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The Marga Method
Marga Incorporated has developed an approach to forge, strengthen, and sustain partnerships and pathways that leverage the resources of multiple parties to take on critical societal needs. Marga has been developing and continually refining this process. Through this Method, Marga plays the role of a partnership catalyst, providing a combination of consulting and research leading to partnerships that are sustained and continually producing results. The process is applicable to partnerships at the local level across all sectors of society such as business, government, nonprofits, the arts, higher education, philanthropy, health care and any other major industry. It is also applicable for partnerships within sectors and across national boundaries.
The Marga Method is guided by the mutual interests that can be served through partnerships. In this approach, Marga helps partner institutions get beyond conflicts if interest to unearth shared interests and pursue common paths leading to measurable results. In providing the most valuable possible insights to clients, Marga takes the approach of a learning organization continually writing and thinking about the nature of partnerships. By continually capturing lessons learned and researching promising practices Marga shares its best thinking with clients and is able to make adjustments to the approach when necessary. Marga combines this knowledge development with the practical work of facilitation, strategic planning, and mediation required to maintain partnerships. The Marga Method is the result of the company’s ongoing thinking and doing.
The Marga Method includes the following components:
Assessing the Potential for Partnerships
Marga develops comprehensive assessments of the potential for partnerships. Recently, Marga has created an unprecedented approach to assessing the potential for transformational partnerships in particular cities.
Identifying Partners
An institution that wishes to build partnerships with other institutions usually contracts with Marga at the outset. Marga investigates and identifies potential partners based on criteria to determine the right fit. Marga continually probes to determine who is missing from the table as partnerships develop, often seeking participation by stakeholder groups whose voices are not normally heard such as people of color and low-income residents in addition to institutional partners.
Establishing Win/Win Rationales
Years of research and understanding has helped Marga realize that partnerships that last are those where partners see how they benefit from their involvement. Marga helps institutions determine the rationale for their engagement in partnerships. Marga is designing tools to help institutions match priority interests with those of other partners.
Convening Partners
Marga brings partners together to help them build lines of communication and mutual understanding. Marga's meeting facilitation helps partners develop a mutually beneficial common vision for their collaboration.
Conducting Relevant Research
Often, partnerships can learn from case examples. Marga provides case study research, sometimes including actual site visits. Marga also employs various research methods to advance the aims of partnerships, including focus groups, interviews, surveys, and quantitative data collection and analysis.
Facilitating Strategic Partnership Plans
Many partnerships stall when they are unable to agree upon clear and practical strategic directions. Marga, in its neutral role, is uniquely positioned to facilitate strategic conversations that lead to concrete strategic plans.
Designing Projects
Marga helps partners move beyond plans, and forge specific projects with clear, achievable results. What Marga calls, “signature projects” are specific initiatives that help new activate new partnerships and revive existing ones. The clarity and viability of “signature projects” helps partners see the value of working together, providing the encouragement to continue.
Evaluating Progress
The ability to identify indicators of success and measure progress is essential to the effectiveness of partnerships. Marga helps partnerships specify intended aims, create appropriate evaluation methods, assess progress, and provide reports.
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