Strengthen Knowledge Practice
Essential elements of a field include an emerging function within a sector; space to develop shared practices; mechanism for resource sharing; training grounded in shared concepts; field research substantiating the work; collaboration and community.
The Knowledge Practice Exchange is integral to field building.
Below are additional reports and tools that can help in building and advocating for knowledge strategy and practice.
Field Research
One way to advocate for knowledge work and strategy is by sharing the findings from field building research.
Download the findings from the PEAK Knowledge Opportunity Scan.
Knowledge Presentation Materials
The Knowledge Practice Exchange contributes to field building by encouraging, and where possible, supporting collaborative sessions at in-person and virtual gatherings such as conferences, regional meetings, and other peer sharing events.
View materials from peer presentations about knowledge work.
Beyond the Buzz Knowledge Discussion
If we take the jargon out of knowledge work in philanthropy and focus on shared meaning making, we can build promising practices to advance social change. This one-hour session includes informational materials and resources along with ample time for questions and group discussion to surface the emerging knowledge efforts of participants.
Host this facilitated session to increase awareness across your organization, to engage in discussion amongst your peer networks, to invite partners into an equity-driven knowledge project, or to kick-off a new knowledge function inside your foundation.
Download a flyer about hosting a Beyond the Buzz knowledge conversation.
Knowledge Opportunity Scan™
A Knowledge Opportunity Scan is beneficial to organizations, collaboratives or networks who want to utilize a knowledge approach to maximize their change efforts and investments. A scan offers a comprehensive analysis that informs your GMS design, measurement and evaluation process, research and advocacy agenda, and your organization or network learning.
Your scan can be co-designed as an engaged process that provides simultaneous on-the-ground development of capacity, systems, and tools that strengthen programming, grantmaking, and engagement that best aligns with mission.
Learn more about Knowledge Opportunity Scanning.
Download a Field Report about Knowledge Opportunity Scanning.
Knowledge Design Certificate
Knowledge work is an increasingly recognizable function, and an emerging field, within philanthropy. Regardless of title and whether grounded in social research, learning and evaluation, or information management and technology, today’s philanthropy practitioners are increasingly adopting a more engaged approach — one that centers shared meaning making as the heart of knowledge work.
Changemakers are often overwhelmed, disappointed, or even frustrated with traditional forms of assessment, evaluation, and social research. We sense that standard approaches don’t align with change and even have historically hurt our communities. Now, more than ever, we want to creatively invest in the people who shepherd equitable knowledge practice across the sector.
Whether you are new to knowledge work or looking to reflect and refresh your approach, this series will support you in expanding, deepening, and strengthening your knowledge practice in ways that directly align with intentions of social change.
This series is designed from within the sector — by a knowledge professional, with input from knowledge professionals, specifically for knowledge professionals!
The Knowledge Practice Exchange is a collaborative project facilitated by Knowledge Designs to Change LLC,
a knowledge strategy and research partner in the philanthropic sector.
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