Strategies 
for 
Success 


Beginning 
Your 
Journey: 
Laying 
the 
Foundation 
for 
Success 
in 
the 
Office 
on 
Violence 
Against 
Women’s 
Disability 
Grant 
Program 
Columbus, 
OH 


November 
4, 
2009 


Nancy 
Smith 
Director, 
Accessing 
Safety 
Initiative 
Vera 
Institute 
of 
Justice 




WorkshopObjectivesWorkshopObjectives
> 
Discuss 
lessons 
learned 
and 
strategies 
for 
success 
based 
upon 
previous 
grantees’ 
experience. 


> 
Share 
your 
own 
experiences 
and 
promising 
practices 
with 
collaboration. 


> 
Answer 
your 
pressing 
questions 
about 
structuring 
your 
collaborative 
work. 


Slide 
2 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




WorkinginCollaborationWorkinginCollaboration
Cooperation 
vs. 
Coordination 
vs. 
Collaboration 
Implications 
of 
Working 
in 
Collaboration 
Strategies 
for 
a 
Successful 
Collaboration 




CooperationCooperation
> 
Shorter-term 
informal 
relationship 
> 
No 
clearly 
defined 
vision 
or 
structure 
> 
Only 
share 
info 
on 
the 
topic 
at 
hand 
> 
No 
shared 
authority 
> 
Low 
intensity 


Slide 
4 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Coordination 


> 
More 
formal 
relationship 
> 
More 
of 
an 
understanding 
of 
more 
structure 
a 
shared 
purpose 
and 
> 
More 
open 
organizations 
communication 
channels 
between 


> 
No 
shared 
authority, 
but 
increased 
risk 
> 
Medium 
intensity 


Slide 
5 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Collaboration 


> 
Formal 
and 
sustained 
relationship 
> 
Shared 
vision, 
mission 
and 
values 
> 
Agreement 
around 
operating 
principles 
and 
structure 
> 
Well-defined 
communication 
channels 
at 
different 


levels 
of 
each 
organization 


> 
Shared 
authority 


> 
Higher 
risk 
and 
intensity 
as 
resources 
are 
shared 


Slide 
6 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




FacilitatedDiscussionFacilitatedDiscussion
Based 
on 
your 
previous 
experiences: 
> 
How 
is 
working 
in 
collaboration 
different 
from 


cooperating 
or 
coordinating? 
> 
What 
is 
needed 
for 
a 
collaboration 
to 
be 
successful? 
> 
What 
challenges 
can 
arise 
when 
working 
in 


collaboration, 
and 
how 
have 
you 
overcome 
them? 


Slide 
7 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Table 
Discussion 


> 
What 
best 
characterizes 
your 
history 
of 
working 
together: 
coordination, 
cooperation, 
or 
collaboration? 


> 
How 
will 
working 
in 
collaboration 
on 
this 
grant 
be 
different 
from 
how 
you 
have 
worked 
together 
in 
the 
past? 


> 
What 
lessons 
from 
your 
past 
experiences 
can 
you 
apply 
to 
your 
work 
with 
this 
collaboration? 


Slide 
8 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




ImplicationsofWorkinginCollaborationImplicationsofWorkinginCollaboration
> 
You 
are 
creating 
something 
new 
using 
a 
group 
process, 
which 
requires: 
> 
Active 
engagement 
of 
all 
collaboration 
members. 
> 
Group 
agreement 
on 
all 
key 
issues 
and 
decisions. 
> 
Agency-wide 
buy-in. 
> 
Working 
in 
collaboration 
takes 
more 
time. 
> 
To 
explore 
agency 
and 
individual 
perspectives. 
> 
To 
build 
off 
strengths 
and 
navigate 
differences. 
> 
To 
create 
something 
new. 
> 
The 
results 
are 
often 
richer, 
more 
effective, 
and 
more 
likely 
to 
be 
sustained. 


Slide 
9 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




CollaborationComposition:
WhoisatYourCollaborationTable?
CollaborationComposition:
WhoisatYourCollaborationTable?
Organizations 
Agency 
Representatives 
Project 
Director/Coordinator 
Consultants 




Organizations 


> 
Ideal 
collaboration 
size 
is 
between 
2 
– 
5 
partners. 


