BUILDING ON STRENGTHS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT &

EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.
B ENCHMARKS – C OMMUNITY E NGAGEMENT
Involvement & Support
To what degree does
organization create
accessible opportunities
for intended beneficiaries
to be involved in the
organization's efforts?
Communication &
Information Sharing
To what degree are
parties sharing resources
equitably?
Representation within
the organization
To what degree does the
organization involve
people with experience
and include them in
decision-making
processes?
Empowerment
To what degree does
organization "mobilize and
organize individuals...and
enable them to take
action, influence, and
make decisions
on critical issues" (Rich,
1995)1
1 Rich, 1995 source: http://chl.berkeley.edu/images/stories/conference/f6%201%20community%20engagement%20-%20definitions%20and%20organizing%20concepts.pdf
Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.
1 2
Organization plans Organization consults other
engagement activities community partners/
independently and initiatives before planning
expects target engagement activities but
audiences to show up doesn't understand barriers
or resources needed for
participation by all
stakeholders
Organization provides Organization provides
little to no information information about what's
about its goals and happening through a one-
activities way flow of information
through the organization's
preferred communications
channels
Organization does not Organization does not
include people with include people with direct
direct issue/ issue/ geographic/
geographic/ demographic experience
demographic but recognizes this is a
experience and has no limitation and wants to
active plans to engage engage such individuals
such individuals
Organization considers Organization considers
community members as community members
clients; does not primarily as clients;
empower individuals to provides some involvement
be part of decision- as volunteers, interns, or
making and problem part-time staff; limited
solving individual empowerment
3 4
Organization partners with
other community
organizations w/
relationships to target
stakeholders to increase
likelihood of participation
Organization provides
information and asks for
feedback from
stakeholders through
surveys, focus groups,
etc.
Organization has 1-2
people with direct issue/
geographic/ demographic
experience
Organization identifies key
individuals and provides
them leadership and
decision-making
opportunities; moderate
individual empowerment
Organization understands
strengths and limitations of
target stakeholders and
makes an effort to hold
engagement activities at
convenient locations,
days/times, etc. to increase
participation of target
audience(s)
Organization shares
information and
communicates how feedback
was incorporated and
influenced decision-making
through stakeholders'
preferred communications
methods
Organization has people with
direct issue/ geographic/
demographic experience, but
they are not given equal voice
in the decision-making
processes
Organization creates
systematic opportunities to be
involved in the larger issues of
the organization; moderate
group empowerment
5
Organization
engages/hires members of
target audiences to help
plan engagement events to
ensure that it provides
necessary resources for
people to participate (e.g.
transportation, child care,
food, etc.)
Organization and
stakeholder co-create
communications and
information-sharing
activities
Organization has a good
mix of people with direct/
indirect issue/ geographic/
demographic experience
whose voices are valued in
the decision-making
processes
Organization facilitates
grassroots groups to solve
problems and make
decisions about the issues
facing their communities;
community-level
empowerment
L ISTEN – S AMPLE O PEN -E NDED Q UESTIONS FOR C OMMUNITY
E NGAGEMENT

Community Engagement
Involvement & Support
• Tell me about the engagement events you have to involve people in your project?
• Tell me about what’s worked and what hasn’t
• Are you struggling to engage certain groups or people? Why do you think that is?

Communication & Information Sharing

• How do you tell people outside your organization about your project or work?
• Which online tools do you use (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Email, etc.)?
• Which offline tools do you use?
• Which tools work the best? How do you know?
• Who writes/creates the information that you share?

Representation within the organization

• Tell me about the people your organization serves.
• How does your organization interact with those folks?
• Are there people from these groups who are on the board, staff, volunteer?
• Is anyone in leadership in your organization from the geographic area that you serve?

Empowerment
• What kinds of expertise does your organization offer?
• What kinds of expertise do the people you serve offer?
• Are there ways that people you serve help make decisions or plan programming in the
organization?

