Having so far weathered the Great Recession (and even benefited from it in terms of being forced to think very carefully about our core mission and value), SFIP recently revised its strategy and business plan from top to bottom. Many of these changes are already reflected in the content on this site, but we want to elaborate a bit here for our community of interest. We call this SFIP 3.0 because there have been two prior iterations, but also because 2.0 already sounds so old hat these days. Onwards…

The Problem with Problems

We all know that local, national, and global communities face critical challenges in areas such as energy and climate, healthcare, public education, environmental degradation, and sustainable economic development. But despite the massive resources we devote to these problems, in many ways things are getting worse instead of better.

A new approach is needed, one that moves us from incremental tweaks to systemic transformation, and scales to address the global challenges of our time.

The Solution to Solutions

The SFIP 3.0 strategy represents a new approach. As an R&D lab for social systems solutions, SFIP is designed to accelerate transformative innovation and impact:

We bring together multiple disciplines and stakeholders, ranging from science and technology to art, design, and the humanities, with the public, private, and social sectors, in a collaborative framework.

We work on systemic challenges involving multiple vectors and perspectives.

We design, prototype, and test solutions through our internal R&D laboratory process, and through ongoing deployment on the ground.

The new SFIP is fully project-focused, with minimal overhead, and an emphasis on action and results.

Santa Fe Is the Park

One of the big changes we’ve made is a shift from fixed physical facilities and environments to a more virtual, project-based structure. Building on that concept, in many ways the City of Santa Fe is the Innovation Park. Santa Fe is home to an outstanding range of leading institutions and individuals, set within a world-famous creative context. SFIP draws on these resources, acting as a catalyst and integrator, bringing together project partners and teams from our core community and beyond.

Local assets range from the Santa Fe Institute to the Museums of New Mexico; from the State Capitol to Santa Fe Complex; and from Santa Fe University of Art & Design to the neighboring University of New Mexico and Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories. The City’s abundant resources, cultural ferment, and beauty are complemented by its draw as a top visitor destination.

Looking Ahead

We’re excited by the prospects for our new strategy, motivated by the challenges that confront us, and eager to work with our partners and other participants to make a difference.  Please join us, and let us know your thoughts.

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