For Organizations
Organizations can implement Free Association through pilot programs, starting small and scaling based on results.
Pilot Programs
Starting Points
Organizations typically begin with:
Discretionary Allocation (10-20% of capacity)
Foundation: Portion of grantmaking budget
Humanitarian org: Emergency response fund
Corporation: Impact investment allocation
Community: Shared resource pool
Existing Partnerships
Start with trusted partners
Established working relationships
Known contribution patterns
Compatible operational standards
Defined Scope
Single program area
Geographic region
Resource type (funding, expertise, etc.)
Time-bound pilot (3-12 months)
Implementation Steps
1. Define Pilot Scope (Week 1-2)
Determine:
Resource allocation amount
Program area or focus
Potential partner organizations
Success metrics
Timeline
2. Map Recognition Network (Week 2-4)
Identify and assess:
Which organizations contribute to your goals
How to allocate recognition percentages
Complementary capabilities
Geographic coverage
Mission alignment
3. Establish Recognition Pattern (Week 4-6)
Allocate 100% recognition across contributors:
Direct collaborators
Mission-aligned partners
Infrastructure providers
Ecosystem enablers
Document reasoning for recognition decisions.
4. Technical Setup (Week 6-8)
Deploy Free Association system
Configure organizational profile
Input recognition network
Declare initial capacity/needs
Test allocation calculations
5. Partner Onboarding (Week 8-10)
Introduce partners to system
Explain recognition basis
Support their network establishment
Coordinate capacity/need declarations
Align on communication protocols
6. Launch and Monitor (Week 10+)
Activate live allocation
Monitor resource flows
Track metrics vs. traditional approach
Gather partner feedback
Adjust recognition as needed
7. Evaluate and Scale (Month 6-12)
Compare outcomes to targets
Document lessons learned
Decide on expansion
Scale to additional resources/partners
Example Pilot Designs
Foundation:
$2M of $20M annual budget (10%)
Existing portfolio organizations (15 partners)
General operating support
6-month pilot
Metric: Overhead reduction, partner satisfaction
Humanitarian Organization:
Emergency response fund ($500K)
Regional partner network (12 orgs)
Crisis-triggered allocation
12-month pilot (covering 2-3 crises)
Metric: Response time, resource efficiency
Corporate Impact Investment:
$5M of $50M impact investment allocation
Portfolio companies (20 ventures)
Follow-on capital deployment
9-month pilot
Metric: Deployment speed, transaction costs
Community Organization:
Shared workspace (40 hours/week)
Core members (25 people)
Facility access allocation
3-month pilot
Metric: Administrative time, member satisfaction
Coalition Membership
Organizations can join coordination coalitions to amplify network effects.
Engagement Levels
Active Members
Implementing pilots with resource commitments
Establishing recognition networks
Declaring capacity and needs
Participating in collective learning
Supporting Members
Observing pilot implementations
Learning from network experiences
Planning future implementation
Contributing to documentation
Aligned Allies
Staying connected to developments
Sharing with relevant networks
Considering future participation
Providing feedback and input
Coalition Benefits
Network Effects: Larger networks increase:
Partner options for mutual recognition
Resource diversity
Coverage across geographies and sectors
Learning and best practices
Collective Learning:
Share implementation experiences
Document lessons learned
Develop best practices
Support mutual troubleshooting
Ecosystem Building:
Grow recognition networks across organizations
Enable cross-sector coordination
Build interoperable systems
Develop shared standards
Visibility:
Demonstrate alternative coordination mechanisms
Attract additional participants
Share outcomes and evidence
Influence broader adoption
Coalition Structure
Coordination:
Regular knowledge-sharing sessions
Technical support and troubleshooting
Documentation and case studies
Metric tracking and reporting
Governance:
Decentralized decision-making via adopted protocols
No central authority over individual resource allocation
Coalition secretariat offers open-source solutions
Participants retain full autonomy
See Coalition Participation Framework for details
Decision-Making Protocols:
Iterative Consensus Protocol - Structured deliberation and refinement
Node Protocol Delegation - Executable mandates with dynamic authority
Resources:
Technical infrastructure
Implementation support
Documentation and training
Research and evaluation
Implementation Support
Technical Assistance
System Setup:
Deployment guidance
Configuration support
Integration with existing systems
Testing and validation
Network Design:
Recognition pattern development
Partner identification
Capacity/need specification
Filter configuration
Training:
Staff onboarding
Partner education
System operation
Troubleshooting
Strategic Support
Pilot Design:
Scope definition
Metric selection
Timeline planning
Risk assessment
Recognition Framework:
Contribution assessment
Percentage allocation
Update protocols
Documentation
Change Management:
Internal stakeholder engagement
Communication strategy
Process integration
Outcome tracking
Decision Framework
When to Consider Free Association:
✅ You have established partner networks with known contribution patterns
✅ Resource allocation involves coordination overhead and delays
✅ Partners spend significant time on applications or fundraising
✅ You want resource deployment to be more responsive to actual needs
✅ Mission alignment is important in resource allocation
✅ You have capacity to pilot new approaches
When to Wait:
❌ No established partner relationships yet
❌ Current coordination mechanisms working optimally
❌ Partners not interested in new approaches
❌ No capacity for experimentation or learning
❌ Resources already deploying with minimal overhead
Getting Started
Immediate Next Steps
Explore:
Review use cases for relevant examples
Assess current coordination costs and delays
Identify potential pilot scope
Plan:
Map potential recognition network
Define pilot parameters
Identify success metrics
Connect:
Contact coalition team: [email protected]
Review Coordination Sessions for upcoming opportunities
Join coalition as appropriate level
Access implementation support
Pilot:
Design pilot with support
Onboard partners
Launch and monitor
Evaluate and scale
Resources
Coalition Information:
Participation Framework - How the coalition operates
Coordination Sessions - Upcoming sessions and contact points
Founding Process - How to participate in coalition formation
Contact:
Coalition and partnerships: [email protected]
General inquiries: [email protected]
Technical questions: Open an issue
Documentation:
Community:
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