Coalition Building and Maintenance
Strong coalitions and networks contribute greatly to advocacy efforts. Coalitions make it possible to coordinate resources and advocacy capacities between member organizations in the service of a common goal. The most effective coalitions are marked by strong personal and organizational relationships, and in many cases those connections were built and strengthened through past collaborative work. Coalitions that include partners with different interests and perspectives are able to extend their reach to bring together a broad range of stakeholders that have different assets, missions, perspectives, constituencies, relationships and strategies to work collaboratively toward a common goal. Through collaborating on a particular campaign, new relationships can form and be nurtured for ongoing partnership.
Resources
Coalition Mapping Worksheet
Campaigns offer opportunities to partner with new groups, including those that may not support your position on other issues. This tool can help identify new sources of support, resources and perspectives.
Collaboration Multiplier
A starting point for appreciating what different sectors can bring to the table and for building effective interdisciplinary efforts through partnership. This document complements "Developing Effective Coalitions", also from the Prevention Institute.
Effective Recruitment of Coalition Members
If you want to recruit a new organization to your coalition, this brief guide helps you analyze "what’s in it for them?"
Stages of Team Building
Team-building does not happen all at once and there are some predictable stages collaborators go through to build a strong team. Understanding these stages helps coalitions to weather inevitable 'growing pains.'
Tips for Making a Coalition Succeed Online
This document can help you identify roles and expectations among partner organizations and decide what will happen with online subscribers and social media fans when you are finished with your campaign.
To Be (a Coalition) or Not To Be (a Coalition)
Thinking about moving from a more informal partnership to a coalition? This paper lays out issues you should consider as well as ground rules and expectations that should be developed early in the process.
