Our Approach
Do you feel like you are working so hard…
but real change just isn’t happening?
We felt the same way when we launched Partners for Impact.
We were doing the work as nonprofit executives but not seeing real community change. That’s when we realized the only way to really change the community is to change the systems behind it.
We think beyond the individual.
We help our partners recognize and share how all actions have broad effects across systems, entities, and people and either create opportunities or barriers for change. We encourage shifting mindsets to see also how systems impact individuals.
We believe in equity.
We support our partners in envisioning an equitable system that benefits all. Two crucial elements emerge when using a this lens: the power dynamics within systems, and the importance of lived experience as expertise
Adaptive leadership is crucial.
Lasting change requires leadership that can navigate complexity and uncertainty. Through leadership coaching and executive coaching, we help leaders create space for difficult conversations and new perspectives, build on commonalities, understand and address power dynamics, align their values with their actions, and adjust actions as the context or situation changes.
It takes a village.
One person alone cannot change a system or build momentum. We help our partners with sustainable capacity building that considers frontline staff, lived experience, coalitions and partnerships, and shared decision-making.
Contact Us
Let’s talk about the change you want to make and the people you want to impact.
Beth Bordeaux, Co-Owner
[email protected]
(919) 612-6634
Stan Holt, Co-Owner
[email protected]
(919) 475-3857
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Has Partners for Impact worked with human services organizations?
A. Yes! We have deep experience working within and consulting with nonprofit organizations and human services, from foster care to homelessness and crisis situations. We understand the complex organizational systems that people in crisis navigate and value the cooperation and collaboration needed by the nonprofit, philanthropic, and government sectors to improve these systems.
Q. What happens if we set out with a goal in mind but the data suggests we should do something differently?
A. We build interim deliverables and discussions into the process, so that we can be nimble and accountable to you and to the information we uncover together. This gives space for data to emerge and findings to guide the direction of the project. See FAQ below about adaptive leadership.
Q. What frameworks do you use?
A. Frameworks help us organize thinking, data collection and analysis, and reporting. We frequently use the collective impact framework, socio-ecological model, adaptive cycle, Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle” starting with “Why,” equitable evaluation, and Adrienne Maree Brown’s Emergent Strategy. Using the OpenSource racial equity framework has taught us to continually acknowledge structures and power relationships, analyze the cumulative impact of those relationships, and strategize structural interruptions and innovations.
Q. How do you use data to create change?
A. Research and data are key to systems change. A mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches provide a richer and more complete understanding of the system or approach. Stories often provide deeper insight than quantitative data alone.
Q. What is systems change?
A. A system is a set of interconnected components that work together to achieve a common goal. An ecosystem is a broader, more encompassing concept. It refers to the entire network of relationships and interactions that surround a system. It includes the system itself, as well as the external factors that influence its behavior. Systems change involves getting beyond the quick Bandaid response and identifying and influencing factors that can sustain change for the long-term. Learn more in this blog post.
Q. What does it mean to build capacity / what does capacity building mean?
A. One person alone cannot change a system. We help our partners discover or build the resources they need to sustain change and growth. This might include such solutions as strengthening skills, fund development, hiring people with specific capabilities, creating new processes, leaning on partners or coalitions, developing skills among existing staff, or shifting responsibilities to more or different individuals or groups. Read this blog post for more.
Q. What is adaptive leadership?
Adaptive leaders are those who can navigate complexity and uncertainty; this is critical for creating lasting change. Adaptive leadership involves creating space for difficult conversations and new perspectives, building on commonalities, understanding and addressing power dynamics, aligning values with actions, and adjusting actions as the context or situation changes. Learn more in this blog post.