ABSTRACT
Backbone organizations are intermediary agencies that play a key role in Collective Impact (CI) initiatives. They guide vision and strategy, support aligned activities, establish shared measurement practices, build public will, advance policy, and mobilize funding (Turner, Merchant, Kania, & Martin 2012). However, simply following a recipe to perform these activities is not enough to successfully move the needle on social problems. This study examines the impact of workplace culture in backbone organizations. The findings suggest a need to address intangible aspects of backbone functioning in combination with the key roles outlined in the CI framework.
