The Synergy Stack: Collaborative Philanthropy for Community Impact

In my 30 years as a nonprofit leader, one of the most frequent pieces of advice I received from funders was to collaborate with my peers; that the challenges facing our community—from systemic poverty to educational inequity—are too complex for any one organization to solve alone. At the Sooch Foundation, we believe this applies as much to philanthropy as it does to our grantees; that by aligning our planning and resources with others, we can go beyond funding heroic individual efforts to creating significant systemic change in post-secondary and workforce achievement.

When we share data and strategies with our peers, we gain a clearer understanding of service gaps and system failures, ensuring funding reaches programs that make an impact and can be scaled. In a rapidly changing workforce and educational landscape, pooling collective expertise allows us to address complex issues like post-secondary persistence with the depth and agility required for long-term impact.

We put this commitment into practice through our active engagement in specialized networks. Our affiliation with the Asset Funders Network enables us to join regional and national leaders in economic opportunity, keeping us at the cutting edge of asset-building strategies and allowing us to co-invest in initiatives that target the unique barriers faced by individuals and families in Central Texas. Through Philanthropy Advocates we join Texas foundations in championing research-informed policy. Our work with Grantmakers for Education ensures that we have access to a national network of learning and practice. Finally, we are among the proud founding members of the Central Texas Funders Network, which brings together funders throughout the region to engage in learning, dialogue and collaboration. Together, these affiliations provide the shared vision necessary for the Sooch Foundation to drive meaningful, permanent progress for the people of Central Texas.