We’re often asked to check out an existing social-impact network and to provide advice about what its next steps might be. Sometimes a potential funder wants to know this, sometimes network leaders are asking for the assessment.
In our book’s chapter 6, “Know Your Condition: Taking a Network’s Pulse,” we describe the key elements of an in-depth assessment: understanding the network’s connectivity, health, and impact. But often a network doesn’t have much of the data that would help you to conduct such a probing evaluation, or what’s being asked for is a “quick (and cheap)” assessment.
One tool we’ve been developing is a “Network Profile”—the information you’d gather step-by-step that would help you to take a “snap shot” of a network’s situation and start a good dialogue with the network’s leadership. We think the Profile can be especially useful for a funder who’s looking at multiple networks and trying to figure out which ones to invest in.
| Category | Information | Details |
| Network Background | Network Name |
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| Origins |
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| Start |
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| Stage of Development |
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| Network Type |
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| Network Description | Purpose |
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| Membership |
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| Value Propositions |
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| Operating Principles |
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| Network Coordination |
o Connecting o Aligning o Producing |
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| Resources |
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| Governance |
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| External Relationships |
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| Assessment |
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| Network Opportunities | Market Positioning |
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| Projects |
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| Partnerships |
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