Developing alliances with partners and like-minded groups is essential for nonprofit survival. As we have learned through the example of organizational ecosystems, no SCO lives in isolation, so they must establish a network of partners with other NPO’s and/or grant foundations, for example. A business must also recognize their level of dependence and quality of (reciprocal) interaction with each identified partner.
In assessing the sustainability of Partner Networks within the framework of the business model, we should reflect on the following:
In assessing the sustainability of Partner Networks within the framework of the business model, we should reflect on the following:
People & Partner Networks
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- Know your partners and their commitment to sustainable development. Do they support socially responsible programs and practices? If not, how can your partnership with this organization improve their social impact?
- Perhaps co-existing like-minded organizations (or branches within an organization) share common functions and operations; when the responsibility of this job is shared, there is the potential to consolidate the job of two persons into one, thus reducing the amount of personpower required to fulfill a common task.
- Many volunteers have years of experience, knowledge ... and war stories to share. Take the time to listen.
- Identify which partners we are most closely aligned with, as well as those whose interests tend to differ. Are there organizations that you believe to be downright competitors or predators? If so, what can be done to improve relations between these entities? Consider constructing a problem tree to identify the root of the problem.
- Draw a rich picture of your organization in the SCO ecosystem and try to identify all your constituents as actors in that system. What roles do you assign different types of organizations/institutions and what does that say about your perceived relationship with that entity?
Planet & Partner Networks
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- Know your partners and their commitment to sustainable development. Do they support environmentally responsible programs and practices? If not, how can your partnership with this organization improve its environmental impact
- Perhaps co-existing like-minded organizations (or branches within an organization) share common functions and operations that employ energy or create waste; when the responsibility for that is shared or consolidated, it has the potential to conserve resources and/or reduce the environmental impact. Ultimately, environmentally oriented sustainability should operate with the greater good of the planet over the prescribed mission of the organization.
Profit & Parter Networks
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- Consider the different kinds of partnerships that can maximize the efficiency of your programs -- are there responsibilities that can be shared to minimize individual expenditures?
- Perhaps co-existing like-minded organizations (or branches within an organization) employ both social and natural capital whose purposes may be consolidated thus having the potential to conserve overhead costs.
- Create strategic alliances with suppliers who share common values and goals to ensure sustainability best practices among a partner network, which will ultimately improve efficiency into and cost out of your supply chain. Regularly assess the success with which we work with existing partners. Do we use partners enough?
- Form strategic alliances that are efficient and mutually beneficial -- the latter being an essential component of ensuring sustainability. How well do we work with our existing partners and suppliers? How dependent are we on our existing partners and suppliers?