Community Sector and Business Partnerships

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Community Sector and Business Partnerships

• Stephanie MackOffice for the Community Sector

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About the Office for the Community Sector

• Reduce the regulatory burden on community sector
  organisations
• Strengthen the capacity of the not-for-profit
  community sector

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Office for the Community Sector
Burden reduction Capacity building
National Standard Chart of Accounts ICT Tools
Common Funding Agreement Shared Services
NFP Compliance Support Centre Workforce tools
Amendments to the Associations Incorporations Act Community Foundations Funding
Greater collaboration with LGAs
Work with Philanthropy/business
Leadership Development
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Community Sector and Business Partnerships Guide
and Tool kit
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What does the sector want?

• Human resources
• Tools and templates
• Forums
• Relationships that work
• An angle/ knowing how to talk the talk

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What does Business want?

• Ability to deliver CSR objectives
• Clear communication/ demonstrated impact
• Relevant partnership opportunities
• Professional approach

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Stage 1 Getting Ready

• Understand what you have to offer
• For the sector, helps to get your house in
  order and develop marketing approach
• For business, helps to understand the right fit
  for your business in order to support your
  business goals

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Stage 2 Finding a Partner/ Relationship

• Consider the type of relationship you need
• Undertaking research
• Plan for approaching potential partners

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Stage 3 Approaching a Potential Partner

• Planning your approach
• Writing and developing material (evaluation and
  demonstrating impact)
• Provides early terms of reference for developing
  a relationship

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Stage 4 Establishing a Relationship

• Formalising objectives, timelines and scope to
  enable better evaluation
• Enables both partners to talk about the
  relationship risks and how to avoid common
  pitfalls

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Stage 5 Keeping it on Track

• Communications approach to suit both partners
• Determine tasks
• Documenting progress

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Stage 6 Review/ Renew/ Next Steps

• Sometimes relationships run their course
  important to manage the conclusion as much as the
  courtship
• Important to take stock/demonstrate mutual
  impact/ value
• Important to think about how work can be built
  upon

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Case Study
Arnie Bax Travellers Aid
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Activity Elevator Speech

• (Name of your organisation) works with (client or
  group) to (statement of need or opportunity) so
  they can (outcome) which means that (statement of
  key benefit).
• Were the only organisation that (unique selling
  point) and if we can (intended action and
  requirements) we can achieve (new goal).

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Elevator Speech Continued....

• Were coming to you because (state potential
  partnership). We can offer you (state what you
  can offer) and need (state needs) from you. This
  partnership would help us (restate goal) and
  would help your (business or social goal).
• Together we can (joint achievement).

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• The Office for the Community Sector, within DPCD
  works with the whole of the Victorian NFP sector
  to reduce the burden of compliance on the sector
  and strengthen capacity so they can continue to
  work to strengthen Victorian communities which
  means that Victoria is a great place to live.
• Were the only organisation that represents the
  needs of the Victorian community sector across
  the whole of government and if we can engage with
  the business and philanthropic communities more
  we can achieve/ensure that a greater/more diverse
  resource base is known by the sector.
• Were coming to you because you represent the
  needs of the business sector in Victoria. We can
  act as the gateway to the NFP community sector
  and need endorsement from you. This partnership
  would help us connect with the business community
  sector and would help achieve your Corporate
  Social Responsibly (CSR) goals.
• Together we can work to support greater
  collaboration between the community sector and
  business.