Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match
by Jaya Myler
A meaningful and fulfilling partnership can help organisations to meet their goals and multiply their impact. Inclusive partnerships are also crucial to the realisation of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so much so that they even got a goal of their own.
Asia P3 Hub loves to play matchmaker and broker effective and impactful cross-sector partnerships that leave everyone with that loving feeling. So how do you go about finding that perfect partner and establish whether they are ‘the one’?
What are you really looking for?
First, it’s important to ask yourself some questions to see whether you’re ready to dive into a partnership, what you’re looking for and what you have to offer to a new partner. What are you looking to achieve? What is the impact you want to have or your goal for the greater good? What can you offer to a partnership? What resources are you lacking within your organisation, and what types of organisations might be able to provide those resources?
Knowing what you’re looking for is essential to identifying the right partner. Sometimes an existing connection or contact can lead to a budding partnership, and in other cases you might need to go out on a limb and seek out the types of organisations that you’re looking to partner with. Be open to striking up an uncommon partnership through an unexpected or non-traditional collaboration — it’s not always the most obvious choices for partnerships that will deliver results.
Creating chemistry
Once you’ve identified a potential partner, it’s time to see find out whether there’s a spark. Spend some time getting to know each other — networking sessions, initial meetings, lunches — in order to understand your potential partner’s vision, organisational culture, how they like to work and what they’re working towards. Just like with a romantic relationship, common interests and shared goals for the greater good can make a partnership thrive.
How to tell whether you’re compatible
How do you know whether you and your potential partner are suited to each other? Assess whether your organisations have shared values. And what is the goal for the common good that you are both working towards?
The partnership has to be mutually beneficial and bring added value to all partner organisations. Does the partner have the necessary resources or a skillset that you have identified as lacking within your organisation? And do you have something to offer the partnership?
Making a commitment
You’ve decided that you’re a good match, now it’s time to make a commitment. Commit to what equity you can offer to the partnership and remember that not all resources are easily quantifiable. To build a shared-value partnership, you need to establish together and early on that you are working on an equal footing with the resources (for example knowledge, people, money) each partner is providing. Resources can include technical skills, experience, knowledge, networks, facilities or unused resources, human and financial resources.
Ensure that there is sufficient buy-in from relevant and appropriately senior members of each organisation from the outset. And set some ground rules: clear expectations, KPIs and reporting structure, and clear roles and responsibilities.
Keeping the love alive
It comes down to love and communication if you want to keep the fire burning for a long-term partnership. Open and transparent communication is crucial — regular reporting and correspondence, face-to-face meetings and project updates help to keep all partners involved and engaged in the project. Checking in with each other regularly and communicating honestly can also help you to ensure that you’re progressing towards your shared goals, navigating any challenges that arise and negotiating differences.
And it’s also important to ensure that the relationship is institutionalised so that any staff turnover in partner organisations, or your own organisation won’t jeopardise the future of the project.
How to tell if they’re ‘just not that into you’
Have missed meetings and deadlines or a lack of communication got you questioning ‘where is the love’? It’s inevitable that sometimes one partner is more committed to a partnership or project than other partners.
Is your partner contributing sufficient resources? Do you still trust each other? Are all partners happy with their role in the partnership? Are all partners gaining a benefit from the partnership? Are you progressing towards the impact you want to achieve?
If not, it might be time for you to conduct a ‘partnership health check’ to see whether your partnership is on track. You might agree on what needs to change in order for the partnership to refocus and go ahead, or you may decide it’s time to call it quits and keep searching for ‘the one’.
Interested in a multi-sector partnership to reach your goals but not sure where to start? Asia P3 Hub offers a Partnership Bootcamp to help organisations to broker successful partnerships, and , as well as a Partnership Health Check to assess your partnership guide you on how to maintain a healthy, impactful partnership.
This article was contributed by Asia P3 Hub’s Programs and Projects Advisor, Jaya Myler.
Jaya Myler is a non-profit manager with more than 12 years of experience working with international NGOs, corporate and consumer brands, in both developed and developing country settings. She has a strong background in managing projects and programs, and advocacy and communications, and experience working in environmental, education, and WASH NGOs. She is passionate about water and sanitation, education and poverty alleviation. She has experience working on multi-sector partnerships with NGOs, corporates, academia and governments, and is a big believer in the power of cross-sector collaboration to drive innovation and achieve impact. She holds a Master of Media Practice.
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