Partners for Community Solutions Community Building Blocks: Making Partnerships Work A Discussion with YouthBuild Grante

1. Partners for Community SolutionsCommunity Building Blocks: Making Partnerships WorkA Discussion with YouthBuild Grantees Facilitated by: Richard A. Lewis

2. Purpose The primary purposes of this workshop are: • To help participants understand the why and how of building successful partnerships • To explain to participants how to construct effective partnerships • To discuss the following • when partnerships are appropriate • who are the most appropriate community partners • what structures and mechanisms are most effective • how results can be measured and credit shared.

3. Objectives • The objectives of this workshop include providing practical guidance on: • Laying the foundation for successful partnership development • Types of partnerships • Stages of partnership development • Inclusive partnership communications • Partnering with businesses to accomplish program goals

4. Purpose of YouthBuild • Consistent with the purpose of YouthBuild, the purposes of YouthBuild partnerships are: • To assist disadvantaged young adults in distressed communities in completing their high school education. • To provide on-site construction training experiences, which also result in the rehabilitation or construction of housing for homeless persons and low and very low-income families. • To foster leadership skills, to further opportunities for placement in apprenticeship programs. • To promote economic self-sufficiency.

5. A formal relationship usually involving close cooperation between parties having specified joint rights and responsibilities, and mutual benefit. Partnerships solve common community problems. Partnerships build social capital. Partnerships construct collective efficacy. Whatis a Partnership?

6. The following illustrates a continuum of intensity in the range of possible partnering relationships. Informal ------------------------------- Formal Extent Of Contact Intermittent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frequent Purpose Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comprehensive Time Frame Short-term . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Long-term Agreement Verbal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Written Planning Designed By One Party . . . . . . . . . . Collaborative Design Range of Partnerships

7. The Seven Cs of Partnering • Connection with purpose and people • Clarity of purpose • Congruency of mission, strategy, and values • Creation of values • Communication between partners • Continual learning • Commitment to the partnership

8. Benefits, Challenges, and Risks Exercise • Work as a team to brainstorm and record the benefits, challenges, and risks of partnerships for your assigned sector of the community. Benefits  Challenges  Risks • After completing the lists, discuss how you might use this information to develop partnerships for your YouthBuild programs. • You will have 15 minutes to complete the exercise. • Select a spokesperson to report your team's responses to the other participants.

9. Benefits • Funding and in-kind contributions from partners • Technical expertise such as financial, legal, and program expertise • Job creation and employment opportunities • Access to corporate networks and target groups • Intellectual capital • Program ideas • Networking and leveraging power • Ability to effect change in local, regional, and national policy

10. Challenges • Transaction costs • Turf issues • Intolerance or lack of information about the values and goals of other partners • One or more of the partners is weak • A history of conflict among potential partners • The environment is not conducive to partnering

11. Risks • Blurring of roles among partner organizations • Loss of an additional set of societal “checks and balances” • Shifting of public responsibility to the shoulders of the non-profit community • High transaction costs as sectors learn to work together • Public entities subsidize private investment • Nonprofit partner “pulls its punches” for fear of offending their partners • Nonprofit partner becomes overly dependent on private sector partners

12. Stages of Partnership Development • Assessing Readiness: Coming of Age • Networking and Market Research: Dating • Promotion/Solicitation: Proposal and Acceptance • Planning and Commitment: Engagement and Wedding • Implementation: Honeymoon • True Partnership: The Marriage • Reassessment: Completion, Divorce, Renewing Vows

13. STAGE 1. Assessing Partnering Readiness (Coming of Age) Question: Are you ready to partner? Positive Outcome: Decision to partner • Activities: • Conduct organizational assessment • Conduct a context assessment • Define partnering expectations • Assess partnering skills • Establish a clear direction • Skills: • Planning and aspects of strategic planning • Research and analysis • Self-assessment

14. STAGE 2. Networking & Market Research(Dating) • Question: Are we compatible? • Positive Outcome: Target partner(s) Activities: • Research/Network • Conduct analysis of perspective partners • Explore/share needs and resources; mutual ground/goals Critical Skills: • Communication/Networking • Research and analysis • Marketing • Assessment • Self-assessment

15. STAGE 3. Promotional and Solicitation (Proposal and Acceptance) • Question: Do we want to work together? • Positive Outcome: Agreement to work together Activities: • Consider possible matches • Assess and analyze the match (criteria) • Determine mutual goals, common ground, shared vision • Identify complementary resources, skills, and partner benefit • Make the "pitch” • Secure agreement Skills: • Planning • Assessment and analysis • Decision making/Communication • Sales and marketing (promotion)

16. STAGE 4. Planning and Commitment (Engagement & Wedding) • Question: Will we commit to working together? • Positive Outcome: Develop and commit to a Partnership Plan Activities: • Develop an agreement (the vows) • Formalize the agreement • Make public announcement or hold ceremony Skills: • Planning and Organization • Decision Making • Negotiating • Task Analysis • Communication • Promotion

17. STAGE 5. Implementation (The Honeymoon) • Question: How do we get off to a good start? • Positive Outcome: Learning and action Activities • Build trust and rapport • Communicate and involve stakeholders • Honor and bridge differences • Integrate and differentiate functions • Develop a communication mechanism • Test effectiveness of plan, roles, and responsibilities • Manage pragmatic issues of working together Skills • Task analysis/Leveraging differences • Managing and transforming conflict • Communication/Organizational development • Team building/Assessment

18. STAGE 6. True Partnership(The Marriage) Question: How can we work most effectively? Positive Outcome: Mutual and individual benefit Activities • Maintain regular communication • Appreciate and recognize the partner(s) • Complete tasks and honor commitments • Monitor climate and agreement • Stay engaged and involved • Evaluate progress Skills • Negotiation • Decision Making • Conflict transformation/Communication • Evaluation and planning • Self-assessment

19. STAGE 7. Reassessment (Completion, Divorce, Renewing Vows) Decision: What do we do next? Positive Outcome: Continuing or Transforming the Partnership Activities: • Assessment: self, partner, and partnership • Evaluate outcomes • Assess needs that might dictate additional partnership efforts Skills: • Evaluation • Communication • Negotiation and Decision Making • Planning • Self-assessment

20. Government Business Nonprofit Differences and Similarities Acrossthe Sectors