations and Donors Pledge to Redouble Commitments to Puerto Rico

Twenty-two foundations and major donors signed a joint pledge to redouble their commitments to Puerto Rico as the island and its people continue to recover from 2017's Hurricane Maria, ongoing natural disasters, and the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recognizing the urgency of the moment, a network of foundations and major donors signed a joint pledge to: maintain, strengthen and expand their philanthropic commitments to Puerto Rico; invest in local community leaders and organizations who are committed to just, equitable, and inclusive recovery efforts; and continue to build the capacity of organizations working in Puerto Rico by providing flexible financial, non-financial, and technical assistance.

They are calling on additional donors to join the pledge to support Puerto Rico, which has been historically under-resourced by philanthropy and the federal government.

Find out more by following this link.

Domestic violence is rampant among Puerto Rico police officers. Few face consequences

María Mari Narváez, executive director of Kilómetro 0, an organization that monitors civil rights violations committed by police, said a culture of loyalty and cover-up exists in the Bureau that protects abusers and tolerates domestic violence in its ranks, making it difficult for women to file or enforce a complaint against her police officer partner.

“The police have to be the most powerful institution in the entire patriarchy,” said Mari Narváez. “You already know that when you go to report it, be it to the police or to court, the abusive police officer will find out what you intend to do probably the same day that you are going to file the complaint.” The activist, who has monitored police violence in Puerto Rico for eight years, said that an officer who is abusive “knows the criminal legal system by heart and knows how to manipulate it against the victim. He has in his favor a system and a culture of absolute impunity.”

Read more in the Miami Herald.

How to be a super board chair

PEG colleague Jon Huggett and Mark Zitter explore some of the core considerations for being an excellent board chair to support an organization, in an article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Super board chairs don’t just consider the near term; they make sure the institutions they serve endure shifts in leadership and deliver social impact that can cascade down the generations.

Read the article here.

The Bridgespan Group and Racial Equity

Co-founder and Managing Partner Jeff Bradach describes Bridgespan’s journey to center racial equity in its work. Here he offers context for the research Bridgespan released to help build a more equitable and just society:

We recognize that we are but a small player in the pursuit of equity and justice. We seek to learn from and elevate voices of leaders of color and equity leaders on how we can support their efforts to achieve equity and justice. We’re deeply indebted to and inspired by such pioneering organizations as the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity, CHANGE Philanthropy (including ABFE, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Native Americans in Philanthropy, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, and other partner organizations), Echoing Green, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, Whitman Institute, Racial Equity Institute, Equity in the Center, Camelback Ventures, PolicyLink, Public Equity Group, San Francisco Foundation, and many others.

Read more