How can impacts truly be measured?

Ripple Effects Mapping blends appreciative inquiry and mind mapping to measure a broad range of program impacts.
We know from our nonprofit partners that assessing the impact of their work on the community can be challenging to identify and demonstrate — especially when that work i…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/how-can-impacts-truly-be-measured

Guidance for Grant Seekers

As the deadline to apply for our Fall 2021 Grant Cycle approaches, we're sharing some resources that may be helpful as you submit your application.
Rotary Charities envisions communities that are adaptive and thriving for everyone, and we're committed to working in partnership with changemakers to help us all get there.&nb…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/guidance-grant-seekers

Expanding Access to Healthy Food: A Changemaker+Funder Partnership to Shift a System

A group of Northern Michigan nonprofit organizations and a coalition of food pantries are working collaboratively to tackle food insecurity by going upstream to address its root causes.
by Miriam Owsley, Strategic Communications Manager At the base of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is the category of Physiological Needs: the most basic needs that include f…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/expanding-access-healthy-food-changemaker-funder-partnership-shift-system

Empowering People to Become Citizen Scientists

GTRLC, NMISN and WC shifting mindsets by providing the tools and opportunities to be land stewards
by Miriam Owsley, Strategic Communications Manager For over three decades, The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has protected and cared for the region’s natural,…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/empowering-people-become-citizen-scientists

Connecting Northern Michigan Changemakers to New Support

Last month, Rotary Charities officially launched a new service to support grantees working to change the roots of complex community problems. The pilot will include all grantees taking a collaborative systems approach and will make 5 to 10 hours of coachi…
“Systems change work, so often, is more than a job and a professional role or identity. More often than not, it is a lifestyle choice, a life's work, a manifestation…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/connecting-northern-michigan-changemakers-new-support

Convene, Connect & Commit: Spark Large Scale Change

The first in a four-part blog series exploring different aspects of systems change work: convening, connecting & committing; finding leverage points for change; designing interventions to change systems; and learning as we go.
by Freya Bradford, Director of Systems Change and Learning This is the first in a four-part blog series exploring different aspects of systems change work: convening, connecti…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/convene-connect-commit-spark-large-scale-change

Stories that Change Systems

Exploring the unique power of story in systems change work.
Freya Bradford, Director of Systems Change & Learning “Stories make, prop up, and bring down systems. Stories shape how we understand the world, our place in it, and…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/stories-change-systems-area-changemakers-seek-help-new-coaching-pool

Upstream: Finding the Source of Complex Problems and Leverage Points for Change

This is the second in a series of blogs about different aspects of systems change work. This series is about making different choices about how we work and what we work on when we are aiming for community-level change in our most complex problems. These a…
by Freya Bradford, Director of Systems Change and Learning This is the second in a series of blogs about different aspects of systems change work. Next month I will explore de…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/upstream-finding-source-complex-problems-and-leverage-points-change

Gateway Communities Seek Key to Workforce Housing

A lack of affordable housing is a common challenge to "gateway communities". Community members may hold the key to a unique solution.
by Miriam Owsley, Strategic Communications Manager For seasonal workers, finding a job in the most beautiful place in America is the easy part. Securing a place to live from M…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/gateway-communities-seek-key-workforce-housing

Designing Interventions That Change Systems

Once opportunities and points of leverage are identified, systems can begin to shift when multiple actions across a system design a constellation of actions that act on those patterns.
by Freya Bradford, Director of Systems Change and Learning This is the third in a four-part series that explores using a systems change approach to address complex community-l…… https://www.rotarycharities.org/about-us/blog/designing-interventions-change-systems