Policy and Practice | June 2021

COVID-19 continued from page 23

provides a comprehensive road map and set of standards that also work for public agencies to operate effectively. Emphasizing leadership and work force culture, these commitments also measure organizations’ ability to invest in capacity, such as technology and human resources. This focus enables CBOs to build innovation and inclu sivity that improves equity, well-being, and health within organizations, and in-turn enhances the capacity of organizations to positively impact communities. If human-serving ecosystems are to effectively support social and economic mobility and advance equity for the people and communities they serve—not only in pandemic times but also as a way of doing business—the financial policies and practices being employed must support the collabora tive strength and financial well-being of those dedicated to the mission.

modeled elsewhere; “This is a collabo ration,” he said, “not a competition.” And third, the CBO and public agency communities should unify their orientations to the work they do together from a common framework for driving value and return-on-investment regarding their programs and those they serve. The Human Services Value Curve, 5 developed primarily through efforts in the public-agency sector, points the way from delivering discrete programs to helping whole families access a holistic range of services, and ultimately engaging with families and communities to address their chal lenges at the root-cause level. This serves to drive efforts toward preven tion and early intervention or toward customizing supports to achieve optimum impact. The Commitments of High-Impact Nonprofit Organizations, 6 developed primarily through efforts in the human-services CBO sector,

Editor’s Note: A version of this essay ran previously in NonProfit Business Advisor on November 16, 2020.

Reference Notes 1. https://alliance1.org/web/community/ strengthen-human-services/web/ community/national-imperative-joining forces-strengthen-human-services america.aspx 2. https://www.johnlocke.org/update/ strengthening-human-services-with-and without-government/ 3. https://www.helpingfeedpeople.org/ 4. https://www.healthypeople. gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/ social-determinants-of-health 5. https://aphsa.org/organizational_ effectiveness/OE_Consulting_Practice/ OE_Framework.aspx 6. https://www.alliance1.org/web/ commitments/about-commitments/ web/commitments/about-commitments. aspx?hkey=f48d1b8a-a8a5-40f3-82e4 85b38f8d237d

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