Guiding Principles

For nearly 25 years, we have seen how a duplication of programs and services and addressing the symptoms rather than the root causes was causing communities to remain unchanged regardless of the people and financial power. We also came to realize in our work with and in community that no one investor, leader, or organization can address the complex systemic issues in marginalized communities. It requires multiple partners working together to solve complex issues and a skillful guide to help them realize their goals and visions with efficacy and cultural humility.

We believe that:

  1. Social problems – and their solutions – arise from interaction of many organizations within a larger system.
  2. Cross-sector alignment with government, nonprofit, philanthropic and corporate sectors as partners are essential.
  3. Organizations actively coordinating their action and sharing lessons learned is necessary.
  4. All entities must be working toward the same goal and measuring the same things to see real even needle moving change in marginalized communities.