Very little research and evaluation activity is done without collaboration. Establishing meaningful and effective partnerships takes effort and time at the beginning of a project and then throughout the duration.
- Be strategic about your partnerships
- Engage with partners early in the project
- Understand the priorities of different partners
- Understand your agency’s overall research agenda and specific research or evaluation goals
- Build trust through open and honest dialogue
- Communicate regularly
Some partners may be internal to your organization and others may be from outside of it.
Potential external partners include:
- University-based researchers
- Other agencies
- Funders
- Clients
- Trainers
Potential internal partners include:
- Management
- Service providers
- Information technology and/or data specialists