In this blog, Millie Welch, Evidence Engagement Officer, shares guidance and advice on how to successfully put partnership working into practice.  

Although organisations’ experiences during partnership working can vary, there are common, reoccurring factors that make partnership working more effective.

The actions taken at the beginning of partnership are important because this forms the basis of the working relationship between organisations, which in turn can impact success. Once you have successfully started a partnership, it is important to maintain this stable and strong foundation for the partnership to deliver a successful project for the community.

The National Lottery Community Fund recently commissioned The Funding Centre to conduct a rapid research review on partnership working within third sector organisations in Wales. Previously, we delved into the key understandings of what partnership working is like within the third sector, going into the benefits and risks which come with this way of working.

Below discusses the steps that should be taken when starting to work in partnership with another organisation, and the steps to take to maintain the working relationships.

1. Trust and Respect

It is necessary to build trust and respect between partners at an early stage. This allows partners to effectively work together to create a shared ethos with common values and priorities. This can be done by spending time with your partners, addressing difficult conversations and setting out clear expectations early on.

Building trust and respect leads to an equitable and healthy dynamic between partners, creating a positive working culture which is vital in effectively maintaining a partnership. A positive working culture allows for strong communication and patience.

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2. Strong and Frequent Communication

Having strong and frequent communication between partners is key as it means that the objectives, values, and the expectations of partners can be regularly revisited and reflected upon, allowing partnerships to grow naturally where necessary.

Partners need to be able to recognise and deal with any conflicts that arise constructively and not let poor communication be detrimental to the collaboration.

3. Clarity

Making sure that all partners have a clear understanding of the partnerships’ purpose, expectations, values is essential to its success. This is to ensure that all partners are on the same page in relation to development and delivery allowing the project to run more efficiently and effectively. It also prevents any frustration or conflict which may arise from confusion and lack of clarity.

Clarity needs to continue throughout the partnership process, especially when allocating the roles and resources to partners. Each partner needs to be given a distinct area of expertise within the partnership with limited overlap to avoid any duplication within working and any potential confusion and competition which may arise between partners.

4. Choosing partners carefully

It is important to choose correctly and carefully choose who the partners are and how many partners there should be as this will impact the management and delivery of the partnership project.

It is recommended to choose organisations who you have history with working with and that you trust. It was also noted that the most fruitful partnerships are those that develop organically over time, rather than ones that form as a response to a funding call.

The number of partners should be determined by what works best in terms of supporting beneficiaries. Often having too many partners adds unnecessary complexity which can cause confusion and additional risk.

Choosing the right lead partner is also essential. Being a lead partner comes with additional responsibilities, such as relationship management and delivery coordination, which increases the costs and the workload for this organisation. A lead partner needs to have the specific skills and qualifications to be able to deal with these extra tasks as well as a strong understanding of the power dynamics which arise within partnerships, especially between larger and smaller organisations.

5. Patience and Flexibility

Partnership projects can be time consuming to develop and deliver, and that’s why patience, as well as a willingness to learn, is important for successful maintenance.

Sometimes, unexpected challenges may present themselves which means it is important to be flexible, adapting the partnership approach where necessary, and being patient when dealing with new difficulties.

6. Relationship with your funder

As the majority of partnerships are created with funding in mind, it is incredibly beneficial to have a stable relationship with your funder. Funders provide guidance, allow for open discussions, and support partnerships throughout the challenges they may face. This will help simplify the partnership process, helping you to maintain and get the most success out of your partnership.

Funders can also advise on the lead-in period. A lead-in period is the period from contract commencement to operational date. Having sufficient lead-in period means that partners do not have to rush the development of the partnership project, providing a solid basis for ongoing collaborative work.

7. Evaluation

Evaluation is important for partnership working as it allows reflection on the process, highlighting what worked well and what didn’t. This provides shared learning for all the partners which can help develop, grow, and improve the partnership and the project, making sure it is achieving the shared goal in the most effective and efficient way.

It is recommended to have an external evaluation partner which can provide learning to partners without bias.

To read the summary report of ‘Partnership Working: Lessons from the Third Sector in Wales’, please click here.