Strategic Partnerships and Alliances in the Nonprofit Sector

When leaders approach this work with a true interest in maximizing mission, and from an abundance perspective, it opens the possibilities to strategic alliances or shared mission programming.

What is a strategic alliance? 

An alliance is a strategic restructuring that includes a formal commitment to continue, for the foreseeable future, shared or transferred decision-making power. It does not involve any change to the corporate structure of the participating organizations.  There are four areas that our sector finds alliances mutually beneficial: 

• An administrative consolidation is a strategic alliance that entails the sharing, exchanging, or contracting of administrative functions to increase the operational efficiency of one or more of the partner organizations.

• Joint programming is a strategic alliance that includes the joint launching and managing of one or more programs to further the programmatic goals of the participating organizations. 

• A joint earned income activity occurs when two or more organizations jointly create a revenue-generating activity (e.g., a combined capital campaign or social entrepreneurial venture). 

• A joint advocacy activity occurs when two or more organizations combine their advocacy efforts either on a single issue/time-limited basis or for ongoing campaigns.

 Listen in as we talk through ideas of how to start and what a successful process looks like. How will you grow or leverage your nonprofit’s mission with a strategic partnership or alliance?

Transcend4Good works with clients to create strategic partnerships and alliances that allow nonprofits and associations to grow and innovate.
Contact us to start the conversation.

References: LaPiana.org, Insights for the Sector