This framework identifies the key organisational processes, systems, commitments and capacities, crucial to an organisation’s ability to partner, and maps them against four organisational areas: Leadership & Strategy, Systems & Processes, Skills & Support, and Partnering Culture. Using this framework can support an understanding of how ready your organisation is to build effective and sustainable partnerships.

Scoping and Building

• Initiating the idea of partnering
• Making the case to potential partners / donors / decision-makers
• Scoping the possibilities
• Energising and enthusing
• Early relationship building
• Managing expectations
• Initial / outline planning
• Helping partners to reach agreement

Managing and Maintaining

• Secure resource commitments
• Build governance arrangements
• Deepen organisational engagement
• Develop a communications plan
• Build partnering capacity
• Problem solve constructively
• Agree benchmarks for later evaluation

Reviewing and Revising

• Agree evaluation procedures
• Assess the impact of the partnership
• Draw out and apply lessons
• Review efficiency of the partnership
• Review the added value to partners
• Brainstorm new ideas /developments
• Make any necessary changes to project or partnering arrangements

Sustaining Outcomes

• Discussions on ‘moving on’ choices
• Recognition and celebration of the partnership’s achievements
• Reaching agreement on type of information for the public domain
• Identification of further champions and spheres of influence
• Work to ensure that outcomes are sustained
• Management of closure / moving on procedures

Content courtesy of ‘The Partnering Initiative’