How to form collaborations, coalitions and partnerships
- Decide how many partners you would like to work with.
- Look inside your facility for possible resident participation
- Cast a wide net. Look carefully at possible partners.
- Identify potential partners; consider traditional and non-traditional organizations:
- Long Term Care groups
- County Aging Departments
- Churches/Faith-based organizations
- Public library
- Local schools (high schools, colleges, universities)
- University Extension
- Service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimists, Women’s Clubs, etc.)
- Local businesses
- Social workers/mental health professionals
- Local affiliates/chapters of national organizations
- Veterans’ groups
- Consider the event from a potential partners point of view. Is there a natural connection?
- Assess the partner’s availability.
- Ask partners who else they think should join the effort.
- Provide input on event planning details and topic development
- Provide staff and/or volunteers to help with event planning and preparation, including fundraising, logistics, publicity and post-event follow-up.
- Provide staff and/or volunteers to host the event.
- Provide a location for the event.
- Furnish refreshments.
- Donate in-kind services such as access to press lists, photography and audio, etc.
- Distribute information about the program to their membership.
- Distribute information to the general public and/or the press.
- Recruit potential speakers and/or moderators.
- Recruit others from their organization.
- Help with printing and materials preparation.
- Distribute materials at event.
- Collect and coordinate event evaluations.
- Include their name in event publicity.
Prarie Public Television's partnership prenuptial contract has many good questions to consider before "taking the plunge."
www.bpjtv.org/resources/index.cfm?resourcesdoc=partnership_prenuptial
