Partnerships among NGOs is a great way to amplify your NGOs reach and impact. In the last years, it has become more common for NGOs to enter partnerships with peer NGOs. When Partnerships among NGOs applying for funding – sometimes this is even required by the donors. But what are the reasons for this? Why should you bother to work out a partnership when you feel like you can do the work alone? There are a couple of reasons why partnerships are worth the effort!
Particularly when you just started working with your NGO, it might be difficult for you to get a donor’s attention because you lack experience. Many donors only want to work with NGOs that have at least a couple of years of working experience, to make sure that they are sustainable. You cannot change the fact that your NGO is new, but you can get around this requirement by partnering with another NGO that has been existing for longer and can take the lead in the application.
Small NGOs – especially at the beginning – mostly work in one or two communities. While this makes a lot of sense from their perspective, it also results in a limited number of beneficiaries. Some donors want to see a bigger reach. Partnering with other NGOs that work in neighboring communities can lead to that higher reach. Also, your great project would benefit more people at the same time with just a little bit more effort and investment.
In a partnership of two NGOs, all partners will most likely have different areas of expertise and skills. When applying for funds, it is a great asset when you have different experts for the different focus areas of your proposal. Combining the knowledge and skillsets of the experts of the partner organizations makes your proposal much stronger.
Furthermore, you can save specific resources by sharing them. When working alone, every NGO would need i.e. a project manager, accountant, or field worker. When working in a partnership, some of these tasks can be shared. In this way, resources are used much more effectively.
There are some tips on how a successful partnership between NGOs should be set up. Stay tuned for our article about this tomorrow.
Eva is based in Germany and has worked for nearly a decade with NGOs on the grassroots level in Nepal in the field of capacity development and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. Before that, she worked in South America and Europe with different organizations. She holds a Ph.D. in geography and her field of research was sustainability and inclusion in development projects.
NCYDC is a youth club that is aiming to reduce poverty among the youth in ZAMBIA and create employment to the youth
Albet Musabye
Thank you for your article. From this I now understand the importance of partnership. Meanwhile, I wait curiously for your next article up to tomorrow.
How can I manage to get a Partner ? May I get help
Hello Lazaro,
to find a partnership with another organization you just have to see who works in your field or geographical area and ask if they would be interesting in a collaboration. You can find more information on partnerships in this article.
We are a start up NGO and needed to partner with P4G. How do we go about the partnership. We interested in the current proje on food scarcity and sustainability. And closing date is 15 of this month.
Dear Ekwueme: For detailed information on eligibility criteria and the application process, please visit the following link
Hello My Dear Sir or Madam, “Greetings from SHELTER” Thanks and I write you on behalf of SHELTER, a registered Non-Government Organization in from NGOAB (registration no. 1780) PM offices in Bangladesh from 2000. SHELTER like partnership project work with your organization grant or fund as a local partnership project in Bangladesh from your kind cooperation. SHELTER also hope that your support is highly apprised for make long tram experience under your organization partnership. If our organization SHELTER Bangladesh is eligible for apply then please send your call for application, guideline, criteria, and web link for apply 2019. I attest… Read more »
Please help my NGO create for sponsor
Hello Partha,
Unfortunately, We are not a funding organization and do not provide grants. We are a social enterprise that provides a platform to connect you with expert advice on proposal writing to get your amazing projects funded.
Please check out the many resources available on our site to will help you on creating a fundring startegy.
Thank you!
very helpful for me. i follow your advices..
Dear Md Abul:
I am glad you found this article helpful!
Kwao Emmanuel from Ghana west Africa and CEO and Founder of Kwao Educational Complex in the community