United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, The Rider-Pool Foundation and Penn State Lehigh Valley Convene Community Leaders to Embrace Collective Impact

Center Valley, PA, January 18, 2018 – United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV) and
The Rider-Pool Foundation, with support from Penn State Lehigh Valley, convened more than 100 community members to learn about the best practices to address complex societal problems, including poverty and addiction. The presentation and facilitated discussion focused on collective impact and featured international experts from Tamarack Institute and Ontario Trillium Foundation. 
 
“Collective impact has sparked a worldwide movement and conversation around how we work together better, smarter and faster around complex social issues,” explained Marci Ronald-Lesko, Executive Vice President, UWGLV.
             
Collective impact intentionally mobilizes existing organizations to work together in new ways, according to Sylvia Cheuy, Consulting Director of Collective Impact and Community Engagement for the internationally recognized Tamarack Institute. 
 
“Change on these complex issues is really tough, but it’s absolutely possible,” Cheuy added.
“You have to be able to color outside the lines.”
 
This two-hour session was part of a larger three-day event aimed at deepening the understanding of current trends in community problem solving. Dozens of leaders from across the Lehigh Valley’s education, health care, business and non-profit sectors attended.
 
“We are here to see how we can achieve positive outcomes for our community together,” said Dr. Tina Q. Richardson, Chancellor of Penn State Lehigh Valley. “Together, we can do more than any one individual organization. I’m glad we’re taking this journey together.”

Featured speakers applauded the progress already taking place in the Lehigh Valley. “I’m amazed at the engagement from the community. The authentic community engagement in rallying around the issues is one of the key components to successful collective impact,” remarked Jen Roynon, Director of Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization at Ontario Trillium Foundation, one of Canada’s largest granting foundations. 
 
“There is a commitment to being innovative and building leadership relationships in this community that is very intentional and that I actually haven’t seen in another community,” said Cheuy. 
 
“Our success in interconnected,” remarked Ronald-Lesko. “We intend to continue the conversation and continue to find ways to innovate as we each strive to ensure that our community is the best place that it can be.” 

Discussion Resources

Article: Charting Steps from Poverty to Middle Class, by Karen Pittman

The Context Experts, by Lisa Attygalle
How to increase the authenticity of community engagement and eradicate tokenistic community engagement through the meaningful involvement of context experts.

PowerPoint Presentation: The Community Innovation Imperative

Publication: The Community Innovation Imperative, by Sylvia Cheuy

Collective Impact 3.0: An Evolving Framework for Community Change
by Mark Cabaj and Liz Weaver

Booklet: The Engagement Triangle
Understanding the purpose of your engagement

PowerPoint Presentation: Authentic Engagement & Human Centered Design: Foundations for Collective Impact

PowerPoint Presentation: Fostering Community Connections: A Foundation for Health

PowerPoint Presentation: Collective Impact 3.0 and Anticipating Snap Back