Social Network Analysis

What's its purpose in systems grantmaking?

To influence a system’s social structure by identifying key actors; roles; relationships; and how information, action, and behaviors flow across the network.

What is it?

A visual mapping technique to show how people connect and relate to each other.

When is it useful?

When you are trying to build social capital in a community, field or movement
When fragmentation, silos or power dynamics hinder progress on an issue

Example from the field

How does Social Network Analysis work?

The James Irvine Foundation created the New Leadership Network to build trust; increase information sharing; and foster collaboration among business, nonprofit, education, government, health, faith and media leaders in Fresno, California. These leaders were not working together but were interested in building relationships across sectors. As a result of this initiative and social network analysis, 47 leaders have built strong relationships and participated in 84 collaborations on micro and macro levels.

Social network map developed to understand connections among leaders in the Fresno, California community.

The consultants1 began the social network analysis by surveying Fresno leaders in order to determine their network connections as well as the strength and nature of these connections. Those data were then analyzed with network mapping software through lenses such as race, gender and geography. Their initial baseline image, depicting second-degree connections by sector, is shown here. Through this analysis, they were able to see a few strong clusters where people are tightly connected and identify areas to target with respect to relationship building.

The initiative coupled social network analysis with facilitated network-building sessions and with leadership training on systems, networks, and design thinking. For instance, the foundation supported meetings to identify challenges in Fresno and surface leverage points and solutions.

1. The foundation worked with consultants Heather McLeod Grant, David Ehrlichman and David Sawyer to design the network and facilitate the use of social network analysis and other network-building sessions.

What are tips and cautions for systems grantmakers and the social sector?

Social Network Analysis has been adapted to understand different types of information (e.g., Values Mapping) and different types of actors (e.g., Social Movement Mapping).
It’s possible to do basic mapping of social networks without software, which may be a useful exercise when forming collaborations or networks within the social sector.
Incorporating diverse perspectives triangulates information and ensures accuracy of the social network analysis.
Social Network Analysis can be used to identify the diverse perspectives needed to engage in systems change work, even if there is no intention to build a network.
Software is helpful for analyzing very large networks, but can also detach the process from the people involved. Grantmakers need to balance technological approaches with participatory processes that build relationships.
Social Network Analysis may be enhanced by other resources, like Power Analysis; SenseMaker®; and the Containers, Differences and Exchanges Model, which help forge understanding with respect to how a network interacts with and affects systems.

Resources

Engage: How Funders Can Support and Leverage Networks for Social Impact

By The Rockefeller Foundation

Link to Engage Website

Gephi

Gephi is a visualization platform for mapping social networks and analyzing them at a mathematical level. It is useful in measuring network growth and evolution.

Gephi Website

Acknowledgments

Heather McLeod Grant

McLeod Grant Advisors

David Sawyer

Converge for Impact

David Ehrlichman

Converge for Impact

Systems Grantmaking Resource Guide

Resource Type

Visual Mapping

Systems Questions

People

Grantmaking Stages

Identify and select grantees

Assess impact and learn

Participation

Flexible from no/some participation to highly participatory

Expertise

Someone who has been trained on the resource and/or An expert with specialized knowledge or technology

Time

Less than 1 month