How Networks Work

A network provides a framework that encourages community building, and ultimately, lasting solutions to community challenges. Networks tend to be emergent, and rarely follow the linear, hierarchical, or pre-imposed structure that is common with collaborations. Networks tend to create success through recognition by community members that a different approach is needed to address a compelling need – that no individual organization or person can as easily or comprehensively accomplish what could be done by combining resources. Network "community" can be defined by any number of things: geography, interest area or service sector are examples. Networks tend to emerge when other, more structured attempts at addressing a need have fallen short, and/or when resources are scarce.

Interestingly, the network approach does not rely heavily on the leaders of organizations or communities for its start-up power; it is often community members (direct service providers, for example) who first recognize that their connections to other community members could lead to creative and sustainable solutions to shared challenges. At the same time, it's not uncommon for networks to find their roots in successful collaborations. If two organizations have a history of working well together, they are more likely to see the value in expanding the sphere of influence and impact through their relationships with others.

Collaborations differ from networks in a number of ways. Usually, collaborations are smaller in scope (two organizations, typically) and have a concrete, time-determinant goal in mind. Collaborations rely heavily on the leaders of organizations or their designees for direction and success.