To better understand the partnership changes that have occurred among local affiliates, an independent evaluation team created a series of network maps to illustrate how relationships have evolved since participating in the NAC network. The social network maps for each of the eight sites show that local affiliates have become more connected and their connections have deepened as a result of the network building that has occurred through the NAC. In the example below from New York, the site shows more interactions that are in the “cooperation” and “collaboration” levels.
For instance, San Jose was a very connected site before the NAC, but 70 percent of the relationships were only at the lower “networking” level. Now, 100 percent of the relationships are at either the “cooperation” or “collaboration” levels (the two most evolved relationship levels).
Findings from a survey of grantees indicate that NAC has indeed deepened collaboration at several levels: local affiliates with their direct national partner; all site leaders with all national partners (and with Immigrant Legal Resource Center in particular); and among local affiliates at the same site. As collaboration has increased, so have the numbers of N-400 applications completed in each NAC site.
To download a hi-res version of the infographic below, please click here.
