Collaborative working

What you need to know

Collaborative working – also known as joint or partnership working – covers a spectrum of ways that two or more voluntary and community organisations can work together. Options range from informal networks and alliances, through joint delivery of projects to full merger. Collaborative working can last for a fixed length of time or form a permanent arrangement.

Why is collaborative working a key issue for your organisation?

In recent years, interest in collaborative working has been growing, driven by government policy and public opinion, and by the sector's drive for effectiveness and efficiency, in order to improve services for beneficiaries.

But joint working is not right for all organisations in all cases, and careful decision making is necessary before embarking on any collaboration.

Frequently asked questions

What forms can collaborative working take?

• Separate organisations maintain their independence, but work jointly on some activities or functions
• Organisations with resources or expertise offer assistance to other organisations, e.g. a large national organisation working with a small local group
• A new organisation to do joint work on some activities or functions
• A group structure where a 'parent' organisation governs a group of 'subsidiary' organisations
• Merger to form a new organisation working as one body on all activities

Do you have a template agreement for collaborating organisations? 

In all but the simplest cases, a written agreement is advised. But creating a 'one size fits all' agreement would be a tricky task, considering the diversity of the voluntary and community sector and the many different purposes to which collaborative working is put. 

Instead, we have produced guidance on Joint working agreements for use by organisations developing their own agreements. The process of devising your agreement jointly with your partner organisation/s is as important as the finished document itself. The guidance offers general advice on drawing up an agreement and suggests content to consider for inclusion. 

What structures are available for consortia delivery of public services? 

Funders reducing the number of contracts they hold results in a transfer of responsibilities of contract management to delivering organisations. Voluntary and community organisations are increasingly exploring different structures for delivering public service contracts in consortia.

Three common models of consortia delivery of public services are: 

1. a new organisation established to manage a contract
2. one organisation taking lead responsibility for a contract
3. an external, non-delivering organisation taking the lead

Read on to explore different aspects of these structures.

Publications

• Should you collaborate? Key questions - is a checklist to help organisations decide whether to embark on formal collaborative working or merger.
• Joint working agreements - provides information on developing formal written agreements for voluntary and community organisations choosing to work collaboratively.
• Joint working for public service delivery - describes how organisations can collaborate to deliver public services.
• Merger - good practice guidance covering some of the reasons that organisations merge and the different forms that merger can take.
• Campaigning in Collaboration - shares practical lessons drawn from the real experiences of a range of voluntary organisations campaigning together.
• Due Diligence Demystified - gives clear and concise information on due diligence and how to carry it out in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

See our full list of collaborative working publications.

Case Studies

Find out how other organisations have shared services, joined forces or worked together in a variety of different ways. Read the collaborative working case studies.

Contact

NCVO's Collaborative Working Team offers good practice information and advice to help voluntary and community organisations make decisions about whether and how to work collaboratively.

Visit our Collaborative Working pages, send a question via email or telephone us on 020 7520 2440. 

Back to top