Key Components of Success By 6

Although individual Success By 6 initiatives vary depending on local circumstances, five key components are essential to implement a community mobilization initiative of this type. These include:
1) the United Way, 2) a commitment to collaboration, 3) a governance structure that is built on business representation, 4) a strategic plan and a design for measuring outcomes, and 5) a funding plan for sustainability.

  1. United Way: United Way generally serves as the lead and coordinating organization for Success By 6®, and is the catalyst for forming collaborative partnerships. The United Way guides the initiative through strategic planning, implementation and outcome measurement, and seeks ways to leverage funds to sustain the initiative.
  2. Collaboration: Collaboration is a vehicle for "systems change" and is built on the commitment of community partners to use their personal and institutional powers to achieve common goals. Success By 6 engages in collaboration at many levels, including governance, program delivery, and public policy advocacy. Collaborative partners of the initiative include organizations and individuals that have influence to acquire needed resources, knowledge of the needs and resources of the community, and leadership skills to guide the initiative through planning and implementation.
  3. Governance: Like other community building initiatives, Success By 6 requires a governance structure that guides, oversees, and connects its work at both the policy and practice levels. Clearly stated roles, responsibilities and lines of communication among the partners are necessary to develop, clarify and continuously promote the initiative's mission and principles, as well as to insure the implementation of identified strategies. Partners reflect the diversity of the community and have the authority and commitment of the organizations they are affiliated with to function as a member of a collaborative.
  4. Strategic Plan/Outcome Measurement: The strategic plan expresses the vision and mission of the initiative and identifies goals and activities to be implemented. Each activity has an outcome-focused plan (a logic model) that identifies the benefits for children and related improvements in the service system, a timeline, and a measurement plan for reporting outcomes.
  5. Funding: Success By 6 initiatives are generally supported through a variety of funding sources. United Way financial and in-kind contributions, leveraged resources from Success By 6 partners, public and private grants, and linkages with ongoing funding streams are common sources that sustain the initiative. Diversity of funding and planning for sustainability are critical elements of the funding plan.

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