|
"If we're going to have a global impact and do it over the long haul, then governments and businesses have to be involved. They are central to everything that we do as a foundation," she said. Ms. Gates also said that her fund will continue to form partnerships
"Yes, we have a lot of resources, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to the goals that we have and where we're trying to go,"
- Melinda Gates, Council on Foundations Annual Conference 2007 Are partnerships worth the time and energy? While the virtues of partnerships may be philosophically apparent, it is more difficult to conclude that the work of partnerships meets intended expectations. Because the actual implementation of partnerships can be daunting, Marga continues to refine its method for forming and strengthening such efforts. Bringing appropriate representatives to the table and reaching consensus about some direction requires significant attention, communication, trust and mutual respect. But what must we know in advance to, at least, enhance the likelihood of partnerships forming, setting direction, and delivering results?
The Anchor Institutions portfolio of the Annie E. Casey Foundation has been providing Marga the opportunity to develop tools to catalyze partnerships in cities where the Foundation maintains ongoing investments. For the Foundation, the benefits of Marga’s intervention are clear – the Foundation’s desire to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families are enhanced by the inclusion of additional resources from other institutions. These institutions could be corporations, universities, hospitals, sports franchises, and others. But how can one identify the right potential partners? What is the culture of partnerships in particular cities or regions? How can other institutions benefit from partnering (with Casey in this instance)?
These are some of the kinds of questions and ideas addressed by an unprecedented approach to assessing a city’s capacity for partnerships. Through mapping and mining a vast range of information, these assessments help identify what must be known in order to pursue partnerships, providing some degree of understanding of the feasibility of such collaborative endeavors. Ultimately, Casey and Marga hope to be able to expedite the steps involved in forging and activating partnerships involving multiple institutions in particular cities, thereby enhancing the potential for partnerships to harness resources to improve lives. Once further refined, the combined dimensions of Marga’s method should bring value to partnerships of all types.
Latest iteration of the Casey-Marga Anchor Partnerships Assessment Tool:
Casey's Interests in the Particular City
• Existing Casey work in the City
• Casey's Future Interests in the City
Characteristics of the City and its Anchor Institutions
• Vital Statistics on Key Social Indicators
• Key Anchor Institutions/Industries in the City
• Map of Anchor Institutions in the City
• Profiles of Key Industries and their Partnerships
• Insights on the Nature of Collaboration in the City
Strategic Pathways
• Charting Potential Partnerships
– Anchors Already Partnering with Casey
– Likely Anchor Partners
– Anchors Requiring Significant Education/Persuasion
• Existing Partnerships (involving Casey) that could be Enhanced
• Potential New Partnerships
• Strategic Steps |
