Considerations in any partnership will vary based on the kinds of organizations involved, as well as on the intensity and interdependence of the relationship. Following are some categories of partnerships that will help determine what kind of working and management relationship works best given a specific situation. The key to establish and maintain successful partnerships is to find a way to build on the strengths of all partners in various categories.
In community-based partnerships, decision-making should be inclusive and deeply engage the community itself. When community-based nonprofits join forces, each organization must have the organizational capacity necessary to manage projects, budgets, and staff involvement, meaning the following should be considered carefully:
- Leadership. There are many styles of leadership in both formal and informal organizational structures. The key is noting who is providing the leadership in the partnership.
- Funding. A partner can provide actual funding, access or links to funding, and/or a cooperative approach to secure funding.
- Goals. Partnerships are not necessarily about funding — they can be about achieving common goals. Goals can be developed through consensus or they can be accepted because one party in the discussion is the expert.
- Process. Decision processes in community organizations and community institutions can be inclusive or exclusive. Community development often relies on how actively, and deeply, the community was engaged.
Cross-sector partnerships (between nonprofit, business, government, academia) are simple to initiate but challenging to maintain. Regardless of the good will of the participants, two very different organizational cultures must come together to produce results. One key is to find common ground and use shared language that underscores the vision of the partners.
Nonprofits, businesses, governments, and academic institutions share a connection to the community. Working together, they can build infrastructures that can create long-term capacity. They are more representative of community concerns.
While Main Streets organizations must work within set geographical boundaries, other types of organizations may not have these restrictions, enabling greater access to funding. Moreover, cross-sector partnerships provide Main Street with a larger base of grassroots connections, as well as a broader interest and commitment to the community and its development. Partner organizations benefit from being able to participate in community development without having to deal with political and legal regulations, permit issues, etc. The result of a cross-sector partnership is a win–win situation for all the parties involved.
Donor–recipient partnerships can create confusion. It is not just about the money — a partnership is not a gift. A partnership leverages what both the recipient and the donor can bring to the relationship, including local expertise, on-site workers, and a better understanding of priorities, needs, and constraints. A donor that is a partner tries to build the capacity of the recipient, with no “if/then” terms or coercion. A partnership recognizes that both sides must be involved in defining the terms of the relationship.
In a donor partnership, the donor cannot prescribe the terms of the relationship in the way that an employer can specify terms of employment when hiring a worker. While the members of a partnership certainly have strong interests in common, they are likely to have some divergent interests, too. While the formal terms of this type of partnership may be expressed in a valid contract under international law, the donor and recipient usually have no intention of using courts to resolve their conflicts; they rely mainly on each other’s need to maintain a good reputation to secure future agreements.