Transformative Scale: The Social Sector’s New Frontier
Transformative Scale: The Social Sector’s New Frontier
A look at the challenge of achieving impact at a scale that actually solves problems.
By: Jeff Bradach, April 22 2014
Posted on: Stanford Social Innovation Review
Achieving Transformative Scale is an eight-week blog series exploring pathways that social sector leaders around the world are pursuing to take solutions that work to a scale that truly transforms society.
I believe we’re in the midst of a fundamental shift in the social sector. Over the last several months, nearly every leader I know in the field has started to ask the same types of questions: How can my organization create impact at a scale that actually approaches the size of the problem (i.e., create transformative scale)? When should I stop growing my direct-service operation and invest in other scale pathways? What can philanthropists do to support transformative scale? What kinds of “system change” and “field building” strategies really make a difference? What kinds of relationships between nonprofits, philanthropists, and government create the greatest potential for transformative scale?