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

B ENCHMARKS – E QUITABLE P ARTNERSHIPS
1 2 3 4 5
Power No party has named Only one party All parties engage in Parties utilize tools and/or Parties document a
To what degree have the power dynamics pushes discussion discussion about power external facilitation to commitment to sharing
parties attempted to influencing the about power; other dynamics, but do not create a shared power equitably as part of
share power equitably? relationship party(ies) do not have a shared understanding of power a Memorandum of
engage understanding of power dynamics influencing the Understanding or Charter
dynamics at play relationship and language that guides the groups'
for naming power work together
dynamics
Planning and One party leads One party leads Parties collaboratively Parties collaboratively Planning is collaborative
decision-making planning without planning but invites engage in planning engage in planning and decision-making are
To what degree is consultation from feedback; controls all activities; decision- activities; decision-making done by consensus
planning and decision- other parties and decision-making making is by majority is by majority vote with
making shared among controls all decision- vote, but one party parties equally sharing
parties? making controls majority votes

Resource sharing Parties do not One or more parties Parties disclose the Parties agree to contribute Parties collaboratively
To what degree are disclose the disclose the resources they have resources that are right- identify resources
parties sharing resources they have resources they have available and are willing sized to their capacity and necessary to support the
resources equitably? available to support to support their to contribute a small are individually responsible work and agree to invest
the work through the involvement in the percentage with others for securing them equitably (not necessarily
partnership partnership, but do in the partnership equally) in the partnership
not share those and collaborate to secure
resources with the additional resources
broader partnership needed

Publicity and There is no Some parties are Parties develop an Parties abide by Parties abide by
Promotion discussion about named, others are agreement outlining partnership agreements partnership agreements;
To what degree are how the partnership not shared messaging and and share positive and Parties with more power
both/all parties named will be discussed in promotion guidelines negative publicity equally and resources shine
and promoted in public and expectations spotlight on those with less
research publication, (+)/accept responsibility (-)
media, and other public
information related to
the partnership?

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

L ISTEN – S AMPLE O PEN -E NDED Q UESTIONS FOR E QUITABLE
P ARTNERSHIPS

Equitable Partnerships
Power
• Tell me about power dynamics of the partnership.
• Does it seem like one entity has more power than the other(s)?
• Which entity(ies) have connections to formal institutions (e.g. government,
universities, etc.)?
Planning & Decision-making
• How has the partnership made decisions previously?
• Does the partnership have agreed-upon decision making processes? (e.g. by
consensus, by majority vote)
• Have there been any tensions or challenges when making decisions?

Resource Sharing
• Does the partnership involve funding?
• Have you discussed joint fundraising?
• How much are the respective entities bringing to the partnership ($$)?
• What other resources are entities bringing to the partnership?
• Is your organization getting any resources from the partnership?
Publicity and Promotion
• Have the partners discussed how they will share credit and/or responsibility for
results of the partnership?
• Have grassroots participants been invited to co-author reports or other publications
as a result of the partnership?

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

Equitable Partnerships Wheel

T OOLS – C OMMUNITY E NGAGEMENT & E QUITABLE P ARTNERSHIPS

You shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel! Below are some guidelines and tools for
community engagement and equitable partnerships.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
• Community Engagement Spectrum and Action Plan
• Equitable Community Engagement Assessment

EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS
• Equitable Partnerships Assessment
• Partner Roles and Resources Matrix
• Equitable Partnerships MOU Template

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

Community Engagement Wheel

Organization Name: ________________________________________

Date: ________
Baseline or Follow up?

Involvement and Communication &

Support Information-Sharing

Empowerment Representation within

the organization

Goals for technical assistance:

1.

2.

3.

Digital wheel worksheet (download and open in Excel): https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lyV4CTdyWe6pbc2Rig2atcx2X3RgtP1l

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.
Equitable Partnerships Wheel

Organization Name: ________________________________________

Date: ________
Baseline or Follow up?

Publicity & Promotion Power

Resource Sharing Planning & Decision-

Making

Goals for technical assistance:

1.

2.

3.

Digital wheel worksheet (download and open in Excel): https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VmQB8VaTNd0lLeFz7kWDFQTCbc8KqnDE

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.
 Community Engagement Spectrum

Inform Consult Involve Collaborate Empower

Tell people about Learn from Work with the Partner with the Place planning and
your program, people you hope people you serve to people you serve in all decision-making in
project or to serve understand the stages of goal-setting the hands of those
What’s organization. problem from and decision-making closest to the
the goal? people experiencing problem
it first hand

We’ll tell you We will listen to We will work with We trust you and We will do what
what we’re doing your thoughts you to make sure value your expertise; you tell us
What are
and ideas to our project or we’ll listen to your
you
make our program is effective advice, and center
promising
program or at addressing the your
people?
project better problem recommendations in
decisions being made
• Email • Surveys • Planning meetings • Advisory • Citizen juries
• Web site • Focus groups • Workshops committees • Ballots
Tools and • Flyer • Listening • Participatory
strategies sessions decision-making,
budgeting, and/or
other processes

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019. Adapted from Patient Voices Network: IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation.
https://patientvoicesbc.ca/resources/iap2-spectrum-public-participation/
 Community Engagement Action Plan

Where is your
organization on the
community Inform Consult Involve Collaborate Empower
engagement spectrum
right now?

