Community Development Collaboration
3 Steps to Better Design Change
To understand the complex nature of our community’s challenges, we need to combine existing, traditional disciplines and invent new ones. Access Ventures works to leverage our team and process to identify gaps and develop new approaches that require first-mover risk capital. The role this requires, is one of a “beta-tester” that is willing to prove examples that have potential but no certainty of success. In many communities, funders want proven, seemingly “off-the-shelf” solutions. Yet, many of the challenges communities face, demand new, untested, unverified solutions.
Consequences Of Ignoring to Scale Solutions
We like organizations that have a proven track record and that are surpassing our expectations in every way. However, by neglecting to scale what works, we rob these very organizations of the resources they need to attract and retain the talent required to deliver those results quarter over quarter. Appealing to a person’s altruism for employment only works for so long. Organizations eventually have to support their employees competitively or risk losing the very talent that makes the organization distinctive and worth scaling.
Reflexive Capital, Boyd’s OODA Loop & the Systems Engineer
What is needed is reflexive capital and a process of constant testing, verification, and adjustment to provide the most capital efficient and targeted solution. One of the principle goals for philanthropy should be a high tolerance for experimentation — it should be the “riskiest” capital; always seeking the most innovative, effective, and efficient methods for combating community deterioration and pursuing lasting change. The Systems Entrepreneur then is vital to that goal of integration, adaptability, and a reflexive capital strategy.
Systems Entrepreneur: Defining the Role of Community Quarterback
Unlike a social entrepreneur who creates a single solution that fits within the framework of a complex problem, a “systems entrepreneur is a person or organization that facilitates a change to an entire ecosystem by addressing and incorporating all the components and actors required to move the needle on a particular social issue.”