One of the aspects of the report that I like most is the finding that suggest engagement across sectors can produce more powerful solutions to address social issues. An overwhelming 73% of survey participants responded that working across sectors was extremely important and only 4% said they knew people very well in other sectors to facilitate that cooperation.

Wow. Extremely important and yet almost no strong connections to cross sectors.

What do you think? Is cross sector collaboration the hope or the hype? Would public-private partnerships allow both sectors to leverage their strengths and address critical social issues in an efficient and effective way? Or, is corporate philanthropy indirectly stealing from shareholders and nonprofit/private sector efforts to educate children just giving the cities a pass on one the core responsibilities of our government?

Do you agree with the participants? And how do you feel that cross sector collaboration is beneficial or over-rated?

Scott Beale
Atlas Corps

On the "NGen Challenge - Leading Across Sectors" webinar, Bridget and Maya asked participants this very question: is cross-sector collaboration realistic? Why or why not? Participants generally thought that it is possible, and gave these reasons and ideas:

- At this point it's hype, but it needs to be hope -- perhaps finding spaces for these sectors to "learn together"?
- Depends on the proprietary attitude of the non-profits involved
- Cross-sector collaboration only works when there is a specific task, not a broad problem. For example, an affordable housing project vs. the housing crisis more generally
- Yes, but I think the models for this will be on a local level.
- I think it's realistic--there's a greater understanding that we need to work together to be effective
- realistic, HAS TO BE REALISTIC, and needs a community-based, highly respected "driver"
- Yes, of course. The most visible collaborations are between organizations such as American Express and their work with members to pick a project (e.g. harlem childrens' zone), but I've also seen highly successful partnerships within the NP sector, but across boundaries such as seervice and organizaing
- It is realistic if it is around a specific project, hopefully funded.
- I think it is the hope - the rise of sociel entrepreneurship is in part about combining nonprofit and forprofit ideas
- I work for a sort of NGO/Coporate partnership between HFHI and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. They can work well...
- Absolutely, cross-sector collaboration is realistic and needs to be a growing goal
- Corporations have a lot to add in both partnering with local organizations, sharing skills/resources, and leading by example
- It is realistic, particularly for Gen X'ers and Y'ers. The 'next generation' has a lot of young people that are social entrepreneurs. You don't have to be in nonprofit to care about the common good. We shouldn't think of ourselves so mightily to think that other people in our generation don't care about society if they're not YNP's.
- Why is it such an oxymoron for a nonprofit to have business principles...most of the successful nonprofits run operationally like a forproit. i don't think it's a novel idea at all
Cross-collaboration is necessary; however, making it a reality requires intention, specificity, and strategy free of competition.

What do you think? If working across sectors is realistic, how do we make it happen?