Where do you want

your organization to
be on the community Inform Consult Involve Collaborate Empower
engagement
spectrum?

What do you need to create in your organization to reach this level of community
engagement? Think about communications tools, advisory groups, trust-building with the
people you want to engage.

What are three things you can commit to doing to increase community engagement in the
next month?
1. __________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
What about the next three months?
1. __________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019. Adapted from Patient Voices Network: IAP2
Spectrum of Public Participation. https://patientvoicesbc.ca/resources/iap2-spectrum-public-participation/
 Equitable community engagement: Assessing who you
want to engage

Equitable community engagement

Equitable community engagement must center on the people who are most familiar with and
close to the problem you’re trying to solve.1

Who do you want to engage?

Use the table on the next page. First, answer the questions in the left column to clarify the
characteristics of the community you want to help. Try to find data sources to back up your
answers.

How well does your organization represent that community?

Use the table on the next page. After answering questions about the community you want to
engage, answer the questions in the right column to understand how well people in your
organization are representative of the community you seek to help.

If you have high representation in your organization…

1. Make sure those individuals are empowered in planning and decision-making processes.
2. Don’t rely on one or two individuals to speak on behalf of all people who share a
particular racial, economic, or other characteristic or identity.
3. Trust their recommendations and advice.

If you have lower representation in your organization…

1. Identify the trusted institutions in the community (e.g. schools, churches) and attend
their community events to begin developing a relationship with key people and leaders
there.
a. Where do people in the community meet?
2. Identify the key leaders in the community and hear their perspective about the
problem(s) facing the community as well as its strengths and assets.
a. How do they perceive the problem?
b. What is the community already doing to address the problem?
3. Develop relationships with key people. Invite them to have meaningful roles in your
project/organization and make an effort to support their projects/organizations.

1
Adapted from the City of Durham’s Draft Equitable Engagement Blueprint. November 2018.
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/durhamnis/pages/592/attachments/original/1543332399/Draft_Equitabl
e_Engagement_Blueprint_%2818%29_11.06.pdf?1543332399

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

 Equitable community engagement: Assessing who you
want to engage

Community characteristics Organization representation

How do you define the geographic boundaries of Who on your staff, board, or key volunteers live in
the community you are trying to help? this community?

What is the racial make-up of the community you Who on your staff, board, or key volunteers
are trying to help? How do you know? reflects the racial make-up of this community?

What are the age, gender, and other Who on your staff, board, or key volunteers
demographic characteristics of the people living reflects the demographic characteristics of the
in the community? How do you know? people living in the community?

What is the economic make-up of the community Who on your staff, board, or key volunteers
you are trying to help? How do you know? reflects the economic make-up of this
community?

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

 Equitable Partnerships Overview

What is an equitable partnership?

“Partnership is a [cross-sector] collaboration in which organizations work together in a
transparent, equitable, and mutually beneficial way…where those defined as partners agree to
commit resources and share the risks as well as the benefits associated with the partnership” –
Partnering Initiative (https://thepartneringinitiative.org/)

Three components of Equitable Partnerships

Equity
• Who is making decisions?
• Who has power?
• Who is committing resources? Are the right-sized to the respective organizations?
Transparency
• Are goals and expectations communicated and shared?
• Who is getting credit publicly?
• Who is determining conclusions?
Mutual Benefit
• Who has risks?
• Who is benefitting?

