The Power of We Consortium has developed an efficient model for coordinating and leveraging resources in support of its goals. It is not a centralized model designed to “fix” the community’s problems. Rather, it is a decentralized, collaborative model for brokering the relationships, information, and resources that maximize impact. The PWC model does more with less; rather than create new, expensive, and cumbersome administrative structures to address each challenging social need, it uses the power of communication, collaboration, and accountability to focus resources where they’re most needed.
The Power of We Consortium gets its work done through coalitions and committees composed of its member and affiliate organizations, monthly member meetings, and its members’ well-established institutional systems and structures. Three committees support the work of the coalitions and PWC members.
- The Community Data Committee enhances the generation, availability, and application of meaningful, geographic- or population-specific data and information and uses it to monitor the PWC’s 33 indicators.
- The Leadership and Practice Committee identifies the capacity-building needs of faith-based and community organizations and coordinates efforts to meet them.
- The Investors Steering Committee (ISC), coordinates and expands local and external resources to support PWC activities, with a focus on the work of faith-based and community organizations. Composed of the PWC’s founding institutional members and other community funders, the ISC combines and leverages a variety of financial and other resources and strategically invests those resources to maximize impact and achieve PWC goals. It is the Investors Steering Committee, therefore, that monitors the PWC’s accountability to its members and funders.
Monthly Power of We Consortium meetings include three parts: an opportunity to learn about a new community initiative; action items related to PWC-sponsored initiatives; and reports and dialogue regarding ongoing PWC activities. Facilitation of monthly PWC meetings is rotated among the two PWC co-chairs. To maintain continuity in leadership, the co-chairs are elected annually from among the PWC’s founding institutional members and community partners to two-year, staggered terms.
To maximize efficiency and minimize administrative burdens, the Power of We Consortium is supported by the administrative structures of its member organizations. The Ingham County Health Department (ICHD) serves as the administrative, fiduciary, and staff home of the PWC, its Leadership and Practice Committee, and its Investors Steering Committee. Ingham County MSU Extension provides financial support to the VISTA program, and provides a staff home to both the VISTA and AmeriCorps State programs.