External Relations Marketing, Networking, and Social Action

Organization Managers must “Manage” the external environment of the agency: They must market the agency to prospective clients, board members, funders, community residents, funders, government decision-makers and the media. They must network with community leaders and informal groups in the community. They must network with other organizations They must lobby for funding and changes in legislation They must fight for social justice for the people they serve When serving marginalized populations, managers must explore methods for increasing the political power of constituency groups.

A focus on internal maintenance and community/external relations: Is critical to the overall heath of organizations (political economy theory) Creates a process for multi-systems practice in which not only do service users receive assistance, they are provided with resources that can be used to improve their daily lives, the quality of life in the community, and the political power to change laws and policies. The empowerment of service users and community residents can also increase the power of the organization in that the health of the organization increases when additional volunteers or board members are recruited, the organization has the support of a constituency group, the quality of the organization’s services is increased, and the organization can influence the legislative process.

Marketing Brochures and flyers Reports Media stories Paid advertisements Funding proposals Web pages Fundraising letters and s Outreach campaigns (door to door; community events) Word of mouth

Organizations can also be effective in linking informal groups to the organization and surrounding institutions Identify local leaders (sources of referrals, information, volunteers, board members, etc). Identify and strengthen local informal resource networks. Establish close ties to informal groups Link community residents to other institutions that can provide resources and political power Rationale: Strengthening local networks and resources helps improve the quality of life in community and assists in the development of community leaders who have effectively work for social change.

Organizations also acquire power and resources when they learn to work cooperatively with other organizations serving the same community or population group!

Ecological Theory tells us: Organizations will compete for scare resources. Only the strongest organizations survive in a highly competitive environment. Organizations can survive if they have political power, money, or offer highly specialized services or fill a specific “niche” in the service system. It will be difficult, given competition to work cooperatively with other organizations. Most organizations will fight to protect their turf!

Other theories that we use to explain networking: Political economy theory – organizational survival is based on creating support for organizational objectives in the inter- organizational environment. Membership in the network gives the organization power. Resource-dependency theory. Niche organizations do have their own power resources because they can offer unique services to small populations that are not cost-efficient for larger organizations to provide. The ability to exchange resources (services, legitimacy) with larger organizations gives ethnic and other niche organizations power. Institutional theory. New organizations are most likely to survive if they can establish goals and services that conform to the values of community institutions and the larger society. By joining a network they signal that they are ready to conform to expectations of network members and society at-large.

Organizations may work together to: Share Resources Share Clients Deliver Services ( Joint Delivery, Collaborative Partnerships) Coordinate Service Delivery Establish Case Management Systems or Referral Processes Subcontract the delivery of services from one organization to another

Organizations will work collaboratively if: Funding sources tell them to do so. They do not have the resources with which to survive on their own. It may be a temporary vehicle to establish a more permanent organization. They are not permitted to survive as independent organizations

Types of Collaborative Structures Include: Case Management Systems Joint Delivery or Co-location of Agencies Collaborative Ventures Coalition Groups Task Groups Shared Referrals Informal Processes

As in team building, collaborative groups: Go through the stages of forming, norming, and storming- trusting relationships must be established

Collaboration and networking are necessary if: Mandated by funders New organizations are developed and try to enter existing networks. Organizations that serve small “niche” populations must collaborate with larger organizations to survive. For example, ethnic organizations may not have the resources to survive outside the context of existing networks.

To acquire power, organizations must also be able to: Lobby for legislation or funding Work cooperatively with other organizations and groups work for community improvements or changes in legislation. Coalition-building is effective because there is strength in numbers. Engage in social planning with other organizations in order to develop new programs and services Use community organization strategies such as community development and social action to bring about changes in the community or alleviate the harmful effects of oppression on marginalized groups. Engage in voter registration and education to assist service users in the development of political power.