blending & braiding - national technical assistance … symposium... · • understanding...

Blending & BraidingBlending & Braiding

M ki f di k t f !Making your funding workout for you!

Dr. Jewlya Lynn

C t f S t I t tiCenter for Systems Integration

Denver, CO

www.csi‐policy.org/blendandbraid/

Copyright @ 2010 Center for Systems Integration

AgendaAgenda

• Understanding Blending & Braiding

• Developing Your Fiscal Coordination Model

• Engaging Your Partners in Fiscal Coordination

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 2

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements 

• Materials developed as part of the Blending &Materials developed as part of the Blending & Braiding Your TANF Initiative 

• http://www csi policy org/blendandbraid/• http://www.csi‐policy.org/blendandbraid/

• A partnership of:– Center for Systems Integration

– Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment

Family Leaders & the Colorado Systems of Care– Family Leaders & the Colorado Systems of Care Collaborative

– Family Resource Center Associationy

– Colorado Foundation for Public Health and EnvironmentPrepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 3

Understanding Fiscal CoordinationUnderstanding Fiscal Coordination

• Learning Objective:Learning Objective:– Describe the differences between blending and braiding including criteria for when to usebraiding including criteria for when to use blending vs. when to use braiding.

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Understanding Fiscal CoordinationUnderstanding Fiscal Coordination

• Braided and blended financing strategies are:Braided and blended financing strategies are:– A means to an end – they must be developed within the context of community needs resourceswithin the context of community needs, resources available, and desired outcomes

– Implemented using administrative systems thatImplemented using administrative systems that have the ability to track the use of funds and report back to multiple funders

– Sustainable only with leadership buy‐in, a clear vision, measurable results, and understanding of all of the resources available

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Understanding Fiscal CoordinationUnderstanding Fiscal Coordination

• Braiding is when:Braiding is when:– Funds from various sources are used to pay for a service package, but tracking and accountability for each pot of money is maintained at the administrative leveladministrative level.

• Blending is when:F d bi d i t i l l– Funds are combined into a single pool from which they can be allocated to providers without discerning their source and specific requirements.

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Braid & Blend TogetherBraid & Blend Together

• Braiding and Blending are not an either/or:Braiding and Blending are not an either/or:– Two or more funds are combined into a single pool

– Additional funds from various sources are used to pay for a p yservice package.  Tracking for some funds is kept separate, tracking for funds in the pool happens together.

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When to Blend?When to Blend?

• You have information documenting the:You have information documenting the:– Cost of your services per person served (case rate)

Eligibility of all clients in your program– Eligibility of all clients in your program

– Outcomes  as a result of the services

Y f di t ll li d• Your funding streams allow more generalized reporting – e.g., no requirement s that a fee be 

i d t h i f t ll ti tassigned to each service, use of cost allocation, etc.

• You have a strong relationship with your f dfunder

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Blended FundingBlended Funding

F di St A 100% of the

kids served are 30% of kids served are 50% of kids

Funding Stream A: $25,000

eligible for Funding Stream C

served are eligible for

Funding Stream A

50% of kids served are eligible for

Funding Stream B: $25,000

Stream AFunding Stream B

Funding Stream C: g$50,000 100% of the kids

served are eligible for Funding Stream C

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Funding Stream C

When to Braid?When to Braid?

• Your funding streams cannot pay for allYour funding streams cannot pay for all eligible populations and services

• Your funding streams require categorical• Your funding streams require categorical reporting or cost allocation reporting

Y h lid d i i ki f• You have solid decision‐making systems for approving services funded by multiple streams

• You have strong tracking systems for monitoring how funding is spent

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Programmatic BraidingProgrammatic Braiding

• Programmatic braiding:Programmatic braiding:– Business as usual

Inflexible– Inflexible

– Infrastructure driven

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Fiscal BraidingFiscal Braiding

• Fiscal braiding:Fiscal braiding:– Flexible in services provided and populations eligibleeligible

– Adaptable as communities and needs change

– Can be unreliable in funding levels – requires– Can be unreliable in funding levels – requires more sophisticated budgeting

– Can be complex in reporting requirements –Can be complex in reporting requirements requirements more sophisticated accounting

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 12

When to Blend & Braid?When to Blend & Braid?

• Some of your funding streams are limited toSome of your funding streams are limited to braiding only

• Some of your funding streams can be blended• Some of your funding streams can be blended

• It will decrease the administrative effort to bl d f h f diblend some of the funding streams

• It will increase the flexibility of how funds are used to blend some of your funding streams

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 13

Organization LevelOrganization Level

• Organizational level braiding:Organizational level braiding:– Multiple funding streams expand population servedserved

– Flexibility in services provided by your organizationorganization

– Ability to contract out for services

• Organizational level blending:• Organizational level blending:– Similar as above, but less tracking post‐hoc.

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 14

Multi‐Organization Levelg

• Multi‐Organizational Level BraidingMulti Organizational Level Braiding– Authority over allocation of the funding stream has to be centralizedhas to be centralized

– Actual tracking and accountability can be managed by multiple organizations or can bemanaged by multiple organizations or can be delegated to a single entity

– Often utilizes a combination of fixed‐price pcontracts, preferred providers, and other contracting models to distribute funding between organizations.

