Assurance that gains of power will persist
Durability of Power refers to how well the solution ensures that any gains in power persist. Proposed solutions create durable power by enhancing the capacity of existing leaders and cultivating new ones from the intended beneficiary community. The overarching goal is that the need for the proposed solution will eventually become obsolete because those who historically have lacked access to power now have it.
Structural inequality means that certain groups lack the power to influence how organizations, businesses, government, and social networks affect their lives. Enhancing the power of disadvantaged groups helps break down structural inequality.
Those who are already viewed as leaders in the beneficiary community are often referred to as “proximal” leaders.[7] Their proximity means they recognize assets and risks that are often overlooked or misunderstood by outsiders. Such proximal leaders are instrumental in addressing structural inequality because they bring experience, relationships, data, and knowledge that are essential for solutions that have a lasting impact.
Questions to Ask
-
How well does the proposal actively shift the balance of power toward groups disadvantaged by structural inequality and create a sustainable source of power for those groups?
-
How well does the proposal develop and engage with leaders in the intended beneficiary community (Often referred to as “proximal” leadership)?
-
How well does the proposal build the capacity (e.g., financial resources, knowledge, skills, networks) of the intended beneficiary population so the solution is sustained?
0
The proposal has no plan for creating a durable source of power by engaging and building proximal leaders. There is no way for beneficiaries to assume control of the solution to drive sustainability.
1
The proposal has an unclear plan for creating a durable source of power by engaging and building proximal leaders. There is no clear plan for beneficiaries to assume control of the solution to drive sustainability.
2
The proposal has a cursory plan for creating a durable source of power by engaging and building proximal leaders. There is a plan for beneficiaries to assume control of the solution to drive sustainability, but feasibility is not certain.
3
The proposal has a workable plan for creating a durable source of power by engaging and building proximal leaders. There is a feasible way for beneficiaries to assume control of the solution to drive sustainability.
4
The proposal has a sustainable plan for creating a durable source of power. Its team is led by proximal leaders participating in every step of proposal design and execution. Beneficiaries control the solution to drive sustainability
How to Score This Element
Under Durability of Power, the highest-scoring proposals (3-4) either have active proximal leadership, or a concrete plan for engaging and developing proximal leadership. A mid-range proposal (2) also communicates a plan for engaging and developing proximal leadership but is less clear on how beneficiaries will eventually exercise power. The lowest-scoring proposals (0-1) either do not incorporate proximal leadership at all, or it is incorporated so minimally that there is no feasible plan for beneficiaries to have increased power or agency for the long term.
While unpaid advisory groups and mentoring programs can contribute beneficiary insights and build proximal leaders, proposals with the greatest chance of reducing structural inequality have proximal leaders at all levels of decision-making, fully participating in the design, planning and implementation of solutions.
Notes.
[7] Jackson, A., Kania, J., Montgomery, T. (2020, October 2). Effective Change Requires Proximate Leaders. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/effective_change_requires_proximate_leaders#.