I am currently in the middle of participating in the Edge Network's Theory of Change Workshop. Part of the United Church of Canada, Edge Network provides resources for new and renewing ministries. The Theory of Change workshop is a two week webinar for "communities of faith developing new ministries and new forms of ministry (or ministries going through renewal) that show potential for positive spiritual, social, and ecological impacts and potential for financial sustainability." Folks from Edge Network say, "We can have a greater impact if we think strategically about our desired impact while planning, implementing and evaluating our programs. By the end of this workshop, you will determine the precise link between your ministry's activities and outcomes for the purpose of planning, participation, and evaluation."
After several hours of reading, thinking, and commenting on other folks' discussion prompts, Greg and I have finished part 1 of the webinar: QC Family Tree's theory of change. I'd like to share it with you here. Please know that this is a living document. Who knows how it'll change after week 2 of the workshop. Plus, in the future, we hope to go through the theory of change process with staff, neighbors, and supporters of QC Family Tree to get a more full view and deeper perspective. For now, though, please read (get ready, it is long) and let me know your thoughts on what we've come up with thus far.
Theory of Change- QC Family Tree
Problem
The Enderly Park neighborhood in Charlotte, NC bears deep wounds of racial oppression and economic injustice, mostly at the expense of neighborhood residents who are majority black and generationally poor. We have identified, through relationship building and immersive listening, that among the complex problems our neighborhood experiences, QC Family Tree wants to make a difference in lack of affordable housing, limited opportunity for youth, and weakening natural helping networks
Mission
QC Family Tree is a neighborhood based community development organization that is cultivating community for the common good which is building a little village where abundance is coming to life. QCFT is relationally driven. Based on the current gifts and needs of the neighborhood, we are currently centering our work on affordable housing, youth empowerment, and community building.
Long Term Outcomes- 10 years
Little Village
QCFT partnerships and programs- youth empowerment, colaborers, abundance lab, kinfolk, org admin, and space- will fulfill the “Healthy Village” framework. This includes housing, commerce, social groups, healthcare, etc. [we’re still working on the “healthy village framework”]
Youth Empowerment
Youth will understand and communicate their personal cultural narrative for the purpose of social change.
Youth will be able to organize for social change in their community
Youth will be able to create achievable solutions for the issues they want to address in their community
CoLaborers
Staff will be economically sustained
Staff will maintain an 80% or higher on the Natural Helping Networks Assessment
Abundance Lab
Participants practice a neighborly economy which includes sabbath keeping & sharing
Participants will use an asset based framework to solve local problems
Kinfolk
Neighbors will have an increased stability of housing and networks. In other words, they stay in the neighborhood and in community with QCFT
Organizational Administration & Physical Space
QCFT will maintain giving and partnerships to sustain the organization
Visitors and Neighbors are inspired by the beauty and hospitality of the physical space at QCFT
Midterm Outcomes- 5 years
Youth Empowerment
Youth will be connected to Elders, Culture Bearers, and Faith Leaders from a cross section of their community
Youth will be able to tell the story of their community, guided by their Elders, Culture Bearers, and Faith Leaders
Youth will understand how to build a campaign using grassroots power to affect change (broad based organizing techniques)
Youth will be able to identify winnable issues to address within their community
Youth will be able to develop and follow through on multi-step strategic plans
CoLaborers
Staff will demonstrate spiritual and professional growth in their areas of leadership
All staff have health insurance, retirement contributions, and financial counseling as needed
Staff have semi annual vacations and 5 year sabbaticals
Abundance Lab
Participants will build Natural Helping Networks in their own neighborhoods
Participants will know their neighbors’ personal narrative within .1 of a mile from their home
Participants will report an increase in walking and shopping within their neighborhoods
Kinfolk
Youth and Children show above average achievement in school, relative to the school population
Neighbors maintain stability of employment and/or start businesses themselves
Neighbors learn the skills of community organizing for the purpose of addressing issues within their community
Neighbors will be connected to Elders, Culture Bearers, and Faith Leaders from a cross section of their community
Neighbors will be able to tell the story of their community, guided by their Elders, Culture Bearers, and Faith Leaders
Organizational Administration & Physical Space
QCFT will increase giving and partnerships %50 by to sustain the organization
Visitors and Neighbors see themselves in the design and visual art of QCFT spaces
QCFT spaces, through design and visual art, tell the story of the community, guided by their Elders, Culture Bearers, and Faith Leaders
Short term Outcomes- 1-3 years
Youth Empowerment
Youth will be able to narrate their own life story in words and art.
Youth will demonstrate a sense of belonging within QCFT
Youth will be able to identify and describe in detail 3 of each of the following: Community Elders, Faith Leaders, Culture Bearers, and like-minded Community Development organizations in the South East.
Youth will create small campaign aimed at changing 1 issue in their community.
Youth will gain confidence in their ability to speak in public.
CoLaborers
Staff will show increased efficiency in work habits
Staff will communicate thoroughly regarding individual tasks and progress
Staff will collaborate with one another on overlapping projects
Staff will celebrate institutional and personal progress
Staff compensation and benefits will increase to a minimum of 20hrs week/$20hr for all permanent staff
Staff will develop a personal plan for their spiritual & professional growth
Abundance Lab
Participants will narrate the story of their block with an abundance perspective
Participants will recount the Exodus story, comparing and contrasting to the present
Participants will know what locally owned businesses are near their neighborhoods.