> 
The 
substantive 
focus 
of 
your 
work 
should 
parallel 
the 
mission 
and 
expertise 
of 
the 
agencies 
around 
your 
collaboration 
table. 


> 
Every 
partner 
agency 
and 
representative 
should 
be 
able 
to 
affect 
change 
in 
the 
lives 
of 
survivors 
in 
similar 
way. 


> 
Every 
partner 
should 
be 
able 
to 
contribute 
to 
the 
work 
of 
the 
collaboration 
in 
similar 
and 
complementary 
ways. 


Slide 
11 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Organizationscont’d…Organizationscont’d…
> 
Key 
Considerations 
for 
Adding 
Partners 
> 
Organizational 
Commitment 
& 
Fit 
> 
Feasibility 
& 
Manageability 
> 
Budget 
> 
Timing 


> 
Key 
Consideration 
for 
Narrowing 
the 
Number 
of 
Partners 
> 
Overall 
Balance 
> 
Expertise 
& 
Fit 
> 
Feasibility 
& 
Manageability 


Slide 
12 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




AgencyRepresentativesAgencyRepresentatives
> 
Successful 
collaborations 
are 
made 
up 
of 
people 
who: 


> 
Understand 
their 
organization’s 
mission, 
values, 
programs, 
operations, 
and 
critical 
issues; 


> 
Are 
steeped 
in 
their 
organizations 
area 
of 
expertise 
on 
the 
collaboration 
(i.e.
, 
domestic 
violence, 
disability, 
Deaf 
culture, 
etc.)
; 


> 
Can 
make 
decisions 
for 
the 
organization 
and 
garner 
buy-in; 


> 
Can 
commit 
time, 
energy, 
and 
resources 
to 
the 
collaboration; 


and; 
> 
Are 
planners 
and 
doers. 
Slide 
13 
• 
> 
And, 
they 
are 
structured 
involved 
at 
the 
right 
time. 
November 
4, 
2009 
so 
the 
right 
people 
are 




ProjectS.A.F.E.ProjectS.A.F.E.
> 
Suffolk 
County, 
NY 
> 
Collaborating 
Partners 


> 
Victim 
Information 
Bureau 
of 
Suffolk 
(VIBS) 
Family 
Violence 
and 
Rape 
Crisis 
Center 
> 
United 
Cerebral 
Palsy 
Association 
of 
Greater 
Suffolk 
County, 
Inc 


> 
Core 
Working 
Group 
> 
Program 
Director-Level 
Staff 
> 
Project 
Director 
> 
Meets 
Bi-Weekly 
(more 
if 
needed) 


> 
Full 
Collaboration 


> 
Includes 
Working 
Group 
Members 
and 
UCP 
Chief 
Operating 
Officer 
and 
VIBS 
Associate 
Director 


> 
Meets 
Monthly 


Slide 
14 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




TheEqualAccesstoSafetyInitiativeTheEqualAccesstoSafetyInitiative
> 
Hampden 
County, 
MA 
> 
Collaborating 
Partners 
> 
YWCA 
of 
Western 
Massachusetts 
> 
Goodwill 
Industries 
of 
Springfield/Hartford 
Area 
> 
Core 
Collaboration 
> 
Vice 
President 
(1) 
& 
Directors 
(3) 
> 
Project 
Manager 
> 
Strategic 
Engagement 
of 
Other 
Decision-Makers 


> 
Inform 
Key 
Decision-Makers 
of 
Progress 
and 
Key 
Issues 
on 
On-Going 
Basis 
> 
Convene 
Meetings 
with 
Board 
Members, 
Executive 
Directors, 
and 
Key 
Agency 
Staff 
at 
Beginning 
of 
Each 
Stage 
of 
Work 
> 
Invite 
Executive 
Directors 
and 
Other 
Key 
Staff 
to 
Attend 
Core 
Group 
Meetings 
at 
Key 
Points 
Slide 
15 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




