Funder and Community Collaboration

1. Funder and Community Collaboration A presentation at the Philanthropy New Zealand Conference - 10 April 2013 Lessons from The Working Together More Fund

2. Overview • What is The Working Together More Fund? • How we got started • From idea to implementation • Lessons for funding community collaboration • Lessons for funders who collaborate • Implications for Community Trusts

3. 1.What is the Working Together More Fund? • A collaborative initiative between the four funders • Objective – to provide seeding money or support to two or more community groups who are looking to collaborate • Structure – 1 Administrator / 4 Trustees • See www.workingtogether.org.nz

4. 2.1 Beginnings: Responding to the Recession • Four funders ask how we can help • Responded to Community Group calls for more collaboration • Brief –> Scoping Paper –> Community Workshops • Let’s pilot this idea

5. 2.2 Logistics: Creating the fund • Virtual fund established • Real live manager appointed • Each funder contributes dollars as they can • Each funder contributes a trustee for the selection panel • Tindall Foundation provides staff supervision and administrative support

6. 3.1 From quiet launch to feeding frenzy 1. The Launch: • October 2009 via email using each funders networks 2. The Statistics Round One: • 8 –10 calls per day + emails • 241 applications from all areas of New Zealand • 17 collaborative initiatives received funding in first round • Grants given for scoping workshops and development of an initiative

7. 3.2 What we found from Round One • Reducing resources, increasing demand & tired workers •  Willingness to change but fear of losing other funding •  Increased dialogue between groups •  Gratitude for support to explore collaboration • “The desire to work together has always been there; this funding makes it a more realistic option”

8. 3.3 A new year – calmer waters? • 1 – 2 phone calls + emails • 50 - 100 Applications predicted for Round Two • Different Groups are applying • Well planned initiatives proposed

9. 4. Lessons for funding Community Collaboration • More than “business as usual” • Requires trust and shared values • Collaboration has stages and starts with small steps • What to fund – is seeding enough? • Funding gaps include: • Taking collaboration beyond initial exploration • Forming National organisations from autonomous branches • Shared Services (eg back-office functions)

10. 5. Lessons for Funders who collaborate • Collaboration means: • “to identify, affirm and nurture the skills and gifts of others on a daily basis” (James Hansen ) • “putting up with others’ foibles, while hoping they’ll tolerate yours” (Iain Hines) 2. Making bold decisions can be difficult: • Until the stakeholders know each other well • When everyone is hyper-considerate! 3. Danger of dropping off the radar in busy times 4. Do it anyway

11. 6. Implications for Community Trusts • Huge potential for helping the community through encouraging collaboration • WTM Fund is not big enough to fund many initiatives beyond seed funding • Are there ways we can work together on initiatives in your regions?

12. Funder and Community Collaboration Lessons from The Working Together More Fund