By Emma Wilder
We know and we understand the constant challenge charities face in securing more funding, more resources, and more support.
With challenges surrounding finding the right trustees, boosting your volunteer numbers, increasing your reach, and finding financially sound ways to create a sustainable (buzz word of the year) long-term future.
With funding pots shrinking and requirements to meet funding criteria increasing, is now the perfect time for charity managers to start looking at and growing cross-sector collaborations?
Cross-sector collaboration is where businesses and individuals from different backgrounds and industries come together through a shared vision and mission to achieve a greater impact than what one organisation can achieve alone.
Organisations can include other charities where a shared alliance can bring greater impact and reach, as well as private organisations, government agencies, and other non-profits, such as education and research institutes.
Cross-sector collaboration is a means for charities to access resources, expertise, and networks that may otherwise be out of reach. Allowing you to partner, connect, and receive valuable support, whether for now or to support the future plans and activities of the charity.
For example, working with businesses in the private sector that share your values and vision can not only increase financial donations but also increase your volunteer numbers and access to expert support in specific areas. For instance, a company might offer knowledge and support with IT systems or marketing efforts. Additionally, with more volunteers, you can operate more efficiently and cost-effectively, and when the organisations you are working with hold events and fundraisers, your charity and initiative will be the one that benefits.
An increase in funding opportunities is a significant benefit to cross-sector collaboration, one that we have touched on in previous posts, as funding streams become narrower and requirements become harder to meet for smaller charities.
Working with others (whether this be other charities or businesses from the private sector) on joint initiatives and pooling resources can strengthen your opportunity to apply for larger grant funding, allow you to have a bigger voice in shaping and influencing policy, and provide you with the space for creativity and innovation to design unique services that meet community needs.
Cross-sector collaboration also enhances visibility and credibility. When charities work alongside respected businesses or institutions, they too benefit from shared branding and an increase in public trust.
For charities, this can lead to an increase in donors and new supporters, improved engagement, and free marketing and promotions for your services.
Opting to work with colleges and developing academic collaborations, like membership to the Voluntary Sector Studies Network, can help to provide essential research evidence that can strengthen your case for additional support and funding, as well as inform best practice guidance. VSSN helps to promote collaboration between scholars, researchers, and UK charities, with the Network’s September conference looking specifically at the voluntary sector and volunteering research, and how UK charities can expand their cross-collaboration and look beyond boundaries.
This level of collaboration supports innovation, where diverse perspectives and skillsets, combined with a charity’s insightful knowledge and experience, help develop creative solutions to societal challenges that no single organisation could achieve alone, influencing policy and shaping public opinion.
Build collaboration online – signpost your community to other charities and resources. Demonstrate your support for others by promoting their service offer and building their presence.
Look at hubs and co-working spaces – could you share office space to help reduce overheads? Could opening up your space and renting it out as a co-working space or to a private business with similar values work? Could you take this one step further and explore ways to reduce costs through the use of shared resources and equipment?
Attend and take part in networking events. Networking events allow you and your team to learn and share new skills. Putting yourself out there, sharing your knowledge, expertise, and best practices to build connections, link with like-minded individuals and businesses, and improve awareness of your cause. Collaboration at these events allows everyone to learn from others’ strengths.
Take part in research hubs, such as the Voluntary Sector Studies Network, and have a voice on matters that are important and affect your charity and the community you serve.
Run joint charity events – increase your impact, pool your expertise, share marketing budgets, and create a stronger, collective voice by working together to run events that benefit all those involved.
However, with cross-sector collaboration comes caution.
Please be aware:
Communication is essential – with all new partnerships and joint initiatives, you must discuss how you will work together and clearly define roles and responsibilities within the project and activity. What happens if there is a dispute or conflict? Who do people report to?
Account for charity’s collaborative working in line with the Charity Commission’s guidance relating to “Charities’ Statement of Recommended Practice” and ensure all funding arrangements, including joint, are included in annual accounts.
Review and report on all joint activities and whether it has been successful. Keeping trustees fully informed and involved in all conversations, while also ensuring they adhere to their governing role and responsibility on behalf of the charity.
Cross-sector collaboration helps to build resilience and sustainability, and in an economic climate of rising demand and shrinking resources, charities must look at collaboration as a step in a positive direction to weather the storm.
However, successful collaboration takes time and careful consideration. You must find the right partner for your charity.
Understand clearly what your charity receives in return from the partnership, who will manage this, and how collaboration helps you deliver on your vision and mission, i.e. will this positively affect your beneficiaries – this should never be lost.
Helping to improve efficiencies, build presence, increase funding opportunities, and cut expenditure, a more collaborative approach to working can help UK charities to maximise impact and deliver on their charity’s vision.
)Access all our articles and search the provider directory for free.