H.O.P.E.CollaborativeH.O.P.E.Collaborative
> 
Haywood 
County, 
North 
Carolina 


> 
Collaborating 
Partners 


> 
The 
ARC 
of 
Haywood 
County 
> 
Haywood 
County 
Department 
of 
Social 
Services 
> 
Haywood 
Vocational 
Services 
> 
R.E.A.C.H. 
of 
Haywood 
County 
> 
Smoky 
Mountain 
Center 
> 
30th 
Judicial 
District 
Domestic 
Violence-Sexual 
Assault 
Alliance 


> 
Collaboration 
Members 


> 
Executive 
Directors 
or 
Decision-Makers 
from 
Each 
Agency 
> 
Project 
Co-Directors 


> 
Each 
Member 
is 
Responsible 
for 
Getting 
Buy-In 
from 
Other 
Agency 
Decision-Makers. 


Slide 
16 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




CollaborationStructureConsiderationsCollaborationStructureConsiderations
> 
Agency 
size, 
structure, 
and 
decision-making 
authority 
> 
Knowledge, 
expertise, 
and 
interest 
of 
individual 
staff 


members 
> 
Availability 
of 
resources 
(financial, 
time, 
and 
other) 
> 
Type 
of 
work 
being 
done 


Slide 
17 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




CollaborationStructurecont’d…CollaborationStructurecont’d…
Collaboration 
structures 
evolve 
as 
the 
work 
evolves. 


Slide 
18 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




ProjectDirector/CoordinatorProjectDirector/Coordinator
> 
Serves 
as 
dedicated 
staff 
to 
the 
collaboration, 
but 
is 
employed 
by 
one 
agency 
of 
the 
collaboration. 
> 
Collaboration 
should 
agree 
upon 
key 
aspects 
of 
the 
position. 
> 
Title 
> 
Roles 
and 
responsibilities 
> 
Supervision 
and 
management 
structure 
> 
Support 


> 
But, 
recognize 
that 
the 
agency 
that 
employs 
Project 
Director 
position 
has 
unique 
and 
additional 
responsibilities. 


Slide 
19 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




ProjectDirectorcont’d…ProjectDirectorcont’d…
> 
Main 
responsibilities 
include: 


> 
Building 
and 
maintaining 
relationships, 
> 
Leading 
the 
collaboration 
through 
the 
planning 
and 


development 
phase, 
> 
Overseeing 
and 
managing 
the 
implementation 
phase, 
> 
Drafting 
deliverables, 
and 
> 
Serving 
as 
liaison 
to 
Vera 
and 
OVW. 


> 
Works 
best 
when 
the 
Project 
Director/Coordinator 
is 
not 
also 
serving 
as 
their 
agency 
representative 
on 
the 
collaboration. 


> 
Key 
qualities 
include: 


> 
Excellent 
project 
management 
and 
facilitation 
skills, 
> 
Skilled 
collaborator 
and 
communicator, 
> 
Diplomatic, 
> 
Loves 
to 
plan 
and 
coordinate, 
and 
> 
Can 
balance 
the 
process 
and 
the 
outcome. 


Slide 
20 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Consultants 


> 
If 
your 
collaboration 
has 
plans 
to 
involve 
consultants, 
be 
sure 
to: 


> 
Assess 
whether 
they 
are 
needed, 


> 
Clearly 
define 
their 
scope 
of 
work 
and 
timetable, 
and 


> 
Determine 
how 
you 
will 
keep 
them 
informed 
of 
your 
work 
progress. 


> 
The 
use 
of 
consultants 
have 
been 
most 
successful 
when 
consultants 
have 
worked 
on 
discrete 
pieces 
of 
work, 
like 
conducting 
focus 
groups 
or 
creating 
a 
website, 
and 
not 
those 
that 
are 
central 
to 
the 
development 
of 
the 
collaboration’s 
goals 
and 
process. 


Slide 
21 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




StrategiesforMaintainingEngagementandBuy-InStrategiesforMaintainingEngagementandBuy-In
Agency 
Representatives 
Organizations 




KeyStrategiesforAgencyRepresentativesKeyStrategiesforAgencyRepresentatives
> 
Be 
aware 
of 
what 
motivates 
everyone 
around 
the 
table. 


