How can you build strategic partnerships that promote access to quality healthcare for all?

3 Engage and communicate with potential partners

After you have identified and researched potential partners, you need to engage and communicate with them to explore the possibility of collaboration. You can use different channels and strategies to reach out and build rapport with potential partners, such as emails, phone calls, meetings, webinars, newsletters, and social media. You should communicate your goals and impact clearly and concisely, and listen to their needs and interests. You should also be transparent and honest about your expectations, capabilities, and limitations, and avoid making any assumptions or promises that you cannot keep.

4 Collaborate and co-create with potential partners

If you and your potential partners agree to collaborate, you need to co-create a partnership agreement that defines the roles, responsibilities, expectations, and contributions of each partner. You should also establish a governance structure and a communication plan that ensure effective coordination, accountability, and feedback among partners. You should also co-create a joint action plan that outlines the specific activities, timelines, budgets, and indicators of your partnership. You should involve all partners in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of your partnership, and respect their autonomy, diversity, and expertise.

5 Sustain and improve your partnership

To ensure the success and sustainability of your partnership, you need to regularly monitor and evaluate your partnership performance and impact. You should use both quantitative and qualitative methods and tools to collect and analyze data and evidence on your partnership outcomes and processes. You should also solicit and incorporate feedback from your partners, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders on your partnership strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. You should use the results and insights from your monitoring and evaluation to celebrate your achievements, identify and address any issues, and improve your partnership quality and effectiveness.

6 Learn and share your partnership lessons

Finally, you need to learn and share your partnership lessons and best practices with your partners, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders. You should document and disseminate your partnership stories, results, and recommendations through various formats and platforms, such as reports, blogs, podcasts, videos, and social media. You should also participate in and contribute to relevant communities of practice, networks, events, and publications that focus on health partnerships and philanthropy. By learning and sharing your partnership lessons, you can enhance your knowledge and skills, increase your visibility and credibility, and inspire and influence others to join your cause.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?