Driving social change through influence and behavior shifts in resistant, resource-constrained environments with a focus on Arkansas.
Ongoing Initiatives
We are actively applying adaptive leadership frameworks to address systemic barriers in social welfare and policy alignment across several active fronts.
THE SYSTEM
Dearth of Civic Understanding
With confidence in democracy and other institutions at an alarming low, there is an acute need for a greater understanding of how dialogue among people who disagree can help us build stronger community. This need is arguably greatest in rural states and among younger people.
The inaugural cohort of three rising sophomore students was chosen in the spring of 2025 for the current academic year. Four additional rising sophomore students were chosen in the spring of 2026 for a cohort of seven. The cohort will grow to 12 when five additional students join in the spring of 2027.
THE ADAPTIVE WORK
Nurturing Civic Leadership in A Residential College Setting
This Hendrix College pilot provides a faculty leader / coach for a competitively chosen, diverse cohort of students to develop their civic leadership skills as a key component of their undergraduate, liberal arts education.
Vibrant Communities Teams — Coaching Component
THE SYSTEM
Opportunity for Community Problem Solving
Claremont Lincoln University and the Lincoln Institute of Land
Policy are collaborating to invite self-formed teams into a
program that supports the teams to solve challenging problems
facing communities.
THE ADAPTIVE WORK
Creating the Framework to Teach Teams to Make Adaptive Change
Developing the curriculum and coaching guidance that support the two most important components of adaptive change: 1) How to create a high-functioning team and 2) How to identify and tackle a “Team Challenge”, i.e. a make a major change in their community that requires persuading a variety of stakeholders to approach solving a non-technical or adaptive problem, in a new way.