Partnerships

The process of establishing the need and demand for a project may offer opportunities to explore developing partnerships with other learning providers or groups, to enable or improve delivery of a project.

It may also be appropriate to consider working with other organisations operating in the same field as yours to deliver a project. This might mean working with other cathedrals and churches regionally or nationally, or identifying local heritage providers with an interest in supporting adult learning opportunities.

Cathedrals and churches have a number of strengths to bring to a partnership, including:

• Staff expertise
• Track record in – and commitment to - education, learning and social action
• Availability of flexible and / or large spaces
• Profile within communities
• Identity as a non-threatening venue
• Accessibility
• Diversity of existing programmes and events
• Access to – and ability to recruit – volunteers
• Continuity

If other organisations are considering – or express an interest in supporting - work targeting the same or similar audiences as those with which you are planning to work, a partnership may be worth considering. If possible, an agreement should be made at an early stage establishing the responsibilities and commitments of each party. This will not only ensure that everyone is pulling in the same direction, but will be important in clarifying roles to funders and outside organisations.

Funders typically like partnerships because they reinforce the idea of projects being complementary to existing provision, but can also be nervous of the additional risks associated with new relationships and new projects.