Giving Compass' Take:

• India Development Review identifies five strategies that enable organizations, individuals and other key stakeholders in the social development world to work effectively together, even when their interests diverge.

• The basics of collaboration — creating a common vision, putting words into action — are covered here, but they're boosted by strong examples of where collaboration worked (child-friendly rehabilitative shelter homes).

• Read about navigating purpose and collaboration in social impact networks.

The power of networks is well recognized by every player in the social sector. Whether we are governments, philanthropists, policy makers, or practitioners, most of us can picture the results of well-coordinated inter-linkages: supportive communities, open dialogue, joint manifestos, and great results.

What is much less clear is how this will happen. Defining exactly what needs to be done as part of coordinated, collaborative action tends to be challenging; especially when it comes to low resource communities where formal and informal systems must combine capabilities and implement action in real time on the ground. In most cases coordination must also happen with few additional resources allocated specifically for it.

In such situations, what does it take to help a wide range of actors with a diverse set of interests come together and work effectively?

  1. Recognize that history, geography and chemistry matter
  2. Create a joint vision
  3. Match mandates
  4. Spread the word
  5. Actions speak louder than words

Read the full article about the keys to effective collaboration by Suparna Gupta at India Development Review.