partnership analysis & enhancement tool kit cindy s. soloe research triangle institute (rti)...

Partnership Analysis & Enhancement Tool Kit

Cindy S. SoloeResearch Triangle Institute (RTI)

April Y. VanceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

P.O. Box 12194 · 3040 Cornwallis Road · Research Triangle Park, NC 27709Phone: 919-316-3363 · Fax: 919-541-6683 · [email protected] · www.rti.org

RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.

Background:Why A Partnership Tool Kit?

Created in response to staff surveys and assessments on partnership and collaboration

Developed to enhance TA provided by Program Consultants to cooperative agreement recipients

Addresses the following Program Services Branch goals:

Goal #4: Strengthen relationships with existing partners and build new coalitions and alliances with private and public sector organizations in order to eliminate disparities in health.

Goal #5: Provide education, training, and technical support to staff and partners.

Purpose:What Is the Partnership Tool Kit?

A guide to help Program Consultants ask questions that will prompt programs to structure their thinking about partnerships

Can be used by the Program Consultant with any cooperative agreement recipient

Not an exhaustive how-to-guide, but a starting point to begin a structured dialogue about partnerships

Will include a list of references to assessment tools, articles, and other resources for programs

Purpose: Purpose: What are the Benefits of Using What are the Benefits of Using

the Partnership Tool Kit?the Partnership Tool Kit?

Provide a framework to help Program Consultants to work with their programs to build capacity around partnership

Help Program Consultants develop an understanding of their programs and their programs’ partnerships

Help Program Consultants provide more targeted technical assistance

Pieces of the ToolkitPieces of the Toolkit

Determining the Need for Partnership

Developing Partnerships

Evaluating Partnerships

Sustaining Partnerships

Tool 1: Determine NeedTool 1: Determine Need

Purpose of this tool: To determine the need for partnership (s) by assessing what an organization can and cannot accomplish by itself

Sample Questions: What specific outcomes or products do you

hope to achieve through your partnerships? How would partnerships provide additional

expertise vs. duplicating expertise in your program?

Tool 2: Developing Tool 2: Developing PartnershipsPartnerships

This Tool includes 5 steps:

Assessing Potential Partners Determining the Appropriate Level of Partnership Determining the Goal of Partnering Assessing Resource Needs Based on Partnership Goal Initiating or Enhancing Partnerships


Step 1 of 5: Step 1 of 5: Assessing Potential Partners

Purpose of this tool:

To assess potential partners to determine those that will bring the qualities or capabilities that complement those already represented by the program seeking partnership

Sample Questions: How will these potential partners complement

and strengthen your program? Has your program actively sought out new and

non-traditional partners to include in your partnerships?

Tool 2: Developing Partnerships

Step 2 of 5: Step 2 of 5: Determining the Level of Partnership

Networking: Exchanging information for mutual benefit

Coordinating: Exchanging information and altering activities for mutual benefit and to achieve a common purpose

Cooperating: Exchanging information, altering activities, and sharing resources for mutual benefit and to achieve a common purpose

Collaborating: Exchanging information, altering activities, sharing resources and enhancing the capacity of another for mutual benefit and to achieve a common purpose


Step 3 of 5: Step 3 of 5: Determining the Goal of the Partnership


To work toward a shared definition of the problem or issue to be addressed so that one or more common goals can be determined

Sample Questions: What does your program most want to

accomplish through partnerships? Is there a shared understanding of, and

commitment to agreed upon goals among your program and all partners?


Step 4 of 5: Assessing Resource Needs Step 4 of 5: Assessing Resource Needs Based on Partnership GoalBased on Partnership Goal


To determine the resources necessary to meet the identified partnership goal (s).

Sample Question: What resources are necessary to effectively

engage in partnerships for this program?


Step 5 of 5: Initiating or Enhancing Step 5 of 5: Initiating or Enhancing PartnershipsPartnerships


To negotiate, establish, and document partner organization roles within the partnership

Sample Questions: What basic ground rules have been established to

help guide partnership actions? Has your program established mechanisms to link

specific individuals and/or organizations to specific partnership objectives to ensure that the objectives will be carried out in a timely manner?

Tool 3: Evaluating Tool 3: Evaluating PartnershipsPartnerships

Purpose of this tool: To improve partnership practice in progress, refine and test hypotheses regarding partnerships’

contribution to performance and outcomes, and suggest lessons for future partnership work

Sample Questions: Are the resources your program has allocated

for partnerships adequate (e.g., staff time, funding)?

How have partnerships solved problems that emerged during implementation?

What data are you collecting to determine whether the goals of your partnerships been met?

Tool 4: Sustaining Tool 4: Sustaining PartnershipsPartnerships

Purpose of this tool: To help programs initiate sustainability efforts

early in their partnerships and revisit them frequently throughout the life of each partnership

Sample Questions: To what extent has a shared definition of

sustainability been developed (i.e. what does it mean to sustain)?

How will you determine whether components of the partnerships need to be sustained?

To what extent has your program identified a clear need and commitment for continuing the partnerships?

We need your help!We need your help!

The Tool Kit is still under construction. If you have comments or feedback please let

us know.

Thanks!

partnership analysis & enhancement tool kit cindy s. soloe research triangle institute (rti)...

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