Examples of inequitable partnerships

• “The Poster Child” – This happens when a high-resource organization/institution holds
up the work of grassroots groups as an example of their own work. This partnership
doesn’t give credit to the hard work of the grassroots group. Also, while it may not be
intentional or obvious, it confuses funders and resource organizations about who
“owns” the work being done.
• “Who’s on First” – This happens when there is a failure to clearly communicate
expectations, clarify roles, or set common goals. This leads to confusion, duplication of
work, or misallocation of time and resources. For the partnership to be functional, one
party will have to take on more responsibility, which is an inequitable partnership.
• “Hop-on partnership” – This happens when a high-resource organization wants to
partner with a grassroots group in order to access a targeted population or geographic
area without making a long-term investment in the community. This inequitably
benefits the more resourced partner more than the grassroots partner.
• “Unequal power sharing” – This happens when one partner exercises more control
about how decisions get made; how resources are allocated; who’s invited to the table,
when they are invited, and for what purpose.
• “Show me the Money” – An inequitable partnership happens when funding decisions
are not made collaboratively and to the benefit of all partners involved. At the beginning
of a partnership, there should be clear communication about how funding is allocated,
who has fiscal agency, reporting and other issues related to transparency and fair access
to and distribution of resources.

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.

 Equitable Partnerships Assessment

Organization A: ________________________ Don’t know

Organization Organization Both or N/A
Organization B: ________________________ A B equally

Decision-making
Which organization generally makes decisions?
Resources
Which organization is bringing resources like
funding or staff/volunteers to the table?

Connection to the target community

Which organization has stronger connections to
the community where the work is being done?

Acknowledgement
Which organization is being acknowledged in
news articles, published writings, and/or research
reports for the work done through partnership?

Funding
Which organization is the lead on any grant
applications?
Analyzing research
Which organization is reviewing information
collected through the partnership work and
reaching conclusions?
Defining the impact or goals
Which organization decides what the partnership
will focus on and/or which goals it is trying to
achieve?
Open communication
Which organization initiates communication,
provides updates, acknowledges challenges, etc.?

Reflection: Is the partnership balanced? Does it resemble an example of an inequitable

partnership above? Are the three components of equitable partnerships evident?
• Is there equity in power and decision-making?
• Are both entities transparent in their communications? Is there trust?
• Are both entities mutually benefitting and/or sharing risks?

Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.


PARTNER NAME
Which organization/individuals are you
working with to help your organization
deliver programs or services?
Developed by TCF/Resourceful Communities and Sarah Guidi, MSW. 2019.
Resource Partner Tracking Matrix
BENEFIT TO YOUR
RESOURCES THEY ARE PROVIDING RESOURCES YOU ARE PROVIDING
ORGANIZATION
START END
What are they giving to your What is required of your organization to DATE DATE
How does this relationship further
organization? Funding, technical particiapte? Staff / volunteer time,
your organization's goals?
assistance, equipment, training, etc.? involvement in programming, etc.?
 Equitable Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
Template
Memorandum of Understanding
Equitable Partnership Between [ORGANIZATION A] and [ORGANIZATION B]

[ORGANIZATION A] and [ORGANIZATION B] are committed to entering into a partnership

grounded in equity, transparency, and mutual benefit / shared risk to achieve [SHORT
DESCRIPTION OF PARTNERSHIP PURPOSE].

Value-based commitments
Partnering organizations agree to the following:

1. Sharing in decision-making: [SHORT DESCRIPTION ABOUT HOW DECISIONS WILL BE

REACHED IN THE PARTNERSHIP]
2. Sharing resources: [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDING AND/OR OTHER RESOURCES
THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE PARTNERSHIP AND/OR RAISED JOINTLY THROUGH THE
PARTNERSHIP]
3. Sharing publicity and credit for the work: [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF HOW EACH
ORGANIZATION WILL BE RECOGNIZED IN VERBAL AND/OR WRITTEN STATEMENTS]

Responsibilities and deliverables

[ORGANIZATION A.] is responsible for providing the following through this partnership:
1. [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLE 1.]
2. [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLE 2.]
3. [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLE 3.]

[ORGANIZATION B.] is responsible for providing the following through this partnership:
1. [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLE 1.]
2. [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLE 2.]
3. [SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLE 3.]

Term
This MOU shall begin on [DATE/] and continue through [DATE].

Termination
This MOU may be terminated by either party, for any reason, by giving 30 days written notice.

_____________________________ _____________________________
[ORGANIZATION A SIGNATURE] [ORGANIZATION B SIGNATURE]
_____________________________ _____________________________
[ORGANIZATION A TITLE] [ORGANIZATION B TITLE]
_____________________________ _____________________________
[DATE] [DATE]