Bridgespan articles
- "Growing Network Impact: How Nonprofit Networks are Raising the Bar on Results" is the article this planning guide is designed to accompany.
- Please see "National Networks: Planning Can Align a National Nonprofit Network for Full Impact" to learn more about how "planning can align a network for full impact." Also, consult "Business Planning for Nonprofits: What It Is and Why It Matters" for advice on the business-planning process.
- Increasing the effectiveness of your network is one way to think about "going to scale." To learn more, please read "Going to Scale".
- Effective decision making is critical for the Five Common Elements process. To learn more about decision making, read "RAPID Decision-Making: What is is, why we like it, and how to get the most out of it."
- Global networks may face some unique challenges in attempting to increase impact. To learn more about how to address those, please read "Increasing Effectiveness in Global NGO Networks."
- To learn more about adding rural nonprofits to existing networks to bring new resources to the rural nonprofit—and strengthen the network, "Nonprofit Networks Can Boost Rural Charities."
This resource is part of the "Preparing to Grow Your Network's Impact" guide.
Bridgespan case studies
While this case study isn't specifically about networks undertaking the five elements approach, it is about networks—and do have connections to elements of this process.
- To learn more about the specific role of the center in helping the network, please see this mini-case study on Communities in Schools.
External resources
- For an article about diagnosing where the network is and using diagnostic results to facilitate learning and improvement, please see this article about the National Academy Foundation.
- To learn more about how school districts (a type of center) have supported schools (a type of affiliate) in improvement, based on the level of development of those schools, please see "How the world's most improved school systems keep getting better."
- To learn more about the franchise structure in nonprofit networks, please see "Nonprofit organizations as franchise operations."
