RALEIGH, NC: The North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) engaged with 1000 Feathers in a four-year, three-phased process to transform the organization into a unified network of 75 Local Partnerships that adhere to a common set of values and are committed to shared principles. From the first phase—Strengthening the Network—to the final phase of looking inward, 1000 Feathers employed data, technology, research, and training to lead the statewide organization on a journey that resulted in better communication, increased collaboration, and a redefined culture that is more inclusive for both the parent organization and its local affiliates.

North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC) was the brainchild of Jim Hunt, who was governor in 1993 when the statewide organization was founded. Gov. Hunt was determined to solve the problem of children from all across the state entering kindergarten unprepared to learn. At the same time, he wanted to keep decision-making and innovation grounded at the local level where they’re most effective. Today, NCPC funds programs for children from birth to age 5 to the tune of $145 million each year, which is administered by 75 Local Partnerships in all 100 counties.

 However, the relationship between NCPC, which serves as a quasi-governing body, and the Local Partnerships, which are semi-autonomous, had become fractured over time.

In 2018, NCPC hired 1000 Feathers to lead an intensive process that came to be known as Strengthening the Network. Two outcomes of this initial phase included better collaboration and increased communication between the state office and its local affiliates.

The next phase of work was a pilot project to see how well NCPC was living up to the expectations established in the first phase. Online surveys conducted immediately after meetings and email exchanges proved communication had been improved between the mothership and its satellites. Not so much within NCPC internally. The pilot project prompted NCPC to look inward, and 1000 Feathers facilitated a third phase to redefine the organization’s culture, including an honest assessment of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness.

Interestingly, during these three phases of data-driven organizational change, NCPC was led by three different presidents—proof positive that clients who invest in long-term relationships and who make a commitment to trust the process will see true transformation come to fruition within their organizations.