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 15

Developing Your ModelDeveloping Your Model

• Learning Objective:Learning Objective:– Learn how to implement a planning process to develop a braided or blended financing strategydevelop a braided or blended financing strategy.

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Phase 1: VisionPhase 1: Vision

• Identifying Your VisionIdentifying Your Vision– What will your program accomplish?

Why is it needed?– Why is it needed?

– Overall, who will be served?

E i Y P t• Engaging Your Partners– Who needs to be part of the effort?

– What are the different ways that partners can be involved?

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Phase 2: DefinitionPhase 2: Definition

• Defining the Program (or System)Defining the Program  (or System)– What population do we need to serve?

What are the outcomes we want to achieve?– What are the outcomes we want to achieve?

– What does the “Front Door” look like?

Wh t th i i t ti th t– What are the services or interventions that are part of our program?

Where are we delivering the services?– Where are we delivering the services?

– Who will deliver the services?

Wh t i f t t i d d?– What infrastructure is needed?

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 18

Phase 3: Financing OptionsPhase 3: Financing Options

• Chart your current/available funding streams:Chart your current/available funding streams:– Expenses of your program; and 

Eligible populations– Eligible populations

• Research your funding streams– Regulations, funding guides, or phone calls with funders

d• Find your gaps

• Research other funding options

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Funding Stream 1 Funding Stream 2Eligibility

f fAges 12 - 18 Eligible if family is eligible Eligible

Age 19 Eligible if in high school & family is eligible Eligible& family is eligible

Age 20 - 24 Eligible if parents Eligible

Income Eligible at $75,000 or less No income requirements

Disability/Need No criteria Must be without housingType of Service

Ad i i t ti C t 10% i N t ll blAdministrative Costs 10% maximum Not allowable

Case Management Can fund up to 0.5 FTE No

Y th h H t HEmergency Shelter Yes Yes, through Host Home model only

Youth Leadership Stipends & staff time Stipends only

20

Home Repair Yes, one time NoHousing &

Homelessness Yes, four months or less No

Phase 3: Financing PlanPhase 3: Financing Plan

• Develop the Coordinated Financing PlanDevelop the Coordinated Financing Plan– Blend, braid, or both?

Budget of estimated spend down– Budget of estimated spend‐down

– List of allowable expenses for each funding stream

D l th Ad i i t ti St t• Develop the Administrative Structures– Service delivery reporting requirements

– Accounting processes 

– Decision‐making processes

– Tied to how you report back to fundersPrepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 21

Phase 3: ImplementPhase 3: Implement

• Implement:Implement:– Implement services and administrative structures

Implement your evaluation– Implement your evaluation

• Track and gather feedback– Learn from your staff and clients – they will know best if it is working

L f f d ti th i– Learn from your funder – are you meeting their needs?

I• ImprovePrepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 22

Engaging Your PartnersEngaging Your Partners

• Learning Objective:Learning Objective: – Learn three key strategies for engaging organizational partners families and youth inorganizational partners, families, and youth in developing a braided or blended financing strategy

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 23

Engaging Your PartnersEngaging Your Partners

• As you identify who to engage in designingAs you identify who to engage in designing your funding model, think about:– Who will provide the funding?– Who will provide the funding?

– Who will oversee the funding?

Who will implement the program?– Who will implement the program?

– Who will receive the services?

Wh i l d ki i il i ?– Who is already working on similar issues?

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Engage your FunderEngage your Funder

• Phase 2: Designing the program?Phase 2: Designing the program?

• Phase 3: Assessing the funding?

h i i h fi i l ?• Phase 4: Designing the financing plan?

• Phase 5: Implementation and Improvement?

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Engage Families/Youth/Consumersg g / /

• Value of family/youth/consumer involvementValue of family/youth/consumer involvement– Understand the barriers and benefits of services from first‐hand experiencefrom first hand experience

– Keep the focus on the outcomes – avoid the risk of financing for financing’s sakefinancing for financing s sake

– Generate a more family, youth, and consumer friendly program or systemy p g y

Prepared by CSI (www.csi‐policy.org) 26

Engage Families/Youth/Consumersg g / /

• Why we shouldn’t engage families youth andWhy we shouldn t engage families, youth , and consumers (common misconceptions):– Our topics are too complex and specialized– Our topics are too complex and specialized

– The conversation is too confidential

Family and youth members don’t sustain– Family and youth members don t sustain involvement

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Resources 

Family and Youth Involvement: A Workbook for PolicyFamily and Youth Involvement: A Workbook for Policy & Governance Boards and Planning Groups

Blending & Braiding Guide and Templates g g p

(Available December 2010)

For more information and resources please visit: 

http://www csi‐policy org/blendandbraid/http://www.csi policy.org/blendandbraid/

Copyright @ 2010 Center for Systems Integration

Thank you for your time!Thank you for your time!

For more information and resources please visit: 

http://www.csi‐policy.org/blendandbraid/

Or contact Jewlya Lynn at:

Jewlya@csi‐policy.org, 303‐455‐1740, ext 113

Copyright @ 2010 Center for Systems Integration