In today's interconnected world, partnerships can help your nonprofit open new avenues to amplify your impact and extend your reach. However, forging these alliances is not without its challenges. Many nonprofits struggle with identifying the right partners, navigating the complexities of diverse collaboration models, and managing these relationships effectively to ensure mutual benefit and success.

Over six interactive sessions, GrantStation President Alice Ruhnke will cover how to create productive partnerships across various sectors so you can increase your organization’s impact. They are designed in an easy-to-digest format with beginners in mind. Each 45-minute session includes 30+ minutes of practical content.   

Recordings available through 2025 (descriptions below):

• Identify and Cultivate Meaningful Partnerships
• Maximize Growth by Partnering With Businesses
• Increase Your Impact Through Nonprofit Partnerships
• How to Cultivate Local Government Support
• Unlock Partnerships With Financial Institutions
• Partner with Communities of Faith for Social Impact

Tuition for the six-part package:

• $0 Animal Welfare Professional Members
• $20 Learning Members
• $50 Industry Partners
• $75 Industry Partner Non-Members

Our partner GrantStation provides tools and training to find new grant sources, build a strong grantseeking program, and write winning successful proposals to fund your organization’s mission.

**  Members of The Association, subscribe to GrantStation at a 90% discount, then enjoy access to MORE webinars about grant topics.   **

DESCRIPTIONS:

Identify and Cultivate Meaningful Partnerships

Connectedness has never been so important in the nonprofit sector. Effective partnerships have a lot of advantages, including making your applications more appealing to funders. But successful partnerships rarely "just happen." They usually require strategic steps and resources to reach their highest potential. Therefore, you need to think about both developing and managing collaborations. Alice Ruhnke, President of GrantStation, will give you details about the different collaborative models your nonprofit can engage in to increase your odds of getting funded. The webinar will cover these specific topics:

• Types of partnership models;
• Considerations as you work within each model;
• Examples of successful collaborative efforts; and,
• How you can proactively manage partnerships.

Maximize Growth by Partnering With Businesses

Business and corporate support for philanthropic activities can be an integral part of your overall funding strategy. However, businesses give in different ways. Some have corporate foundations while others provide sponsorships, matching funds, product donations, or volunteer time. This diversity makes it difficult to determine the best way to strategically position yourself to be competitive for corporate support. GrantStation President Alice Ruhnke will share strategies you can use to add corporate donations to your organization’s funding portfolio. You’ll walk away with an understanding of the driving forces behind corporate giving strategies so you can develop approaches to attract support from diverse businesses. You’ll learn:

• The different models of corporate giving;
• How each model could benefit your organization; and,
• The best ways to pre-position your organization to be successful when asking for and obtaining support.

Increase Your Impact Through Nonprofit Partnerships

Nonprofit organizations frequently forge partnerships to enhance their impact, pool resources, and more effectively meet their objectives. Collaborating with other nonprofits—from social service agencies and educational institutions to healthcare organizations and the media—can unlock powerful synergies, broadening the scope and reach of your efforts. Alice Ruhnke will help you optimize nonprofit collaborations. This session will explore seven critical factors essential for forging effective partnerships:

1. Mission Alignment: Ensuring a shared vision and values is the cornerstone of any successful partnership.
2. Complementary Strengths: Leveraging the unique strengths and resources of each organization can lead to greater collective impact.
3. Clear Goals and Metrics: Establishing specific objectives and ways to measure success keeps the partnership focused and accountable.
4. Open Communication: Maintaining transparency and ongoing dialogue ensures alignment and builds trust.
5. Defined Roles: Clarifying each party's responsibilities prevents overlap and ensures efficiency.
6. Cultural Fit: Harmonizing organizational cultures or finding ways to bridge differences is crucial for smooth collaboration.
7. Legal and Financial Due Diligence: Addressing legal and financial implications upfront avoids complications and ensures a stable partnership foundation.

How to Cultivate Local Government Support

Working collaboratively with local and state governments could be a win-win situation for your organization. These entities tend to have larger sums of money to distribute, so their support can be an avenue to sustaining your organization. However, partnering with any level of government can feel intimidating to nonprofit organizations, especially those without much experience. The systems for partnering with government are different in their timing, bureaucracy, and processes than those for applying to foundations. These partnerships are seldom a “quick fix” but instead a longer-term strategy. Alice Ruhnke will show you the steps and resources you need to create these impactful relationships and grow your organization.  You’ll walk away with an understanding of how to position your organization to maximize public benefits. You’ll learn:

• The benefits of partnering with local and state governments;
• The steps you need to take to partner with local and state governments;
• How to use your organization’s deep knowledge of community needs, reach, and existing relationships; and,
• Common obstacles and possible solutions.

Unlock Partnerships With Financial Institutions

Financial institutions play a pivotal role in local economic development and are often keen on supporting initiatives that align with their mission to foster community growth. Working alongside community banks can open up new avenues for funding, volunteer engagement, and community outreach. Alice Ruhnke will help you build relationships with your community banks. You’ll be introduced to the various ways in which partnering with different financial institutions can help your nonprofit access financial resources, gain financial literacy, and leverage local networks to amplify your impact. Even if you already have banking relationships, this session can help ensure you’re maximizing those relationships. You’ll learn:

• The different types of financial institutions and the pros and cons of working with them;
• How the Community Reinvestment Act can benefit you;
• The actions you need to take when researching banks in your community; and,
• Recommended steps to develop, maintain, and grow relationships with your community banks.

Partner with Communities of Faith for Social Impact

In the pursuit of expanding their impact, nonprofit organizations are continuously seeking new and innovative partnerships. One avenue of collaboration that holds significant promise is with communities of faith. Alice Ruhnke, President of GrantStation, and Aretha Simons, President of Multiplying Talents, will delve into the dynamic potential of partnerships between nonprofits and faith-based organizations. You’ll see the transformative power that arises when these entities unite for the betterment of society. During the session, we will explore:

• Strategies for identifying potential faith-based partners that align with your organization's mission;
• Navigating the complexities of faith-based collaboration with respect, sensitivity, and inclusivity;
• How partnering with faith-based organizations can reach a broader audience; and,
• How partnering together can enhance programs and initiatives.