AMAZON #1 Domestic & International Best Seller

Nominated for the Alliance for Nonprofit Management’s 2020 Terry McAdam’s Book Award

Transcendent Partnership

Create and Manage Community Partnership

For Collective Impact

In a world where nonprofits and their employees frequently are asked to do more with less, collaboration and partnership building is necessary. While we may agree on the end goal and steps to get there, what actually happens in the middle between our partners can leave everyone pointing fingers. However, it is possible to build community development momentum even among competing agendas.

Learn how we connect nonprofit, government, business, and educational entities with Michigan’s best problem solvers for social impact. Visit the One-Community Consulting site »

About the book

“Transcendence” occurs when we move from disgruntled worker to problem solver, from disenfranchised or subordinated citizen/employee to empowered. The purpose of this book is to help provide the reader with tools to do so. But it doesn’t stop there. Within, the reader will move from burned out do-gooder staff to understanding their own overwhelmedness as a symptom of larger and solvable root causation – whether personal, institutional or cultural. Moving past stagnancy, they must embrace change and learn from other sectors realizing “it takes a village”. Then in partnership, the reader transcends their own limitations and lifts the community achieving real collective impact.

A few hacks for your toolbox along the way, you will learn how to:

  • Align your partners’ work plans and progress to leverage more community resources
  • Not let partner inertia drag you down and stall the project
  • More effectively advocate for resources by clearly telling your story
  • Utilize transparency to harness support organizations
  • Grow your stakeholders and align their interest
  • Create a launch point for future collaborative community development success

Are budget cuts, local politics and personalities getting in the way of your nonprofit’s programming? This book is for you! Maximize your partnerships and reduce stress by clearly mapping, aligning and troubleshooting your collective impact. Then open the door on your own cage and realize it’s you that you’ve been waiting for – transcend the system.

With over 15 years of nonprofit and business experience, author Mary E. ZumBrunnen bridges community development divides by applying public and private sector strategies to effectively create, lead and manage partnership as the foundation for collective impact.

Mary Zumbrunnen

“I wish this book was around when I started a nonprofit community development corporation in Pontiac, Michigan, while it was in state receivership. It offers a tremendous amount of insight that makes me reflect upon our own journey to start up an organization, build community consensus and maintain relationships long enough to accomplish lasting results.”

Sean Kammer, Downtown Manager, City of Royal Oak

The Collective Impact Framework

Collective Impact is a framework to tackle deeply entrenched and complex social problems. It is an innovative and structured approach to making collaboration work across government, business, philanthropy, non-profit organizations and citizens to achieve significant and lasting social change.

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Common Agenda

Structured collaboration between all stakeholders to define a common agenda and a shared vision

Shared Measurement

Shared performance measures to track progress allowing for continuous improvement

Mutually Reinforcing Activities

Each expertise is leveraged as part of the overall with effective and collective co-ordination

Continuous Communication

Continuous communication to support building trust and relationships between all stakeholders

Backbone Organization

Single governance structure to fulfill the objectives

Mary Zumbrunnen

“How do we get things done? Together. But it takes inspirational and influential leadership that’s not afraid to get down to the root of relationship issues impeding collective impact progress. I’ll help you discover how deeply rooted institutionalized practice may be hindering your success, align your resources and move forward for positive, community change. It starts with you. Are you ready to see your community partners as your greatest mirror and rocket ship for growth?”

Mary Zumbrunnen

Transcendant Partnership

Interested in hosting a speaking engagement or community
project?

Mary is available for keynotes, workshops and consulting requests
through One-Community Consulting.