2Gen

2Gen Nonprofit Collaboration

SVP Tucson is working to create a community where everyone thrives by supporting the non-profit agencies that deliver programs and services to under-resourced individuals and families. Since 2006, SVP Tucson has developed trusted relationships with non-profit organizations to help them build their internal capacities by utilizing the expertise of partners who volunteer their time to assist agencies. Non-profits benefit from leadership development, systems change, coaching, and customized capacity-building support. This helps nonprofits increase programmatic impact and improve internal structures, making them more stable, efficient, and effective.

In SVP Tucson’s 10-year impact study, The University of Arizona’s College of Management evaluated SVP’s capacity-building support to Nonprofit Partners. The results revealed an average of 259% growth in clients served, an 83% increase in annual budgets, and a 53% increase in financial reserves. With great pride and gratitude for the opportunity to create this change in individual agencies, in 2018, SVP leadership understood that there was a greater opportunity to create change.

SVP Tucson’s Solution: 2Gen Framework

Understanding the depth of the challenge and the complexity of the problem, SVP began a series of listening sessions across all sectors to explore potential solutions to support our community in crisis. The answer is community-wide systems change. The need to leverage all sectors in Tucson and Pima County to work collaboratively, center family voice and family needs, modify systems, break down silos, and create pathways of opportunity that are designed with and for families and practitioners together. This awareness led SVP to the 2Gen approach as defined by Ascend at the Aspen Institute: Two-generation (2Gen) approaches build family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously working with children and the adults in their lives together. 2Gen approaches center the whole family to create a legacy of educational success and economic prosperity that passes from one generation to the next.

Principles of 2Gen Approaches

There are countless essential experiences and opportunities that are required for people to reach their full potential. To facilitate connections to these supports, all 2Gen policies and programs are grounded in and guided by 5 core principles.

Account for Outcomes for Both Children & Adults

Listen to the Voices & Recommendations of Families

Ensure Racial, Gender, & Economic Equity

Foster Evidence & Innovation Together

Align & Link Systems & Funding Streams

With awareness of our existing strengths of building internal capacity in individual nonprofits, SVP has expanded our work, specifically with nonprofits. SVP is building an ecosystem of viable nonprofits that serve families to better meet all family members’ needs. The strategy is to continue building internal capacity in nonprofit organizations and collaborative capacity through shared understanding, vision, goals, and relationships, creating a sustainable collaboration centered on whole family wellbeing. The collaboration systematically cross-refers clients to meet whole family needs, center family voice, and build social capital amongst families, and this is just the beginning. SVP is committed to leading community-wide systems change with our Partnership.

SVP’s 2Gen Collaboration project is currently focused on eight agencies providing:

Nonprofit Capacity Building

including board governance, leadership development, strategy planning, fund development, coaching, and program design. This results in stronger organizations serving more community members in need.
Community Collaboration

includes a shared referral system ingrained in each organization’s systems, culture, processes, and shared programming. This results in fewer gaps in family needs and more positive outcomes for each family member.
Social Capital Programs

deemed the “secret sauce” for the 2Gen Approach SVP’s 2Gen Collaboration is building social capital through Families Coming Together events, which allow families to come together for a meal, enriching activities, resources from nonprofits, and community building with each other. Events are quarterly and include tangible resources for families, such as food boxes, school supplies, and professional family photos for the holidays. The goal is to deepen connections between families, reduce stress, and increase their sense of belonging.

The 2Gen model has demonstrated significant impact, including:

Healthy parents with family-supporting jobs
Healthy children meeting developmental milestones and increasing their participation and performance in school
Better connected individuals able to participate in civic and family life

Research from Ascend at the Aspen Institute supports that a 2Gen approach can help parents and children achieve their full potential together. SVP Tucson leads the 2Gen Nonprofit Collaboration and leads eight nonprofit organizations that provide programs, support, and resources for the entire family within the network.

2Generation/ 2Gen (often referred to as multigenerational) approaches build family well-being (and economic prosperity) by intentionally and simultaneously working with children and the adults in their lives together to access new resources, solve problems, and sharpen existing skills.

Key Components of the Two-Generation Approach

The 2Gen Framework has identified six key components for whole family well-being. When these six components are in alignment for a whole family, they have been shown to improve families’ financial stability, social capital, health care, and quality education. Ultimately leading to better outcomes for families and communities at large.

This project was supported by

Generously Supported by the Connie Hillman Family Foundation