Blog
Strong Parts, Missing Integration: Why Institutional Strength Isn’t Ecosystem Capacity
Picture a community that, by aggregate measures, appears to be doing well. Its workforce centers are meeting performance metrics. The social safety net and human services offices have committed, thoughtful leadership and caring front line staff and practitioners. The local Continuum of Care wins competitive funding year after year. Foundations are engaged, and strong nonprofits have deep roots in the
When the Status Quo Can No Longer Hold
Change is often discussed as something on the horizon, something institutions can prepare for once the implications become clearer, policies take effect, or pressure becomes impossible to ignore. But many of the conditions reshaping communities are not waiting on the horizon. They are already here. Public policy is shifting and funding environments are changing while the cost of basic
Building for Networked Change
There are moments that permanently change the way you see the world. For us, the years surrounding the pandemic were one of those moments. Communities were navigating a global health crisis. Institutions were adapting in real time. New partnerships were forming almost overnight as organizations worked together to meet urgent needs. It became increasingly clear that no single institution,
Why Promising Efforts Lose Momentum
Many years ago, before The Intersect existed, a question kept surfacing in conversation after conversation. Why do so many well-intentioned efforts struggle to create lasting change? At the time, the question emerged while observing coalitions, partnerships, and initiatives designed to address complex challenges. On paper, much of the work looked promising. Talented leaders were involved, significant resources had been invested,
Five Years Later: Building Back Differently
Where It All Began The conversation that birthed The Intersect started in a parked car. I was sitting alone, talking with a close partner on the phone. We were discussing yet another effort aimed at creating large-scale change. On paper, everything looked right. Smart people, strong intentions and a clear commitment to making things better. And yet, beneath all of
When Everything Shifts: Designing for Systems Change
The world feels heavy: government gridlock, funding cuts, workforce strain, and deep polarization are reshaping the ground beneath us. For nonprofits, funders, collaboratives, system leaders, and communities, this moment feels both relentless and fragile. Leaders and entire ecosystems are being asked to deliver more with fewer resources, while carrying the emotional weight of stretched staff and communities under near-constant threat.