Participants will actively engage in 1 experiment of abundance.
Kinfolk
Neighbors will demonstrate a sense of belonging within QCFT
Neighbors will be able to identify and describe in detail 2 of each of the following: local Community Elders, Faith Leaders, Culture Bearers, Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders, Partner Organizations and like-minded Community Development organizations in the South East.
Neighbors will create small campaign aimed at changing 1 issue in their community.
Neighbors will gain confidence in their ability to speak in public.
Organizational Administration & Physical Space
QCFT will increase giving and partnerships by %20 to sustain the organization
1 QCFT space per year is updated, through design and visual art, to tell the story of the community, guided by their Elders, Culture Bearers, and Faith Leaders
QCFT communication plan (donor, email, social media, etc) will be consistent and strategic in demonstrating the narrative and importance of QCFT
Activities and Outputs
Youth Empowerment
Neighborhood Youth Group Meetings (weekly, out of school time, leadership team, HFGclub, etc)
25 year round participants at 60% attendance
60 summer only participants at %75 attendance
1 weekly 90 minute mtg
Use original curriculum for weekly mtg- curriculum centers on abundance perspective, organizing for social impact, public speaking, narrating own story through art/words, and exposure to Elders, Faith Leaders, and Culture Bearers
Healthy meal served at each mtg
20 Visits and Exposure to Community Elders, Faith Leaders, Culture Bearers, and like-minded Community Development organizations in the South East. (per year)
CoLaborers
Staff Participate in Professional development and Continuing Education
Minimum of 2 CE events per staff member per year
Structure Staff Meetings for Training, Celebrations, and Reflection rather than updates
Rotate leadership of Staff meetings among team members
Rotate purpose of staff meetings: visioning, management, exploration
Publish staff meeting agenda with new goals
Request staff update their progress through basecamp, 1 on 1’s, and peer check ins (weekly)
Dance parties and hoorays
All staff and board participate in fundraising strategy
Each staff makes contact with 6 new potential donors per year
Board and Staff recruit new board members who contribute to the needs of the board, specifically fundraising
Each staff creates 1 new institutional (formal, with MOU) partner per year.
Abundance Lab
Create and Host 3 new Abundance Lab cohorts in 2020
24 participants complete the program
Each participant enacts an Experiment of Imagination on their block
Participants report back and increased number of trips they had by walking
Kinfolk
Form a QCFT chapter of our local IAF affiliate
Neighbors will be trained in 1 on 1 mtgs
Neighbor will have 50 1 on 1 mtgs per year
QCFT will host twice monthly community meals
Host an informal meal for 40+ people 2x a month
Invite Community Elders, Faith Leaders, Culture Bearers, Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders, Partner Organizations and like-minded Community Development organizations in the South East to attend
Engage in storysharing, directed conversation at community meals
Social Impact and Storytelling events
Host 2 public performances per year, highlighting stories of neighbors
Average attendance of 200 people
Host stakeholders dream lab to determine how we might be able to leverage or grow this strategy to deepen impact
Collect names and contact information of attendees
Communicate with attendees about other ways of participating in QCFT and social change
Organizational Administration & Physical Space
Create a Fund Raising Plan
Update data base
Align communications with fund raising plan
Increase timeliness and volume of our donor thank you’s and follow ups.
Update Physical Spaces
Create a Master list of facilities and space projects
Develop partnerships with Elders, Culture Bearers, and Faith Leaders who will partner for the purpose of telling the story of the community through art and design at QCFT
Create QCFT communication plan (donor, email, social media, etc)
Increase # of social media posts and engaging by %50
Send two printed newsletters via mail and email yearly
Monthly email announcements
Assumptions
QC Family Tree is a neighborhood based community development organization that is cultivating community for the common good which is building a little village where abundance is coming to life. QCFT is relationally driven. Based on the current gifts and needs of the neighborhood, we are currently centering our work on affordable housing, youth empowerment, and community building.
There are people are motivated by working for the common good rather than individual achievement. However, within the context of economic scarcity, individualistic and fear based responses are heightened within communities.
Stability is important- the ability to remain in place is an important social determinant for people experiencing poverty to improve their lives.The long term effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences, traumatic events, and systemic inequities can work against the effect of long term stability
Proximity of neighbors to one another across social barriers creates more opportunity for positive change. The effects of changing demographics and systemic inequities can work against the positive effect of proximity
Grassroots power is achievable, sustainable, and efficacious. However, widening inequality and lack of access to systemic power makes grassroots organizing difficult to sustain.
Inputs
People Resources
Staff
Neighbors
Skilled volunteers
Board of Directors
Partner Organizations
Money Resources
Charitable Contributions
Religious Funding
Grantmaking
Rental income
Fee for Service
Space Resources
Staff housing
Affordable housing for neighbors
Office Space
Meeting Space
Studio Space
Public Space
Material goods
Vehicles (for 15)
Computers
Food
Washer/Dryer
Supplies for programming/activities
Technology
Website
Social media
Communication tools (Remind app, dojo)
