Managing Multi-Organizational Collaboration for Large-Scale Transformation

Managing Multi-Organizational Collaboration for Large-Scale Transformation

Sep 17, 2022

From the Client

Integrated Work supported us in facilitating a complex, state-wide program that required a superior level of organization, professionalism, and expertise. They did a great job – from securing an amazing team of knowledgeable advisors and staff, to the facilitation of numerous meetings and workshops. They helped engage many partners to advance a multi-faceted body of work while also supporting a leadership transition and navigating a global pandemic.

– Director of Strategic Partnerships

 

Impact

The engagement model used for this project is now used and shared in a network of organizations. All the while, the network is flourishing, and the new backbone organization is growing and deepening the network in powerful ways.

 

Client Industry

Non-profit | Environmental

 

Opportunity/Challenge

This statewide project is a visionary, transformational effort that brought together both public and private partners to change the paradigm of floodplain management to reduce flood risk, restore habitats, and restore vibrant communities and economies.

During the initial phase of this work, a vision of how floodplain management could be transformed to integrate flood, fish, and farm interests was put forward along with an innovative funding model. This resulted in resounding interest across the state and millions of dollars in new funding and the opportunity for many organizations to work together. With many plans in place, the client needed consulting support for implementation.

 

Integrated Work’s Approach

Meeting Design & Facilitation

Integrated Work assembled a team of local experts who knew the people, the work, and the landscape.  We focused our long-term consulting efforts on building teams, routines, cadences, and relationships in the network to get a structure up and running. We then managed the project and consulting team to refine along the way to make sure the needs of the network were being served in a way that built capacity and deepened relationships. Once that was established, we managed the process for the client to replace themselves in the “Backbone” role and supported a successful transition to the new Backbone organization. (A backbone organization creates a broader understanding of what a community needs and provides the capacity to address those needs in the community. Backbone work is accomplished by working among multiple organizations in a community.)

 

The Results

The network is flourishing, and the new backbone organization is growing and deepening the network in powerful ways. One year out, the client representative declared the engagement a big success. The model is being shared across the organization as a way to start a large body of work and successfully transfer ownership to other organizations so that the work continues.  This allows the client to go on to other projects, secure in the knowledge that their investment will continue to make a big difference.