What do you do if you want to maximize collaboration between economists and non-profit organizations?

One can establish interdisciplinary forums for knowledge exchange, such as workshops or seminars, and try to encourage joint research projects addressing pressing social issues, for mutual learning and innovation. Facilitating networking opportunities through conferences and online platforms, enabling ongoing dialogue and partnership building could also work. Promote transparency and accessibility of research findings to inform policy and practice effectively.

If we want to collaborate with non-profit organizations, we first need to identify the interesting topics that link us, such as the fight against poverty, the fight against climate change, access to education, the financing of youth projects, access to quality health care for all. Once we've identified our common areas of interest, we can organize forums, colloquia and calls for contributions on related economic research issues, to guide them in their action plans by identifying obstacles and proposing solutions. Non-profit organizations often face cultural shocks and other bottlenecks that make their interventions ineffective, and economists can play an extremely important role here.

To enhance collaboration between economists and non-profit organizations, identify common goals, build trust, understand non-profit needs and constraints, offer expertise and resources, facilitate knowledge sharing, engage in co-creation and co-design processes, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, seek funding opportunities, measure and communicate impact, and cultivate long-term partnerships. These strategies can help economists address social challenges, promote economic development, and contribute to positive social change. By implementing these strategies, economists can effectively collaborate with non-profits.

Sounds easy but it is not. Acting both in for-profit and non-profit field simultaneously, I have experienced a lot of unclear situations how to handle when there is a joint effort made by a corporation and a non-profit institution in cooperative mode. Usually you should be very clear about the roles and responsibilities and also it should be priorly stated and agreed what are the success criteria and expectations of both (or more) parties from the cooperation.

Also when collaborating as a nonprofit it is crucial to share your organizations tenets and the long term goal of desired outcomes. This will allow economists to understand short & long term objectives and how those align with their own interests and expected outcomes.

Yes, yes, yes. Without a good and continuously managed (!) network you will most probably have hard times when it comes to cooperation, funding or even trying to find partners just for having some fresh ideas and information resources with a market view. Fortunately there are several official organizations and events where non-profits are able to show up and meet with economists who are interested in taking part of non-profit work. Use them and take advantage that somebody else is providing a good communication platform for your goals!

Start by identifying common goals and interests between the two groups, such as addressing social or economic challenges. Facilitate networking events, workshops, or conferences that bring economists and representatives from non-profits together to exchange ideas, share expertise, and explore potential collaborations. Encourage open communication and relationship-building by creating platforms like online forums or discussion groups where individuals can connect and exchange insights. Foster partnerships through joint projects or research initiatives that leverage the strengths and expertise of both economists and non-profit organizations. Provide resources and support to help bridge knowledge gaps and facilitate effective collaboration.

Could not agree more. Communication is key. It is very important to have a clear understanding for everybody what are the opportunities and boundaries of cooperation, what is expected from the parties and what benefits would they ask for.

Explore opportunities for joint funding or grant applications that support collaborative projects between economists and non-profits. By pooling resources and expertise, both parties can increase their chances of securing funding for projects that address common objectives or challenges.

Key element! Cooperation means shared work, shared resources and shared results, both should be clearly planned and set up prior to start the work. Usually economists are better in planning and executing, so practically they are supporting non-profits with such knowledge as well.