Florida Grant Developers Network

Florida Grant Developers Network
PARTNERSHIP RX: ______________________________________________________________ Figure Out What’s Slowing Your Collaboration Down – and Fix It! Abbreviated Version Florida Grant Developers Network Dec. 1, 2016 Maryn Boess U.GrantsMagic.org 12:00-12:05 3 min: Group intros 2 min: Overview/opener - Maryn How we’re proceeding Resource-rich handout and great contextual content Superb panel – will introduce in a moment All of you!

and lead collaborative efforts
Where We’re Aiming Be prepared with tools, protocols, and other resources to inspire, facilitate, and lead collaborative efforts in your own community

True or false? What do you know?
True collaboration involves so much work and people-management that it’s almost always easier and better to just do it yourself. True or false? Wkbk p 1

There’s only so much to go around. Either you win or you lose. And if someone else wins, you lose – and vice versa. True or false? Wkbk p 1

There are universally-agreed upon, precise definitions for such terms as “network,” “coalition,” “partnership,” and “collaboration.” True or false? Wkbk p 1

If my collaboration is falling apart it’s almost always because of some unhealthy and unpredictable dysfunction – somebody’s doing something wrong. True or false? Wkbk p 1

What’s Going On Here? What are some of the issues
or barriers you’ve experienced or observed in working with partnerships? Quickly jot down those that come to mind. 12:05-12:15 1 min.: Take a minute and as fast as you can jot down the first three thoughts that come to mind when you think of “partnering.” 2 min: Group shares of thoughts – how many of you thought “hard work”, “messy,” etc.? 6 min (2 min each): Panelists I introduce each one. Ask: Given these issues, why collaborate? What’s the upside? Please share a success story that demonstrates what makes it all worthwhile. Wkbk p 1

What’s Going On Here? It’s hard work. It’s messy. It takes time.
People don’t trust each other. People have their own agendas. “Turfism” gets in the way. People don’t follow through. Everyone wants a piece of the pie. It’s faster and easier to “do it myself.” 12:05-12:15 1 min.: Take a minute and as fast as you can jot down the first three thoughts that come to mind when you think of “partnering.” 2 min: Group shares of thoughts – how many of you thought “hard work”, “messy,” etc.? 6 min (2 min each): Panelists I introduce each one. Ask: Given these issues, why collaborate? What’s the upside? Please share a success story that demonstrates what makes it all worthwhile. Wkbk p 1

Working together is not
So … Why Do It? Working together is not a good idea … it’s an imperative.

Transcendent Tactical Relational Wkbk p 2

Let’s look at a big myth:
“It’s a competitive world.” Wkbk p 2

Traditional View: There’s only so much to go around. Either you win, or you lose. If someone else wins, you lose - and vice versa. You have to know how to play the game. Wkbk p 2

Tactical View: Collaborating with other nonprofits is not only good for our communities and society as a whole; it’s also the single most powerful way to amplify and accelerate our grants success. Wkbk p 2

Relational View: When we collaborate, we all can get more of what we want and need … and society as a whole benefits. Wkbk p 2

Transcendent View: There’s already more than enough of everything we need to create the world we want to see. Wkbk p 2

Let’s Get Tactical: “Collaborating with other nonprofits
is the single most powerful way to amplify and accelerate our grants success.” 5 Key Ways Wkbk p 3

a partner’s credibility
1. We can tuck up under a partner’s credibility or experience to get a start in the grants world. Wkbk p 3

partnership can intrigue
2. An unexpected or out-of-the-ordinary partnership can intrigue the reviewer. Wkbk p 3

3. Partnering can bring in resources we would otherwise have
to get grant dollars to cover. Wkbk p 3

4. Strategic partnering can dramatically expand
our pool of prospective grantmakers. Wkbk p 3

in The Grantsmanship Game.
5. Authentic partnering demonstrates that we are serious players in The Grantsmanship Game. Wkbk p 3

What’s Going On Here? Case A: The Stalled-Out Collaboration
Case B: The Ugly Head Rears Again Case C: Conflict! Conflict! Conflict! #1. What could be going on? #2. How might you find out what’s going on? #3. What can you do to fix it? #4. What could you have done to prevent it? 12:05-12:15 1 min.: Take a minute and as fast as you can jot down the first three thoughts that come to mind when you think of “partnering.” 2 min: Group shares of thoughts – how many of you thought “hard work”, “messy,” etc.? 6 min (2 min each): Panelists I introduce each one. Ask: Given these issues, why collaborate? What’s the upside? Please share a success story that demonstrates what makes it all worthwhile. Wkbk p 4

