Spring is often a very busy time for organizations and entrepreneurs that receive government funding. Contracts may have come to a close on March 31st and new contracts (and funding) often start April 1st.
Unfortunately, it can be a stressful time if those in charge of funds and programs face the challenges that emerge upon learning that government funds may be clawed back or not approved.
With these funding challenges in mind, it’s important to look for solutions, especially involving collaboration, to see if there are funding opportunities that are being overlooked.
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Collaboration and Community: The Drop in the Bucket
I am reminded of one of my favorite examples of collaboration and how one community, The Town of Jasper in Alberta, dealt with creating and providing a community-wide service with limited resources.
Many years ago, some key stakeholders -- community organizations, the school board, plus health and government department leaders -- got together to explore how they could fund the needs of children, families, and youth in a time where funding was limited. They discovered that some of the organizations and government departments had small amounts of funding. Individually, none of the groups had enough funding to provide a service; however, when they combined their funds, they could make a big difference. They called their combined funding, The Drop In the Bucket…
The stakeholders collectively identified the community needs, pooled their resources (the drops of funding in the bucket), signed collaboration agreements, and then created and delivered a program that served many local children, youth, and families.
Pooling Resources With Partners
As you’ll often hear us repeat, “It takes a team to raise a dream.” With that in mind, how can you find partners to extend the reach of your funding, reduce duplication, and create a bigger impact?
Need a model to help you learn how to collaborate more effectively?
Check out our blog; there are many resources there to help you collaborate.