> 
Play 
to 
the 
strengths 
of 
individuals 
around 
the 
table. 


> 
Celebrate 
your 
successes. 


> 
Remember 
the 
“why” 
behind 
each 
step 
in 
the 
process. 


> 
Recognize 
that 
building 
a 
strong 
foundation 
(i.e..
relationship 
building 
and 
planning) 
takes 
time 
and 
has 
a 
big 
pay-off. 


> 
Avoid 
thinking 
that 
implementation 
is 
the 
only 
“real 
work.
” 


Slide 
23 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




KeyStrategiesforOrganizationsKeyStrategiesforOrganizations
> 
Upon 
returning 
from 
your 
orientation 
have 
explicit 
conversations 
with 
key 
stakeholders 
about 
the 
requirements 
of 
the 
grant 
for 
your 
agency. 


> 
Convene 
meetings 
with 
key 
stakeholders 
as 
the 
implications 
of 
this 
work 
for 
them 
become 
clearer 
> 
Senior 
management 
> 
Key 
program 
personnel 
> 
Fiscal 
> 
Human 
resources 
> 
Facilities 


Slide 
24 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




KeyStrategiesforOrganizationscontinuedKeyStrategiesforOrganizationscontinued
> 
Include 
project-related 
information 
in 
existing 
staff 
and 
board 
meetings 


> 
Convene 
meetings 
with 
key 
stakeholders 
at 
key 
milestones 
> 
Charter 
> 
Needs 
Assessment 
Report 
> 
Strategic 
Plan 


Slide 
25 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




OtherConsiderationsforthePlanning&DevelopmentPhaseOtherConsiderationsforthePlanning&DevelopmentPhase
Timeline 
Resource 
Allocation 
Budget 
Memorandum of 
Understanding 
or 
Contract 




Timeline 


> 
The 
amount 
of 
time 
spent 
in 
planning 
and 
development 
varies 
from 
collaboration 
to 
collaboration. 


> 
For 
local 
collaborations, 
it 
takes 
an 
average 
of 
15 
months. 


> 
For 
state-level 
collaborations, 
it 
takes 
18 
-24 
months. 


> 
Factors 
that 
influence 
timetable 
include: 
> 
History 
of 
working 
together 
> 
Familiarity 
of 
subject 
matter 
> 
Number 
of 
partners 
> 
Vision 
alignment 
among 
partners 
and 
with 
OVW 
> 
Amount 
of 
time 
dedicated 
to 
the 
work 
> 
Number 
of 
unforeseen 
diversions 


Slide 
27 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 


> 
OVW 
approval 




Timeline 
cont’d… 


Be 
flexible 
with 
your 
timeline. 
It 
should 
mirror 
your 
work 


process 
and 
what 
is 
required 
to 
create 
a 
strong 
foundation 
for 
developing 
relationships 
and 
instituting 
changes 
within 
your 
organizations, 
which 
is 
hard 
to 
anticipate. 


Slide 
28 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Timeline 
cont’d… 


> 
You 
are 
not 
in 
a 
race. 


> 
The 
amount 
of 
time 
you 
spend 
in 
a 
given 
component 
of 
the 
work 
should 
be 
reflective 
of 
the 
time 
that 
was 
needed 
to 
successfully 
complete 
it. 


> 
Only 
be 
concerned 
about 
the 
timing 
of 
your 
work 
if 
it 
is 
being 
drawn 
out 
or 
delayed 
by 
lack 
of 
contributions 
among 
your 
team 
members 
or 
inefficient 
work 
process. 


Slide 
29 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




TableDiscussion:YourTimelineTableDiscussion:YourTimeline
> 
How 
does 
the 
average 
timeline 
for 
past 
collaborations 
differ 
from 
your 
expectations 
around 
your 
timeline? 


> 
What 
are 
the 
benefits 
and 
challenges 
of 
having 
longer 
than 
anticipated 
timeline? 


> 
What 
are 
the 
benefits 
and 
challenges 
of 
having 
flexibility 
around 
your 
timeline? 


