Building a Partnership
The following is a roadmap you can use to identify potential partners, and to create an action plan for achieving them.
You may also want to review a list of key elements of successful collaborations.
The list below was adapted from a seminar on improving program outcomes through collaboration given to the Office of Child Support Enforcement and the Office of Family Assistance, both within the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and the Employment and Training Administration within the Department of Labor.
Consider Each Organization’s Activities
Each organization should answer these questions:
You can use the answers to these questions to determine how your organizations can best work together, and to outline your common goals.
Envision the Ideal Partnership
First, name three areas where your organizations’ efforts may intersect. For example, you may be able to refer your clients to each other. Then, for each intersection, answer three questions:
Make Plans
Next, decide how you will carry out your collaboration.
Then rank your issues according to importance.
Repeat this process for the other issues until you have a complete, prioritized action plan.
Before forming a strategy for each action, assess your community. Explore the community’s needs, resources, and characteristics. Whom are you trying to serve? What are their demographics—and how can you best reach them? What national or local trends affect them?
Assess the organizations’ capacity as well. Who will lead the project? Is the leadership diverse? Which organizations will be involved? Is training needed? How many staff hours are available? What are the organizational barriers?
Remember to also form a plan for evaluating and sustaining your collaboration.