Align with Partners

Are current and potential partners a good match?

Evaluate the goals and values of collaborators to determine which partnerships are a good fit for your organization.

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Download a PDF for the Align with Partners instructions and tips.

Tool 12: Align with Partners

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Description

This tool is designed to help evaluate how a potential collaborator’s values and goals match with your own—do they share a commitment to racial equity, is this evidenced in their work? Tracking these alignments—or misalignments—can be helpful in discerning whether a proposed partnership is a good fit for your organization. It is also a way to hold others in positions of power accountable. Completing this tool is a good precursor to discussions with prospective partners. Use our tool worksheet to do this review systematically.

Developed by Urban Institute

Follow-Up Questions

Once you have reviewed your partnerships, ask:

Is a project with medium alignment focused in an equity area we have less programming in? If so, it might be worth connecting with the partner to try to achieve high alignment.
Do we need a process for adjusting (or even ending) a partnership with low alignment?
How does our work impact the work of other existing or potential partners in the community?
Are there opportunities for strategic partnerships to create shared outcomes, values, and activities with other organizations or individuals in our community?
What do others have to gain by partnering with us? What do we offer others? Advocacy and influence count.