> 
What 
strategies 
can 
you 
employ 
to 
keep 
the 
work 
moving 
while 
being 
responsive 
to 
the 
needs 
of 
the 
work? 


Slide 
30 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




The 
amount 
of 
time 
and 
resources 
each 
agency 
contributes 
is 
difficult 
to 
estimate 
and 
varies. 


Slide 
31 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Resource 
Allocation 


> 
Attendance 
at 
In-Person 
Collaboration 
Meetings 


> 
Purpose 
of 
meetings 
varies 
depending 
on 
where 
your 
collaboration 
is 
at 
in 
the 
process 


> 
Meeting 
schedules 
vary 
(weekly 
for 
2 
hours, 
twice 
a 
month 
for 
4 
hours, 
etc.
) 


> 
An 
average 
of 
8 
hours 
a 
month 
> 
Non-Meeting 
Related 
Contributions 
> 
Work 
on 
assignments 
from 
meeting 
> 
Reviewing 
materials 
and 
providing 
comment 
> 
Informing 
key 
stakeholders 
in 
agency 
of 
collaborations 
work 
> 
Getting 
agency 
buy-in 
> 
An 
average 
of 
4 
hours 
a 
month 


Slide 
32 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




ResourceAllocationcont’d…ResourceAllocationcont’d…
> 
Retreats 
> 
Time 
away 
from 
the 
office 
to 
focus 
on 
a 
specific 
area 
of 
your 
work 
together 
> 
Project 
Kick-Off 
> 
Collaboration 
Charter 
> 
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan 
& 
Tools 
> 
Strategic 
Plan 
> 
2 
days 
per 
retreat 


> 
Technical 
Assistance 
Engagements 


> 
2 
in-person 
meetings/trainings 
per 
year 


> 
2 
days 
per 
meeting 


Slide 
33 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




ResourceAllocationcont’d…ResourceAllocationcont’d…
Activity 
Average 
Number 
of 
Days/Year 
Collaboration 
Meetings 
12 
Work 
In-Between 
Meetings 
6 
Collaboration 
Retreats 
6 
-
8 
All-Site 
Meetings/Trainings 
4 
TOTAL 
28 
-30 


Slide 
34 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




Budget 


> 
Each 
agency 
should 
be 
paid 
fairly 
and 
equitably 
for 
their 
contributions 
to 
the 
collaboration. 


> 
Payment 
structures 
for 
project 
partners 
vary 
and 
should 
be 
outlined 
in 
MOU. 


> 
Monthly 
or 
quarterly 
payments 
in 
exchange 
for 
agreed-upon 
contributions 
are 
most 
common. 
> 
Agreed-upon 
contributions 
tend 
to 
be 
qualitative 
and 
not 
quantified 
in 
hours. 
> 
Successful 
collaborations 
build 
in 
a 
process 
for 
checking 
in 
about 
the 
budget. 


> 
Collaborations 
submit 
a 
budget 
modification 
along 
with 
their 
strategic 
plan 
at 
the 
end 
of 
the 
planning 
and 
development 
phase 
that 
details 
the 
budget 
for 
implementation. 


> 
The 
amount 
of 
money 
agencies 
receive 
during 
the 
implementation 
phase 
may 
vary 
from 
the 
planning 
and 
development 
phase. 


Slide 
35 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




M.O.
U 
or 
Contract 
> 
Many 
collaborations 
have 
found 
it 
useful 
to 
revise 
their 
Memorandum 
of 
Understanding 
or 
agency 
contracts 
at 
two 
points 
in 
the 
process. 


> 
Start 
of 
Planning 
& 
Development 
Phase 
> 
Start 
of 
Implementation 


> 
These 
agreements 
typically 
outline: 


> 
Scope 
of 
Work: 
the 
agency’s 
contributions 
and 
commitments 
to 
the 
collaboration, 
including 
work 
process. 


> 
Payment: 
how 
much 
money 
the 
agency 
will 
receive 
in 
exchange 
for 
their 
work, 
when 
and 
how 
payments 
will 
be 
distributed. 


Slide 
36 
• 
November 
4, 
2009 




QuestionsandReflectionsQuestionsandReflections