Frameworks for Navigating Change
There are many headwinds facing our sector, our society, and our democracy. Staying grounded in these turbulent times has been difficult. One challenge many of us grapple with is finding our place in the bigger picture.
What can I do? I’m just one person, and there’s so much to be done...
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, angry, or numb. At Collectivity, we’ve had many conversations this year about how to move forward—how to focus on what we can do, rather than what should or could be done. There’s no one right answer.
Bo Thao-Urabe captured this beautifully at a recent Salon Series event. When talking about meaningful social action, she said, “It isn’t a door, but a funnel—where people can enter with big and small energy and ability.” In other words, all forms of participation matter. Remembering that, is key.
“[Social action] isn’t a door, but a funnel—where people can enter with big and small energy and ability.”
Bo Thao-Urabe
At Collectivity, we use frameworks to help navigate complex challenges—strategic planning, needs assessments, collective action, and more. Two frameworks, in particular, have helped us stay grounded and responsive in this moment: the Rooted to Last Framework and the Protect, Resist, Build, Bridge Framework.
Rooted to Last (R2L) is an initiative focused on investing in leaders and organizations rooted in Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Latinx communities, so they can meet immediate needs and pursue long-term systems change. A key part of the R2L framework is the Four States of Being, inspired by Dr. Barbara Love’s work on liberatory consciousness:
Awareness: Noticing how behaviors, language, and thoughts shape our worldviews.
Analysis: Interpreting observations to identify patterns.
Action: Putting ideas into practice—campaigns, programs, implementation.
Accountability: Practicing ownership, transparency, and mutuality around both goals and impacts.
These four states are not linear—they move and interact constantly. Being intentional about each state helps individuals and teams understand where they are and where they want to go. We recommend downloading the entire framework on Rooted to Last’s website.
Another helpful tool is the Protect, Resist, Build, Bridge framework from the Collective Impact Forum’s Responding to Threats and Challenges Planning Tool. It supports decision-making and alignment during times of rapid change. Key prompts include:
Core Values: What do we stand for?
Protect: Who or what needs protection?
Resist: What harms or threats must we push back against?
Build: What must we create to meet urgent needs and deliver results?
Bridge: Where can we build partnerships to advance our work and values?
We recommend reading the full blog post and downloading the planning tool from the Collective Impact Forum website. You can also join us at upcoming Salon Series events to explore this framework with social impact leaders in the Twin Cities.
Collectivity is always here to help you strategize for change and adapt to uncertainty. If your organization is using a helpful framework or approach, we’d love to hear from you—email us at info@collectivity.coop.
