I received an email yesterday from America Forward, a strong partner in the area of government and social innovation. In the email they asked, “Can you hear the drumbeat?” They pointed to a variety of factors coming together simultaneously, beginning with the signing of the Serve America Act, that signify our government’s recognition of social innovation’s value. Examples given included:
- Michelle Obama announced the Obama Administration’s request to Congress for the allocation of a $50 million Social Innovation Fund
- Melody Barnes, Director of the President’s Domestic Policy Council, discussed the White House Office of Social Innovation at the Council on Foundations, “including creating a positive policy environment for social innovation, finding and scaling what works, catalyzing partnerships with other sectors, leveraging new media tools, and supporting national service”
- Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, reaffirmed the Administration’s perspective that investing in what works and encouraging communication across sectors is key
These strong statements from key players at the top levels of federal government communicate a commitment to applying the principles of social innovation to society’s toughest challenges. This is what we have been waiting for: a breaking with the old, worn ways of doing business in silos and perpetuating behemoth bureaucratic systems for the sake of perpetuity, and a new emphasis on digging down and asking the hard questions about where solutions exist and how to ensure that we are investing in the right ones. Let’s hope the massive challenges we face with the economy, among other things, don’t detract from this parade of effective movement. We need to communicate to our public representatives at all levels that we believe social innovation must be prioritized, because it is a strong and necessary investment in the future.
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