A pioneer of the “no kill” movement, Best Friends Animal Society has been applying innovative networking solutions to the homeless animal problem for decades. Founded by a small group of animal lovers in the 1970s, Best Friends Animal Society’s Network has grown to nearly 100,000 people, including Robin Harmon and Jessica Almeida.

When animal rescue worker Jessica Almeida moved from Los Angeles, CA, to Salt Lake City, UT, she discovered that small breeds are rare in Salt Lake City.  As Rescue and Transfer Coordinator for the Humane Society of Utah, she found vacant cages at the local UT shelters and long-waiting lists of families eager to adopt small dogs.

In contrast, the Los Angeles metro area euthanizes approximately 60,000 animals per year.  Robin Harmon, Adoption Manager of Best Friends Animal Society of Los Angeles, sees county shelters flooded with homeless “purse dogs,” or small breeds that have become popular fashion accessories thanks to Hollywood films and celebrity trends.

How could these organizations work together to achieve their shared goal of saving dogs from euthanasia? The answer: Pup My Ride, a van shuttle service from Best Friends Animal Society of Los Angeles to the Humane Society of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Joining the collaboration, The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, provides funding for the shuttle services and celebrity star power.  The Foundation, was founded by actress Katherine Heigl and her mother, in memory of their son and brother, Jason, who died tragically young in a car accident. Jason loved animals and the foundation supports nonprofit animal rescue efforts and other animal rights programs.

Today, Pup My Ride transports 20-30 small dogs, twice a month.  With nearly 3,500 dogs saved by Pup My Ride in its first 2 years, Best Friends Animal Society is exploring national expansion of the program.  If you represent a shelter that has a shortage of small breed dogs for adoption, email RobinH@bestfriends.org or donate $5 by texting PUPPY to 90999.

Occasionally we have a chance to see just how much things have changed in a short period. Two years ago we were working with the Lodestar Foundation to launch the 2009 Collaboration Prize. A few days ago, we announced the 2011 Collaboration Prize. What has changed in that two year period?  It’s hard to know where to start.

We looked back to the way in which our team announced the Prize in 2008 in order to plan the 2011 Prize announcement.  We found that some of the print sources we used in 2008 are long gone and while others are still around, their print readership is now far surpassed by their online readership. Some blogs have also come and gone. Twitter wasn’t even on our radar in early 2008. In two short years, the Prize team has had to rethink and revamp our communications strategy. Luckily, we have great partners in the Williams Group who are helping us navigate those decisions.

More importantly – knowledge and interest in the sector regarding the use of collaboration has changed dramatically.  Lois Savage and Jerry Hirsch at Lodestar were true pioneers in understanding and promoting collaboration as a strategy that could yield bigger, better outcomes. Today, they are at the forefront of a movement.

As we worked with the Foundation Center who has built an amazing new resource on collaboration, we began to surface a  dozen foundations around the country who are fostering collaboration in their own communities. For example, there are nineteen funders in Cleveland who have launched a Human Services Strategic Restructuring Pilot, while in New Jersey, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation is nurturing collaboration among their grantees. Plus, Whitney Johnson at the Anschutz Family Foundation in Denver is playing a pivotal role in creating a Colorado Collaboration Prize, and the Foundation For The Carolinas has built the Community Catalyst Fund to support innovative partnerships, collaboration and strategic mergers.

How exciting is that?

We’ll be working with the Lodestar Foundation and AIM Alliance in reviewing and evaluating the applications for the 2011 Prize that will be accepted between June 1 and July 16.  I can’t wait to see what has been happening out in the sector since the last Prize process.

Like we found while conducting La Piana Consulting’s NonprofitNext research initiative and described in our Convergence report, today’s nonprofit sector leaders are finding innovative ways to achieve their missions through collaboration.  These futurists aren’t just looking at how to combine Organization A plus Organization B.  They are saying, “Why do we need to take on one model or the other or a blend of the two?  Let’s start with the question: how should we organize our programs and operations to have the greatest impact on our mission?”  They are essentially throwing out the old and looking – with great creativity and fearlessness – at entirely new ways to work.

As we approach the 2011 Prize, we have to ask what new ideas have great nonprofits come up with that will help inform the sector and drive the next round of innovation around collaboration?   I can’t wait to see the answer.