An effective way of identifying potential organizations, agencies and individuals to collaborate with is to build a list by mapping the spaces, people, organizations, businesses, and communities that may benefit from and contribute to your initiative. Shared goals and objectives will form the basis for partnerships.

Mapping potential partners/spaces/people:

• Who manages the resources and services necessary to initiate the program?
• Who has the expertise and knowledge you are missing?
• Who has connections to communities you would like to engage (e.g. artists, local residents, etc.)?
• Who would be an asset to the initiative?
• Who would benefit from the initiative?
• Who is offering to contribute resources?

Identify shared goals:

• What are your organization’s strategic goals and objectives and how does the initiative fulfill them?
• The goals and objectives of what other organizations might be met, and how?
• How will the initiative impact the future of your organization and that of the partners?
• What is the impact of the project on your organization and on your partners’ interests?
• Do your partners want to be involved in designing evaluation tools?
• Will you share the evaluation results with your partners?