Partnerships
This module focuses on strategies for collaboration, coalition building, and collective impact. Participants will explore frameworks for developing strong partnerships across sectors, aligning shared goals, and leveraging collective resources to drive systemic change. The session will also highlight best practices for maintaining and managing relationships, and measuring the outcomes of collaborative efforts.
DATE
Friday, August 21, 2026
TIME
10:00 am - 11:30 am ET
PRESENTERS
Managing Director at Envoy
Salomon Moreno-Rosa
Salomon is a Managing Director at Envoy. He uses his background and expertise in nonprofit administration and policy development to inform nonprofit operations, philanthropy, and strategic planning engagements that help drive organizational goals and advance local outcomes.
Alejandra Piers-Torres
Manager at Envoy
Alejandra is a Manager of Strategy & Philanthropy at Envoy. She brings experience in local government, public/private partnerships, and program development to support social impact initiatives. Alejandra holds a BA in International Relations and Hispanic Studies from Brown University.
Rothschild Toussaint
Associate at Envoy
Rothschild is an Associate in the Strategy & Philanthropy sector at Envoy. He brings experience in economic development, affordable housing, research, and policy analysis. He employs a mixed methods research and data-driven approach to tackling social challenges. He holds a BA in Economic Geography from Dartmouth College.
Session Agenda
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Welcome & Ice Breaker​
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Module 9 recap
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Guest Speaker​:
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Annie Chang: Vice President of Community Engagement at the Nonprofit Finance Fund
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Lindsay Kijewski: Social Impact Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Center for High Impact Philanthropy
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Michelle Shumate: Founding Director of the Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact and Associate Faculty at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University.
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Breakout / Discussion​
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Closing and Next Steps​
Resources
Collaborations
the purpose of this study is to explore how nonprofit organizations can use mergers as an effective and powerful tool to achieve their goals, advance their mission, and increase their impact. the study analyzes 25 nonprofit mergers that took place in the Chicago metro area and highlights the diverse paths these organizations took to arrive at positive outcomes. This study analyzes the use of merger strategies and their impact and outcomes in order to provide nonprofits and their funders with the information they need to conduct, support, and promote mergers that advance mission goals.
Partner Needs Assessment
This toolkit provides a structured framework for civil society organizations to assess and strengthen partnerships. It offers two main tools: a prospective partnership assessment that evaluates strategic alignment, value, costs, risks, and organizational capacity; and an individual partner assessment that examines partner compatibility, added value, and potential risks.
This guide is designed to help organizations build and maintain effective partnerships, particularly in the health and public service sectors. It emphasizes forming partnerships only when necessary to avoid duplication and inefficiency, and provides a clear framework for establishing shared goals, roles, governance, and communication structures.
Case Study: Opportunity Atlas
This guide explains how to use the Opportunity Index to assess and address disparities in economic, educational, health, and community opportunity across U.S. counties. It features fictional case studies showing how stakeholders like nonprofits and policymakers can use the data to improve programs and advocate for equitable resources. It emphasizes data-driven decision-making to expand access to opportunity.
This document reviews various tools—including the Opportunity Index, Child Opportunity Index, and Economic Innovation Group's Distressed Communities Index—used to measure opportunity and equity in the U.S. It compares their frameworks, geographies, data sources, and indicators to guide practitioners in selecting the best fit for local analysis and program planning. The review helps stakeholders understand trade-offs across tools.
This report introduces a pilot Metro Index measuring opportunity across 13 U.S. metropolitan areas using expanded indicators in economy, education, health, and community. It finds that metro areas typically outperform national averages but vary widely by region and demographic composition. Key findings include disparities linked to race, geography, and resource access, highlighting areas for policy action and investment.
The Creating Equitable Ecosystems Action Guide by the Forum for Youth Investment offers strategies for system leaders and practitioners to foster environments of belonging and opportunity for youth across education, health, justice, and community settings. It introduces the Youth Journey Map and Pyramid of Program Quality to help stakeholders assess and align efforts that center safety, equity, and youth voice. The guide emphasizes the importance of cross-sector collaboration, youth-informed reflection, and systemic change to ensure all young people feel valued and supported as they navigate various systems.
MOUs
This partnership agreement template is designed to establish shared mission, goals, roles, data ownership, and accountability for multi-party collaborations. It outlines responsibilities, funding, communications, and expected outcomes like reports and deliverables, emphasizing mutual benefit and clarity.
This guide explains the role of MOUs as non-binding but essential tools to formalize mutual understanding, clarify roles, and establish trust in community-academic partnerships. It includes key sections like decision-making, compensation, conflict resolution, and provisions for sustainability. It highlights the importance of aligning MOU contents with each partner’s mission and values.
The Stellar Partnerships MOU template is a robust, business-oriented framework outlining objectives, deliverables, resource contributions, communication processes, review timelines, and dispute resolution. It includes structured roles, logo usage agreements, partnership health checks, and termination clauses, making it ideal for nonprofit–corporate collaborations with shared marketing or programmatic goals
This sample MOU is tailored for civic tech and community partnerships, especially around digital inclusion efforts. It defines goals, roles, success metrics, and non-binding terms for cooperation between organizations. It emphasizes independence of action, no financial obligation, and shared intent rather than contractual commitmentMOU ConnectHome.