Tag Archive: Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing

Strategic Criteria for a Systems-Focused Collaborative Network

I have been working with a national environmental health and justice network for the past few years, and at a recent retreat, the core leadership team wrestled with a set of criteria for guiding the creation of equity-grounded, whole network-mobilizing and systems-shifting strategies. This is where we landed:

Required

• If successful, the strategy will move us towards our long-term systemic goal.
• The strategy is fundamentally collaborative in nature.
• The strategy is consistent with network’s values.
• The strategy does not advance the network at the expense of other key constituencies, partners, or social justice movements.
• The strategy is worth the expenditure of time, resources and opportunity costs of pursuing it.
• The strategy aligns with the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing.

Strongly preferred

• The strategy connects to a clear pathway on our systems map.
• The strategy plays to the strengths and capacities of current network members.
• The strategy broadens and deepens connections with impacted communities and constituencies.
• The strategy will build leadership within the network, with a particular emphasis on building leadership among the most directly impacted communities and constituencies.
• The strategy is likely to bring new funding and capacity around the network’s goals.
• The strategy will increase our learning and understanding of promising practices for systems-based collaborative networks.

Bonus points

• The strategy is likely to attract media attention to network members and/or advance our network narrative.
• The strategy would leave the network better positioned to move forward future initiatives.
• The strategy will increase the network’s reputation for innovation and/or effectiveness.
• The strategy will increase the network’s standing with key thought leaders and/or policymakers.
• The strategy presents an opportunity to collaborate with desirable new partners.

What resonates? What would you add that you have used as criteria for determining systemic strategies for collaborative networks?