摘要：· Foundations have a long tradition of convening and funding collaborative groups with the hope that this will lead to large-scale impact. · Although funder-driven collaboration sometimes leads to breakthrough solutions, foundations have also pushed the participating organizations into artificial, awkward, and unsustainable efforts. · This article argues that funders should support naturally emerging networks and should tailor their support to match the network’s stage of development. · A five-stage developmental model is introduced and illustrated through a case study of the Central Appalachian Network (CAN). · Over CAN’s 20-year history, a succession of regional and national foundations have played crucial roles in building the network and facilitating the development of a collective-impact strategy.
