Collaborative working
"Charities that diversify their funding streams, collaborate with partners and get their income strategy right are more likely to weather the current economic crisis and emerge financially secure on the other side"
Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive NCVO
Collaboration has been suggested as one response to the recession, but voluntary and community organisations should ensure that they are exploring collaboration or merger from a position of strength. They should plan early, identify potential partners, and make informed decisions about whether and how to proceed with collaborative projects.
Working with others can offer opportunities to:
- Deliver new, improved or more integrated services
- Make efficiency savings through sharing costs
- Develop a stronger, more united voice
- Share knowledge and information
NCVO Guidance that can help:
- Should you collaborate? Key questions
- Further advice on Surviving the downturn
- Guidance for organisations exploring Merger
The economic downturn: 15 key questions trustees need to ask
The Charity Commission has produced a checklist of 15 key questions for trustees to ask themselves about how well placed they are to cope during the recession. Within the checklist are questions about collaboration, as the Charity Commission encourages trustees to ask whether there are activities that could be run more effectively through working with others.
- Read 15 key questions trustees need to ask (Updated June 2009)
What are your experiences of collaboration or merger? We are keen to hear your experiences, positive and negative.
The Collaborative Working Team at NCVO are looking for case studies.
Case studies are an invaluable way for us to increase our knowledge of how collaboration is being used across the sector. This enables us to better understand the issues and challenges and ultimately provide you with better support. Every collaborative project is unique, and can provide valuable learning for others.
This will be ongoing work to develop our resources but a set of case studies is also needed for the Funding Commission. Funding is going to be one of the sector’s biggest challenges in the coming years and the Funding Commission has been set up by NCVO to look at the funding needs of the Voluntary & Community sector over the next ten years. For more information on the Funding Commission please visit: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/fundingcommission.
N.B. If you would like to contribute a case study for the Funding Commission report, we need to have it by the end of June at the latest. Please see our online questionnaire at:
www.ncvo-consult.org.uk/CollaborationCaseStudies
We would like to find examples of:
- A national organisation working with a local organisation
- Local infrastructure organisations working together
- Groups working in the equalities area
- Local social enterprise
- Small organisations working together
We are interested in examples of federations or affiliated organisations where the lead body has supported their members in collaboration or merger. We are particularly interested in organisations using collaboration or merger to become more sustainable or in order to adapt to the new financial environment and become more resilient.
Next steps:
We have devised an online questionnaire to make gathering the information easier but if you already have written material and would prefer to send this to us, we would be happy to receive it. If you would prefer to simply tell us about your project, please contact us and we can arrange a short telephone interview.
Please complete our online questionnaire at:
www.ncvo-consult.org.uk/CollaborationCaseStudies
Or contact Esther Ridsdale on 020 7520 3151 or: esther.ridsdale@ncvo-vol.org.uk or Sue Beckett on 020 7520 2440 susan.beckett@ncvo-vol.org.uk
Thank you.
Visit the Partner Zone on the Funding Central website for new collaborative opportunities
The Partner Zone on Funding Central can help you discover organisations to collaborate and discuss opportunities with.
Funding Central is a free smart website for the whole voluntary and community sector, including social enterprise, providing access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities, plus a wealth of tools and resources supporting organisations to develop sustainable income strategies.
Perhaps you are looking for other organisations to work with to deliver a particular project, or to put in joint bids for funding and contract opportunities? The Partner Zone allows you to search for potential partners in your local area or further afield.
Finding other organisations is easy - you can search by location, organisation type, type of activity, beneficiaries or by collaborative working skills and experiences. You can view a list of potential partner organisations - read their profiles, learn about their funding experiences and future plans and contact them directly.
Create your own public profile - so that others can get in touch with you to explore how collaboration could help you deliver complimentary or enhanced services, or access new funding opportunities.
The Partner Zone user guide explains how to search for like-minded organisations, tips on how to make contact and suggestions on what to include in your profile.
- Register at Funding Central to access the Partner Zone and a wide range of other features
What is collaborative working?
Collaborative working within the voluntary and community sector - also known as joint or partnership working - covers a spectrum of ways that two or more organisations can work together. Options range from informal networks and alliances, through joint delivery of projects to full merger. Collaborative working can last for a fixed length of time or can form a permanent arrangement.
What these options have in common is that they involve some sort of exchange, for mutual advantage, that ultimately benefits end users.
"...all charities should consider seriously and imaginatively whether there are ways in which they could do more and better for their users by working together."
Charity Commission, Collaborative Working and Mergers (RS4) 2003
In recent years, interest in collaborative working has been growing, driven by the sector's drive for effectiveness and efficiency, government policy and public opinion.
"Greater understanding of collaborative working will make the voluntary sector even more effective and improve services for beneficiaries."
Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive, NCVO
Collaborative Working Team
We offer good practice information and advice to help voluntary and community organisations make decisions about whether and how to work collaboratively. We aim to support informed decision-making and raise awareness of the range of collaborative working options, although we focus on more formal, long-term arrangements.
- See our Frequently asked questions
Support
Collaborative working at NCVO has been supported by
Publications
Due Diligence Demystified
Clear and concise information on due diligence and how to carry it out in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