PERSPECTIVE ON PARTNERSHIP
RELATIONSHIP Partnership/Collaboration = Wkbk p 5

PERSPECTIVE ON PARTNERSHIP
Expectations: Are We Getting Married Or Are We Meeting for Coffee?  COLLABORATION COOPERATION JOINT ACTION ON SPECIFIC ISSUE COALITIONS SHARED RESOURCES OR FACILITY COORDINATED PROGRAMS SHARED INFORMATION NETWORKING WORKING INDEPENDENTLY 12:18-12:20 Want to quickly look at a couple of concepts that provide valuable context for how we think about, engage with and navigate through “working together.” The first is the idea that there are many levels of engagement when we think of working together. Wkbk p 5

In an ideal world … Key Ingredients of A Successful Collaboration:
Environment Member characteristics Process/structure Communication Purpose Resources Wkbk p 6

Collaboration doesn’t work when . . .
People don’t want to. It’s done to appease others. Individual interests. Differences become conflict. Issues are poorly defined. Leadership is ineffective or absent. Participants undermine each other. Differing expertise and access. Problems are technically complex. Stakeholders are adversarial or territorial. The process has made the problem worse. Wkbk p 7

The number-one reason partnerships fail . . .
There’s little or no mutual trust, respect and understanding among the participants. Wkbk p 7

The Three Biggest Categories of Partnership Problems
Relationships Structure Growing pains Wkbk p 7

Collaboration Life Cycle
“We build the road, and the road builds us.” 12:20-12:21: The second concept is that a partnership or collaboration is a journey, actually an evolutionary or developmental process with very predictable milestones along the way. “We build the road, and the road builds us.” What does that “road” look like? Wkbk p 8

Wkbk p 8 Stage 1 ENVISION RESULTS BY WORKING INDIVIDUAL-TO-INDIVIDUAL
Bring people together. Enhance trust. Confirm our mutual vision. Specify desired results. Stage 2 EMPOWER OURSELVES BY WORKING INDIVIDUAL-TO-ORGANIZATION Confirm organization roles. Resolve conflicts. Organize the effort. Support the members. Stage 4 ENDOW CONTINUITY BY WORKING COLLABORATION-TO-COMMUNITY Create visibility. Involve the community. Change the system. End the collaboration. Stage 3 ENSURE SUCCESS BY WORKING ORGANIZATION-TO-ORGANIZATION Manage the work. Create joint systems. Evaluate the results. Renew the effort. 12:21-12:22: my favorite partnership resource – Collaboration Handbook: Creating, Sustaining and Enjoying the Journey, by Michael Barry Winer and Karen Louise Rae. Addresses four predictable developmental stages of a collaborative effort. Wkbk p 8

OUTCOME OUTPUT ACTIVITY RESOURCES (Partner) Collaboration Mission Our Agency’s INITIATIVE GOAL (Prog/Svc) Wkbk p 9

Let’s take a closer look … OUTCOME OUTPUT ACTIVITY RESOURCES (Partner)
Collaboration Mission Our Agency’s INITIATIVE GOAL (Prog/Svc) Let’s take a closer look … Wkbk p 9

A lined-up version … . INITIATIVE GOAL OUTCOME OUTPUT ACTIVITY
RESOURCES (Partner) Collaboration Mission Our Agency’s (Prog/Svc) A lined-up version … . Wkbk p 9

Collaboration Assessment Tool
From Amherst H. Wilder Foundation Online version at: Based on Wilder’s research on 20 collaboration success factors Wkbk pp 10-12

STRONGLY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE STRONGLY DISAGREE DON’T KNOW 1. There is a solid history of agencies working together in our community. 2. My organization has something to gain from being involved in this collaboration. 3. The idea of trying to solve problems through collaboration is a relatively well-established one in the community. 4. Leaders (in this community) outside of our collaborative group seem hopeful about what we can accomplish. 5. Others in this community would generally agree that the organizations involved in this collaboration are the “right” ones to make this work. Wkbk pp 10-12

Wkbk pp 10-12

True collaboration involves so much work and people-management that it’s almost always easier and better to just do it yourself. True or false? Wkbk p 2

There’s only so much to go around. Either you win or you lose. And if someone else wins, you lose – and vice versa. True or false? Wkbk p 4

There are universally-agreed upon, precise definitions for such terms as “network,” “coalition,” “partnership,” and “collaboration.” True or false? Wkbk p 4

If my collaboration is falling apart it’s almost always because of some unhealthy and unpredictable dysfunction – somebody’s doing something wrong. True or false? Wkbk p 4

Putting It Into Practice:
What can you do right away to give yourself a “quick win”? What can you do within a month that would be a high-leverage activity? When will you take these steps? What will you need to support you? How will you hold yourself accountable for completing these steps? 1:27-1:30 Maryn – Putting It Into Practice Wkbk p 14

THANK YOU! 1:30 wrap

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