ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to expand the theoretical foundations from which Collective Impact is constructed. Embedding community participation within the structure of CI begins the discussion. Theoretical concepts that explain European integration processes are applied to CI using case studies. Concepts include Intergovernmentalism, Neofunctionalism (spillover hypothesis) and Multilevel governance. Community decision making is argued to be central for establishing legitimacy for CI initiatives. Complexity of systems work is recognized as a key challenge that CI must manage. These concepts can be applied directly by practitioners of CI, and used in forming the development of evaluation frameworks.
