by Carley Thimmesch
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Building partnerships takes work. This is true for marriages, families, friends, work and equally true in nonprofit organizations seeking to meet the critical needs of people in under served communities. The questions and answers below are from national service programs in their pursuit of faith-based partnerships. These tips serve as a reminder of what it takes to build and strengthen partnerships.

Partnership Building

• Creative thinking
• Solid preparation
• Open and honest communication

Q: I’m a national service program—where can I find potential faith-based partners?
A: Remember to tap into other community partners, networks, friends, board members, and staff. Many times, someone you may know, on the school board, for instance, may know Rabbi down the street from your location. Make it known you are looking to build and strengthen your program by partnering/connecting with other organizations in your community.

Sometimes it is as easy as looking at a map or in the phone book. Many resources are available to assess what is in and around your community. If there is a congregation in your neighborhood with which you are unfamiliar—do everything you can to investigate their background and traditions. This will pay off dividends as you prepare to approach them as potential partners.

Above all, be ready to think creatively. Give yourself permission to explore new options for partnerships. (For example, "What if we start a small business to teach students responsibility and make money at the same time?") Keep the primary focus of your program in mind and be ready to remove preconceived ideas on who or what an organization is or has been.

Q: What is the best way to approach a potential new partner?
A: Make an appointment with the decision maker. This means doing what you can to meet initially with the person who will give the final OK for your partnership.

Make sure you have a clear mission and you can relay this in a succinct manner. Members of church leadership, especially, have very full schedules that many times change at a moment’s notice. When you have an appointment to meet someone (or you catch up with them after service), you may only have a few minutes to convey your message. Be prepared to present the following in a clear manner:

• What is the program looking to accomplish? (What are you doing?)
• What role will they play? (What do you want from me?)
• How does this enhance or compliment what they are already doing? (What’s in it for me?)

Find equal ground. No one wants to feel or be taken advantage of in a partnership. A real partnership has equal partners. Many congregations are approached frequently to ask for help and to generate volunteers—to the point they feel like they are a “volunteer factory. ” Make sure to present an option that resonates with their mission and gives them something in return for their resource investment.

Do your homework on the organization. What is the correct name and title of the church leader and the person with whom you are meeting? What programs do they current have? How will they benefit from this partnership? What struggles are they facing now, whether they are related to your mission or not? Remember to approach each new potential partner uniquely.

Finally, when you meet with the organization, be ready to actively listen and drop your agenda. As you work with groups to develop the partnership, actively participate in asking and answering questions truthfully. It is important for all partners to thoroughly understand and communicate concerns before they come to an agreement. Have a framework within which you will lead the discussion, but be willing to adjust as new information, ideas, and options are brought to light.

Q: What are some techniques to maintaining a partnership with a faith-based organization?
A: Once a partnership is conceived, make sure the mission is clear, including who does what, what are the communication channels and frequency, and what to do when a problem arises. Some faith-based organizations may be willing to enter into an official understanding by creating a memo of understanding (MOU). Others may not be comfortable with this level of formality. If that is the case, then consider entering into a partnership with a verbal agreement.

If all parties are agreeable, think about the following components of an MOU:

• Mission and goals of the partnership: What is the relationship’s main objective?
• Benchmarks for success: What are the success factors for this partnership?
• Evaluation tools: How will each partner evaluate success? How can each partner contribute to and benefit from the evaluation of success?
• Communication plan: Who needs to know what when? How will conflicts be resolved? How often does the group need to be informed on the status and progress of the partnership and program? How does this happen—will it be written or oral?
• Roles and responsibilities: Who is responsible for what? What are the contributions and responsibilities of each partner? Who assumes the leadership role for the partnership, and what form does that take?
  

Quickly celebrate successes and accomplishments—in public. One way is to send press releases to local newspapers and radio stations. Another is to use each partner’s newsletter and communication tools to celebrate and promote successes.

Quickly address barriers and roadblocks head on—in private.

Remember that organization leaders can change; it is important to be thorough in communicating with the whole organization so that if one spokesperson moves on, there is still a connection to the larger group.

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