Coalitions & Strategic Alliances for CSOs Rob Fuller Director of Entrepreneurial Programs Beyster Institute

MEET U.S.2 Coalitions & Strategic Alliances Why use coalitions or alliances? Factors for creating successful partnerships How to make collaboration work

MEET U.S.3 What is a Coalition? A coalition is a group of people who work together to support a common mission or vision.

MEET U.S.4 What is a Strategic Alliance? A strategic alliance is an agreement to utilize the strengths of two or more organizations to provide some benefit to clients or the community by working together.

MEET U.S.5 Why use a Coalition or Alliance? Increases public support and helps build trust Gain broader acceptance of new idea or change of old idea Reach out to all segments & groups in the community Acquire new resources Accomplish more together than separately

MEET U.S.6 Assess Your CSO’s Potential Why are we looking at an alliance now? What do we want to achieve from the collaboration? Is a coalition or alliance the best way to achieve our goals? What resources are we willing to commit? How much control are we willing to cede?

MEET U.S.7 Basic Approach to Collaboration Determine mutual ground rules Assess strategic potential of the collaboration Define success criteria Establish a plan –resources, expectations, relationships Structure an agreement Measure performance

MEET U.S.8 Collaboration Continuum Stage 2 Transactional Stage 3 Integrative Stage 1 Philanthropic Collaboratio n Frontier James Austin Harvard Business School Initiative on Social Enterprise

MEET U.S.9 Stage 1: Philanthropic Collaboration Traditional roles –“benevolent donor” & “grateful recipient” CSO receives funding, goods, or services Donor enhances its reputation as a “community supporter”

MEET U.S.10 Stage 2: Transactional Collaboration Begin to regard each other as “partners” Resource exchanges (“transactions”) –Cause-related marketing –Event sponsorships –Licensing –Paid service arrangements More than traditional charitable contribution

MEET U.S.11 Stage 3: Integrative Collaboration Resources mobilized and meshed New unique services, activities, resources created “Collaboration Frontier”

MEET U.S.12 A Written Agreement Definition of Scope –Activities, geographic, technical Objectives –Specific Projects, milestones Roles and Responsibilities Channels of communication Sharing or bearing of costs Sharing revenues Ownership of Intellectual Property Joint marketing Resolving conflicts Termination

MEET U.S.13 Keys to Managing Collaboration Identify all the stakeholders Clearly communicate goals to stakeholders Evaluate performance against expectations –Define metrics –Evaluate/adapt metrics as needed View the alliance portfolio holistically Allocate adequate management resources

MEET U.S.14 Success Factors Environment Membership Process & structure Communication Purpose Resources Mattessich & Monsey, 1993 Collaboration: What Makes it Work

MEET U.S.15 Problems in Coalitions/Alliances Partner may act opportunistically Partner may misrepresent competencies brought to the partnership Partner fails to make committed resources and capabilities available to other partner Partner may make investments that are specific to the alliance while the other partner does not

MEET U.S.16 Examples in the U.S. City Year and Timberline CARE and Starbucks The Nature Conservancy and Georgia- Pacific Bidwell Training Center and Bayer Jumpstart (Boston) and American Eagle Outfitters James Austin, 2000 The Collaboration Challenge: How Nonprofits and Businesses Succeed through Strategic Alliances Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management