Allen and Clarke Policy and Regulatory Specialists Ltd (Allen & Clarke) was engaged by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to carry out a literature review to identify ‘what works’ to achieve effective collaboration between community organisations. This report and its associated summary document are the final deliverables for this project.
The DIA commissioned this work as part of its role as advisor to the Lottery Grants Board. The Board identified a need for information to help support its interest in encouraging community groups to work together and to use available funds as efficiently as possible.
This literature review focuses on what works for encouraging collaboration between community organisations. It summarises academic and grey research and evaluation from New Zealand and overseas including Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Collaboration can be viewed as a continuum, where ‘lower’ level collaboration, such as networking or relationship building, is the basis of future ‘higher’ level collaborations, such as formal partnerships or co‐operations.
Key environmental and organisational success factors that can encourage collaborations to form, maintain existing collaborations and help them succeed are:
- existing relationships,
- clear, open and frequent communication,
- shared vision, collective identity and purpose,
- respect, trust, honouring of diversity,
- strong leadership,
- good governance,
- having the right people involved, and
- a favourable climate.
Collaboration can provide many benefits for community organisations, by providing integrated solutions to the complex problems facing society today. However, there are a number of costs that need to be weighed against these benefits in deciding whether to collaborate. These include:
- organisational capacity,
- conflicts,
- hostile environments,
- insufficient communication or knowledge, and
- over‐incentivising.