Ah, collaboration. Everyone claims to collaborate with their community’s nonprofits, governments, school systems, and more, but do we really? Collaboration is more than meeting for lunch twice a year to complain about the state of things.
True collaboration includes working together for the common good of the community. It entails joint grant proposals, shared events, and other means to put the community’s needs above those of your individual organization. It’s not easy to achieve, and it certainly does not happen overnight, but the end results are worth the time and effort.
Why Partnership Matters
Not only can collaboration help the greater good of your community, but funders increasingly require partnerships in grant proposals. Funders understand that collaboration expands capacity and reach, which means their investment goes further. Plus, partnerships demonstrate your agency’s grant readiness and sustainability. If you have great working relationships with other organizations, it means you have put in the time and effort to build those relationships, and more than one institution is working towards the success of your programming.
Even if a funder does not require a partnership, it gives you a competitive advantage to have them. By pooling your resources, you are bringing more to the table and helping reduce the risk of poor grant management and project failure. Partnerships increase your funding success rates, as funders favor regional and cross-sector collaborations.
Partnership Development
There are two types of strategic partnerships.
The first is internal. It includes multiple departments working together, engaged leadership, and the coordination of staff. This looks like program team members working closely with finance and evaluation staff to ensure that funding, data collection, and reporting align with program activities. As a bonus, if your agency is leading by example through internal collaboration, you are modeling your ability to successfully partner with external collaborators.
The other type is external partnerships. It includes nonprofits, government agencies, businesses, academic institutions, civic and community organizations, faith-based groups, and more. The first step in creating external partnerships is identifying the right stakeholders. Who will best compliment and augment your program and its goals and objectives? Consider who benefits from the planned collaboration, as well as which organizations have the resources and expertise needed.
Partnership Models
Formal partnership models include Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs), joint ventures, and consortia. These models are characterized by clear, documented agreements that specify the roles, responsibilities, decision-making processes, and often financial arrangements. These agreements are typically written and signed by all parties, providing a foundation of accountability and clarity.
Informal partnership models include advisory groups, coalitions, and networks. In these instances, organizations often collaborate based on shared interests but without formal agreements in place. They are usually easier to establish and more flexible, allowing partners to come together for specific activities or advocacy efforts without long-term commitments.
It’s best to choose the model that fits your goals and funder requirements. What will work best depends on several factors: project complexity and scope, funder requirements, partner readiness and trust, resources and capacity, and goals and outcomes.
No matter which model, the foundation of any strong partnership includes clear roles and responsibilities. Every partner needs to know exactly what is expected of them. This includes the specific activities they will undertake, the resources they will contribute, and the outcomes they are responsible for delivering.
Partnerships often involve multiple organizations with different cultures, priorities, and ways of working. Without agreed-upon methods or making decisions, conflicts can arise, slowing progress or causing frustration.
To build and sustain successful partnerships, it’s important to start early. Don’t wait for the grant deadline, because there will never be enough time to create a healthy culture of collaboration. Instead, engage partners during the planning stage of new or growing programs and projects. This gives you time to get all your questions answered about who is responsible for what and when. Then when the grant opens, you can dedicate that time to developing a strong narrative and submitting a quality proposal. Ultimately, partnerships will mean increased and improved services for your community members. That’s always a win.
Written by Amanda Day, GPC
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