Build Partnerships to Grow Your Programs and Activities
Years ago, I worked for a nonprofit organization that taught leadership skills to underserved youth. We had a good program, but needed to increase our number of participants, and build our reputation, to make more of an impact in the community.
We decided to work on developing a major partnership with a very reputable and large youth mentoring program. One of the key things to remember about forming a partnership is that both parties should bring something to the table. In this example, the organization that I worked for provided an established program, as well as the materials, and potential participants. The organization that we partnered with provided a proven system of screening, matching, and support.
Additional partnerships with other organizations included:
Forming a collaboration with an established afterschool program, providing classes following the afterschool program.
Forming a collaboration with a local community center to bring their kids to our program.
Forming a collaboration with a reputable recreation center, to bring their kids to our program.
How to easily establish partnerships to grow your community program:
Determine the strengths and weaknesses of your program
Find an organization that could benefit from your strengths (in the top example: an established program, the materials, and potential participants)
Contact the organization, and see if it can help address the weaknesses of your program with some of its strengths (in the top example: a proven system of screening, matching, and support)
Meet with the organization to discuss and form a partnership