CAFE: Investing in the community through strategic partnerships
by Melanie Priest, director of grants services, Hedges
Collaboration. Relationships. Connections. Alliances. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, these are all words that are synonymous with partnerships. Strategic community partnerships in the nonprofit sector are the key to success for many reasons including:
In fact, of 1,192 grant makers surveyed by the Urban Institute, 69 percent reported that they actively encourage collaboration among grantees. Of those respondents, 42 percent indicated they often require partnerships as a condition for funding. Grant makers also indicated that strategic partnerships with clearly defined roles improve cooperation among agencies, leading to greater accountability, capacity building, and better program results (Mission Driven Strategies for Effective Nonprofit Program Development, Candid, 2020).
One Indianapolis nonprofit organization that has emerged as a leader in investing in the community by developing and engaging in strategic partnerships is the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE).