Models of collaborative working

The Collaborative Working Team has produced a range of models covering the different ways that voluntary or community organisations can work together. The models describe common features of each type of collaboration and outline good practice.

Each model includes case studies which illustrate different examples of joint working.

• Working together to achieve your mission
• Sharing back office services
• Joint working for public service delivery
• National organisations with local groups
• Merger
• Collaborative working to generate income - New! 
• Collaborative working to make more effective use of ICT 
• Campaigning in collaboration

Working together to achieve your mission

Working together to achieve your mission outlines good practice for organisations working together on activities that directly contribute to their mission. It is relevant to every kind of organisation, from those providing services in a community to those concentrating on policy and campaigning. The model covers issues including funding and managing joint projects, internal communications and PR.

• Read Working together to achieve your mission 

Sharing back office services

Sharing back office services looks at collaborating on the supporting functions that enable organisations to carry out their activities. They include premises, IT, HR, and finance services. The model outlines areas to consider before you start sharing services and describes advantages, disadvantages and tips.

• Read Sharing back office services 

Joint working for public service delivery

Joint working for public service delivery describes how organisations can collaborate to deliver services usually provided by the state. The model focuses on the relationship between voluntary or community organisations and introduces areas they need to think about when jointly contracting with public bodies.

• Read Joint working for public service delivery 
• See also Structures for consortia delivery of public services

National organisations with local groups

National organisations with local groups outlines how organisations with a national body and local groups can work together. They may be separate organisations together forming a federal structure or may legally all be part of one organisation with a branch structure. This model suggests how to maintain good relations between parts of the structure and explains the impact of organisational structure on key areas of work.

• Read National organisations with local groups 

Merger

Merger lists some of the reasons that organisations merge and the different forms that merger can take. Its good practice guidance covers the decision to merge, the merger process and how organisations can lay the groundwork for the merged organisation.

• Read Merger 

Collaborative working to generate income

Collaborative working to generate income introduces different ways of working with other organisations to generate income. Subjects covered include fundraising events, joint trading, payroll giving through consortia, appeals and legacy giving.

• Read Collaborative working to generate income 

Collaborative working to make more effective use of ICT

Collaborative working to make more effective use of ICT aims to inspire organisations to see collaboration as a potential solution to the ICT issues they face. The information explores areas where collaboration can offer a way of addressing ICT support needs, examines the pros and cons of each method, and introduces a range of case studies. This information, which was produced jointly by the Collaborative Working Unit and the ICT Hub, is available on the NCVO ICT Development Services website.

• Read Collaborative working to make more effective use of ICT 

NCVO ICT Development Services provides a source of trusted information and guidance on ICT to enable civil sector organisations to operate more effectively. For further information, please visit www.icthub.org.uk.

Campaigning in Collaboration

Campaigning in Collaboration shares practical lessons drawn from the real experiences of a range of voluntary organisations campaigning together. It includes nine case studies of campaign collaborations, and key lessons about agreeing shared objectives, structures and decision making, and leaving a campaign legacy. This publication, which was produced jointly by the Collaborative Working Unit and Campaigning Effectiveness, is available for £15, or £10.50 to NCVO members.

• Read more about campaigning in collaboration 

The Campaigning Effectiveness programme is a central resource for developing and improving influencing, lobbying and campaigning in the voluntary sector, supporting organisations of all sizes that want to increase the impact of their campaigns.

For further information, please visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/ce.