1. Perform a simple test to see if your social impact fellowship is aligned:

• • Email each of your funded partners and ask them to answer in two sentences maximum: “What are the Results we are all working towards, what is your organization’s unique contribution to those Results, and how do you measure your individual progress?”
  • Be sure to tell them that there are no wrong answers to the question. If you haven’t made a concerted effort to communicate your vision, you can’t expect them to know what the “right” answer is. Just be transparent and tell them their answer will inform efforts to create alignment for the group.
  • Tell the grantee you will follow up at the conclusion of your experiment to either 1) affirm their answer, or 2) schedule a discussion around your Common Purpose and get their thoughts on how they align.

2. After completing Step 1, assess: were the answers from your grantees all over the place? If yes, bring together some key leaders in your organization and sit down for an hour to brainstorm and outline your Common Purpose with at least one Result and one Indicator. If not, audit your Results and Indicators to make sure they align with the recommendations you discover as you work through this book.

3. Read the ‘Theory of Aligned Actions’ and the Results-Based Accountability Guide at SocialSectorHero.com/resources to enhance your understanding of the ideas discussed in this chapter.

1. If you haven’t already done so, sit down with some key leaders in your organization to brainstorm one to three Results that you could use to guide your organization and funded partners. For each Result, define at least one Indicator that will quantify whether each Result is achieved.

• • If you already have a list of goals and measures you’re working with, audit the list. How many goals and measures do you have? Is each being actively used? Is there any way you could simplify or cut down the list?
  • Make sure everyone in your organization and all of your partners have easy access to the list at all times.

2. Consider what it would take to start doing 1×4 meetings with each of your funded partners. Create a list of the actions that would need to happen to make these meetings effective. What information would you need? What tools and processes would need to be put into place? Would a Unified Data Management System be helpful?

3. If a Unified Data Management System would be useful, start exploring what’s available. Clear Impact software systems are just one option available to you. You can learn more at https://ClearImpact.com/software if you are interested in exploring these systems.

1. Audit the Performance Measures for all of your different grants. While doing this, try to identify any areas of overlap. Also, identify measures that aren’t being used. Ask yourself, “What important ‘better off’ measures might be missing here?” and “How could we better organize these measures under Results or focus areas?”
2. Identify what measures you could remove immediately without any negative consequences. While doing this, prioritize keeping ‘better off’ measures.
3. Pick one Performance Measure or Community Indicator and create a Turn the Curve Action Plan for it.
4. Ask yourself, “What would need to happen in order for us to start simplifying our performance measurement and reporting systems?” Try to outline some specific steps utilizing the recommendations from our Hero’s Journey Spotlights.

1. Do a scan of the nine Indicators in PolicyLink’s National Equity Atlas (accessible at SocialSectorHero.com/Resources) and figure out if you’d like to help to Turn the Curve on any of the Indicators. If none of these Indicators interest you, pick any Indicator or Performance Measure that you’re passionate about.
2. Read Racial Equity: Getting to Results (accessible at SocialSectorHero.com/Resources), by Erika Bernabei and published by the Government Alliance for Racial Equity. This publication will help you connect a racial equity lens to the Results-Based Accountability (RBA) and Turn the Curve methodology.
3. Create a Turn the Curve plan for your chosen Indicator or Performance Measure. In your data analysis and plan, disaggregate the data by one variable. See what kind of story the first four steps of the plan tell. If you’re not happy with the story, finish the Turn the Curve Plan and create a targeted strategy to make a difference.
4. Optional: Read DEI Made Measurable (accessible at SocialSectorHero.com/Resources) for ideas on measuring DEI and perceptions of DEI within your own organization. If you’re interested in enhancing your understanding of racial equity and racism, I highly recommend Racial Equity Institute’s workshops.

1. Take a subset of your grantees that have similar programs and have a conversation about how to measure performance. See if you can all come to a consensus on three meaningful measures they could all report on.
2. Evaluate available software systems to figure out a common platform for performance reporting and/or data collection.
3. Figure out how you can make life easier for yourself, your fellow funders, and your grantees through collaborative systems and frameworks. To start, reach out to some funders to see how they are measuring grantee performance. Identify any potential areas of overlap where you could both utilize the same measures, thus streamlining the grantees’ performance reporting across funders and enhancing a spirit of collaboration and shared vision in your community.

1. If you’re focused on a Population Indicator, gather a diverse set of community leaders to help you develop a Story Behind the Curve, utilizing the exercise laid out in this chapter. The more diversity within the group the better. If you’re focused on a Performance Measure for your organization, gather a handful of staff. All forms of diversity are also important here, including levels within the organization.
2. Research professional facilitators who can help you. This can often allow all participants to be equal participants in creating the Story Behind the Curve. Clear Impact has several full-time professional facilitators and trainers. Contact us at Info@ClearImpact.com to see if any would be a good fit for your efforts.
3. Optional: Read Stop Spinning Your Wheels — Using Results-Based Accountability to Steer Your Agency to Success by Anne McIntyre-Lahner. This is a quick, interesting read that talks more about RBA Implementation at the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. You can find it at SocialSectorHero.com/Resources.

1. Better prepare for your next meeting with grantees by designing a list of one or two questions you want to ask for each step in the Turn the Curve process: 
2. • Consider the list of effective questions for grantees included in this chapter and select which ones you’d like to ask.
   • Make sure there is at least one open-ended question towards the end of the discussion for partners to surface anything that’s important to them. 
   • Make sure it’s clear that grantees can challenge assumptions, suggest new ideas, and ask you for more help.

1. Identify the measures and Turn the Curve Plans you want to share externally. Research software vendors that can help you automate your performance management and reporting process and request a few demos. The Clear Impact Scorecard is one system you may want to consider.
2. Copy the list of “Your system should allow you to” recommendations earlier in this chapter and put it into a Word Document. Choose what you want to keep and edit the list to add any other features you’re looking for. Send that list to your potential vendors.
3. Check out the SisterWeb and the Vermont Agency of Human Services Scorecards at SocialSectorHero.com/Resources to see if that’s something that you might want to emulate.