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With the recent buzz about mergers in these tough times, we wanted to devote this newsletter to what partnerships can do for the communities you serve in any economic climate. Whether you collaborate to sponsor a joint program or merge to create a brand new organization, collaborations can be innovative and strategic ways to serve your community better. We explore how different organizations partnered and reaped real benefits. Try them on for size and see how they might inspire you to consider new opportunities. Send us your collaboration stories so we can share them and inspire others. Joint Programs: Increase Participation It's time for summer camp and in Brooklyn that means the Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP). During three summer sessions, BCAP's kids spend two weeks at Brooklyn's cultural campus around Grand Army Plaza. Campers participate in a series of structured activities at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo. After some joint conversations in the late 90's, the Independence Community Foundation funded a business plan for the six nonprofits to examine if and how an alliance could work. They developed joint programming and in 2002 formed a formal partnership, the Heart of Brooklyn (HOB), a new 501(c)3 entity to encourage tourism and learning. HOB conducted market research on visitor patterns and needs that encouraged it to increase marketing, improve signage, and share more programs to attract visitors to the campus. Now on weekends you can hop a free shuttle from Manhattan to the cultural campus or take a trolley to the different institutions. HOB's efforts have raised awareness of Brooklyn's arts organizations well beyond its own community. Besides more arts educations for kids, the initiative boosted attendance and increased revenue for all the partners. Shared Technology: Leverage Limited Resources for Maximum Reach If you go to http://www.lawhelp.org/NY, you will find a wealth of legal services resources on a host of topics from health to taxes and families to seniors. Whether New York State residents seeking legal advice or organizations trying to find resources for their clients, this website is the place to go. The site grew out of several NYC-based nonprofits' desire to increase access to legal information for low-income New Yorkers. One organization had developed a website to connect legal aid organizations with pro bono attorneys; another wanted to create something similar for consumers needing legal advice. They along with others decided to combine their limited resources to beef up the existing website. The expanded site eliminated the duplicative and incomplete paper lists that their staffs were constantly updating. Nine years later, the New York LawHelp Consortium includes eleven legal services organizations across New York, and the site has been replicated in 28 states. Combined Organization: Expand Services for More Clients Harlem United/FROST'D: Harlem United Community AIDS Center is a leading community-based organization that provides HIV/AIDS prevention and comprehensive care services. FROST'D, the acronym for the Foundation for Research on Sexually Transmitted Diseases, reaches out to low-income communities in the City, offering needle-exchange programs for those at high risk for HIV/AIDS and transitional housing for individuals living with the disease. Several years ago, FROST'D's executive director initiated conversations with Harlem United, for he recognized his organization's valuable programs faced long-term financial limitations. Harlem United was happy to merge; the needle exchange program provided a critical component to its outreach and prevention program, and its clients needed transitional housing. Today, the merged entity provides a continuum of comprehensive care in more locations, more than either did alone. YMCA/JCC of Toledo: The YMCA and JCC/United Jewish Council of Greater Toledo won the 2009 Collaboration Prize for its outstanding model of nonprofit collaboration. Sponsored by The Lodestar Foundation, the YMCA/JCC will share the $250,000 prize with the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science, another recognized leader in leveraging resources, eliminating programs and services duplication, and increasing efficiency through collaboration. How did they do it? In the late 1990's the two organizations began discussions: the JCC had a large, 40-acre campus in suburban Toledo with a superb family recreation facility that was under-utilized. Meanwhile the YMCA had experienced huge growth and needed to construct a new facility to meet the demand. The two agreed to an informal affiliation where the YMCA could use the JCC facilities. By 2003, they began talking more seriously, and ultimately decided to merge in 2004. The merger enabled the YMCA and JCC to consolidate services and eliminate duplication. They redirected the savings to expand programming, provide more childcare scholarships, and improve maintenance. During the merger process, they convinced their respective national organizations to accept a single membership fee and gained foundation grants to fund the merger. Later, foundations and individuals funded the construction of a new community services building, signaling additional support. Membership, services, and participation have expanded significantly. Perhaps even more important, the merger has led to greater understanding between individuals of different faiths. Next Steps: Begin the Courtship The merger or collaboration process is like dating: good communication and trust are key factors in moving successful partnerships from the "getting to know you" stage to a more formal union. We've found that, as in dating, it is important to be clear about who you are, what you have to offer, and what you want in a potential partner. Putting your thoughts on paper helps enormously: it forces you to be clear and focused. Once you have done that, you can more easily consider organizations you know and conduct "information interviews" to find others who may be a good fit. In today's world, there’s a range of collaborations, so you can find the one that works best for you. We Want Your Suggestions! Let us know whether or not you find our newsletters helpful and why, so we can improve, too! And we'd love to hear from you about suggestions for future issues. View printable version of this newsletter
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