Tools to Engage: Resources for Nonprofits

Welcome to Tools to Engage!

We’re so glad you’re here! Tools to Engage is an ever-changing compilation of the best resources from across the social sector, chosen for their particular focus on supporting constituent engagement and addressing systemic challenges, such as race, gender, and power inequities in the sector. These resources are aimed at organizational development experts, management support organizations, and internal and external consultants, but may be used by anyone who finds them useful.

The resources on this site are organized around categories aligned with the Nonprofits Integrating Community Engagement (NICE) Guide, which offers information, tools, case studies and other resources to help nonprofit groups develop core competencies on constituent and community engagement. Use the “Type,” “Category,” and “Keyword” search functions below, or feel free to just browse this collection of over 100 resources designed to help you advance your social change goals.

Please consider commenting on individual tools or in the Forum to let us know your experience with these resources. Access to commenting and to the Forum is restricted to members, but it’s free and easy to sign up!

 

Community Democracy Workshop

The Kettering Foundation hosted the Community Democracy Workshop that explored issues relating to community collaboration. Included were: assumptions and beliefs about learning and knowledge building; the various approaches to community engagement; and, the relative value and effectiveness of these approaches to advancing community democracy. These notes from the meeting provide a structure for delving into these issues and can be adapted for working with any organization.


Case Study: Road Map Project

This case study, written by FSG, focuses on the Road Map Project, a collective impact initiative focused on doubling the number of students on track to graduate with a postsecondary degree or credential in the urban South Seattle region by 2020, as well as to close achievement gaps. This case study provides collective impact backbone organizations, funders, and partners with an overview of the initiative and key lessons learned.


The Road Map Project – Data Dashboard

This dashboard from the Road Map Project might be used when preparing for an evaluation plan.


The Continuum of Collaboration

The Continuum of Collaboration is a chart that illustrates the spectrum of informal or time-limited collaboration to longer-term strategic alliances. This can help your alliance to come to an understanding. It can be used in an activity to further the understanding of the different types of organizing and when each is most effective.


Putting Community in Collective Impact

Published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review and written by Richard C. Harwood, the founder and president of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, this paper makes the case for including community in cross-sector, high impact efforts from the perspective of Collective Impact. It includes questions for consideration and could be used to spark a goal setting session.


The New Community Collaborative Manual

This manual provides information, tools and examples for collaboratives across developmental stages. Newer groups can benefit from the “how-to” sections and more established collaboratives will benefit from learning through more complex discussions.


Resources for Learning: Collaboration

This resource describes the elements of collaboration and includes links to information, fact sheets, and articles about collaboration.


Developing the Leadership of Recipients

This mini report is part of the 5% shifts series and focuses on the ways in which two nonprofit organziations are working towards leadership development.


Exploring Community Engagement

This is a series of small-group discussion questions for use during an agency retreat or extended meeting that offers a structured opportunity to explore the agency’s potential for community engagement work.


Client Voice and Engagement

This agenda and activity worksheet is designed to identify opportunities for constituents to have more voice and leadership in your organzation and to generate a list of concrete practice shifts that can be proposed to others in the organzation.