The Power of the Pack: Why Nonprofit Ecosystems Can Drive Better Outcomes With Less Risk

Coalitions can feel like a risky proposition for many nonprofits.

They take work. That’s undeniable.

Missions may not align perfectly. That’s also true.

What if you begin this undertaking and it’s a big waste of time? 

There is also a scarcity mindset when it comes to funding — if I share a piece of my pie, I can’t do as much.

And yet, there are good reasons to think about joining with other nonprofits in service of a bigger goal – and they all ladder up to one key concept: creating an ecosystem that feels more expansive and touches more people. 

Let me tell you a story with that ecosystem thinking in mind.

We’re working with a tremendous performing arts organization. As you can imagine, space in a major metropolitan city is always at a premium, both from an availability and a cost perspective. And this group needs space to rehearse and perform consistently.

Turns out, there’s a corporation that didn’t need its space anymore — and there were two other similarly-sized arts organizations interested in partnering up. That felt like an opportunity to seize – and the CEO and his partners of that arts organization took it. Progress is happening.

Here are four takeaways from that work and others that illustrate why ecosystem creation is worth considering:

Thinking expansively can fulfill your mission in a different way.

The head of the arts group said he felt it was a smart play to partner because there’s a big difference between advocating narrowly for one organization – and for the performing arts more broadly. Every arts organization needs support — and they can all get what they need by working together to create a true arts-focused community. 

The benefits of an “arts for the city” position outweigh the compromises – and as a bonus, they can deliver more community value above and beyond their arts mission. Together, the team is intending to do the usual — host rehearsals and performances, offering housing and studio space, supporting emerging artists — but they’re also going to provide the community with broader support, like voter registration drives. 

When you go bigger, you have more power

City government is more interested in working with three groups, versus just one, seeing the utility and advantages inherent in their collective reach. A clear community benefit gives city officials more reasons to say yes, more reasons to make it easy to stand up a permitted space quickly. 

Along the same lines, we’re working with Wildpath, an organization that successfully created an ecosystem movement in Florida to build wildlife corridors, and they’re deeply invested in taking this model global. By partnering with a like-minded, if not identical, organization in National Geographic, they can get there. Donors are responding to that bigger-picture approach with substantial interest.

Donors care more about impact, not niche nuances in missions.

An ecosystem approach makes a very appealing prospect to sophisticated donors and funders. They often understand ecosystems better than grantees do — and they see the strength inherent in many groups – both diverse and alike – coming together to create more significant impact. 

In fact, for many donors, fundamentally bigger ideas inspire bigger gifts. Ecosystems inspire confidence that funding will go further and do more than investing in just one single organization with a narrower mission. It’s a “have their cake and eat it too” scenario. These funders connect with the mission that initially drew them and they can see how their investment may even do more than they originally imagined. What a good feeling!

An ecosystem approach diffuses risk

There’s an old saying someone once shared with me: don’t row the boat alone. When you join with others, you diffuse the risk. You’re pooling resources, so money, time and talent isn’t as strained. You’re sharing the reputational risk as well. With more diverse perspectives and experiences to call on, the planning and execution is likely to go more smoothly, lowering the chances of any issues and increasing the odds of achieving successful outcomes. 

In short, taking an ecosystem approach can be a smart play, especially for resource-constrained nonprofits.

Choose your partners wisely. 

Consider creative ways to expand your remit so others outside your sphere – like city officials, community beneficiaries, and other partners – can see more advantages than downside. 

And get moving. 

Especially in turbulent times, it feels better to make progress together.