Services
Collective Action
Collective action is an approach to systems change. It is a network-based, relationship-focused approach for bringing together grantmakers, nonprofit service providers, public agencies, and the business community in the pursuit of a common purpose for improving people’s lives. Collective action aims to improve lives by aligning resources and coordinating service delivery across a community.
Root Cause helps partners imagine, plan, and manage large-scale and long-term collective action initiatives. We build cross-sector partnerships and function as a network manager or “backbone support,” facilitating relationships, fostering teamwork, and coordinating service delivery and performance measurement.
Our approach to collective action is grounded in the experiences of people in the community. We work with partners to understand how people experience barriers to success, such as those connected to race, class, gender, and geography, and we center collective action strategies on eliminating barriers so that more people experience lifelong success.
Collective Action for Grantmakers
Root Cause helps grantmakers at every stage of the collective action process. We work with you to envision, study, plan, implement, and evaluate initiatives that involve grantees and community partners. We function as or support a backbone organization in order to provide ongoing strategic and operational support that ensures philanthropic investments translate into meaningful improvements in people’s lives.
Collective Action for Backbone Organizations
Collective Action for Nonprofit Direct Service Providers
Project Goals
Achieve systems change.
Increase equity in practice and outcomes.
Strengthen collaboration.
Improve quality of life.
Strengthen community leadership.
Build for lifelong success.
Project Activities
Root Cause helps partners design, build, and manage complex strategies that involve cross-sector stakeholders and aim to deliver coordinated services at scale across communities. We help partners to:
Research community needs and the ecosystem of programs and resources that address those needs
Identify and share a common sense of purpose for improving people's lives
Map programs and systems and design mutually-reinforcing service delivery
Facilitate dialogue, strengthen relationships, and build consensus across a wide range of stakeholders
Design strategies to support equity and reduce structural barriers to people’s success
Manage service coordination to expand opportunities for more people
Practice collective performance measurement
Document and share knowledge
With Us