Build Key Partnerships

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Introduction

We designed this comprehensive resource to help evidence creators and curators like you establish strategic partnerships that will lead to greater success. This includes enhancing your reach, visibility, and impact in the education market. Many evidence creators and curators spend time looking to understand their users. However, it is just as important to understand the supply side, including other evidence creators and curators as well as the other actors in the core curriculum, EdTech, and professional learning ecosystems.

This tool will help you think through who to partner with and how to meaningfully engage in that partnership. You can use this tool first (before any tools in this toolkit) or whenever your partnerships are not serving you the way that you wish them to.

At a glance

  • Leveraging strategic partnerships in education
  • Seven key characteristics of successful educational partnerships
  • Partnership evaluation
  • Segments of district buyers across the three ecosystems based on their evidence use behaviors?
  • Call outs to key tools that were informed by these insights

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Leveraging Strategic Partnerships

In today’s dynamic educational landscape, forging strategic partnerships has become an essential strategy for organizations looking to thrive. Collaborations with established brands, institutions, and associations can not only expand your audience but also foster greater customer loyalty. As you navigate this guide, you will discover actionable steps and valuable insights on how to build, nurture, and leverage strategic partnerships effectively.

Why Strategic Partnerships Matter

Anyone who wants to encourage evidence-based decision-making in instructional materials purchases – whether that be through using guidelines, standards or other signals of quality.

Anyone who wants to encourage evidence-based decision-making in instructional materials purchases – whether that be through using guidelines, standards or other signals of quality.

Collaborating with respected entities can instill trust and confidence in your products or services, leading to long-term user loyalty and advocacy.

Key Characteristics of Successful Partnerships

Effective partnerships in education share several essential characteristics and principles. Here are the notable ones2 you should keep in mind as you embark on your partnership journey:

Clearly Defined Purpose

Every successful partnership starts with a shared and well-defined purpose. Make sure all stakeholders understand and agree on the overarching goals of your collaboration.

Leadership Commitment

Strong support and commitment from organizational leaders is crucial. Try and guarantee leadership buy-in to ensure the success and sustainability of your partnership.

Trust Building

Trust is the cornerstone of any successful partnership. Fostering loyalty among all partners enhances engagement and lays the foundation for long-term collaboration.

Shared Decision-Making

Empower all parties involved with shared decision-making power. This practice ensures equitable representation of perspectives and encourages collaboration.

Reciprocity

Establish a mutually beneficial relationship where all organizations involved gain value from the partnership. Seek win-win outcomes.

Sustainable Collaboration

Plan for longevity from the outset. Consider how you can extend the impact of your work beyond the initial phase and into the future.

Steps Towards Successful Partnerships

Taking a measured and systematic approach can help ensure that these benefits of partnerships are realized. Below, we outline seven steps that you and your organization can take towards better leveraging partnerships.

7 Steps

01

Identify Your Goals and Objectives

02

Research and Identify Potential Partners

03

Establish Contact and Build Relationships

04

Set Clear Goals and Metrics

05

Foster Open Communication

06

Evaluate and Adapt

07

Define Roles and Responsibilities

Step 01: Identify Goals & Objectives

Before you start building partnerships, it is important to set clear goals and objectives. Your partnership goals should always match your organization’s core mission and values, as well as align with those of your potential partners. Below is an example of clearly articulated goals and a guide to help you replicate the process for your own organization. For this, we apply the S.M.A.R.T. criteria for goal setting: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.3

Example

Goal 1

Enhance Content Visibility

Objective 1.1 (SMART)

Increase the visibility of educational content by securing partnerships that result in a 30% increase in content views and interactions on our platform within the next six months.

Objective 1.2 (SMART)

Achieve a top-three ranking for relevant search terms on partner platforms by optimizing content for search engines and collaborating with partners on content placement strategies within one year.

Goal 2

Build Credibility and Authority

Objective 2.1 (SMART)

Establish thought leadership in the education sector by collaborating on joint research projects, whitepapers, or publications with partners, resulting in at least two co-authored publications within the next 18 months.

Exercise

Answer these questions

01

What do you aim to achieve through this partnership?

02

How will this partnership benefit your organization and your partners?

03

Are your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART)?

Need more help to define your goals?

Refer to this tool to explore how to articulate your organizational goals

Related tool

Align your solutions and goals

What are your goals and how are your products/services helping you achieve them?

Step 02: Research and Identify

Thoroughly research potential partners whose missions align with your objectives. You can start by identifying 2-3 potential partners who possess the greatest sphere of influence, alignment with your goals, and potential for impactful collaboration. You can evaluate these potential partners using the following criteria.

Criteria for partner evaluation

check

History of Collaborative Work and Shared Value

How aligned is this organization with mine? Do they have a demonstrated history of collaboration in my area of interest?

check

Partnership Enhancement and Risk Assessment

Can we complement each other in specific ways? Does the partnership pose any risk to our efforts?

check

Reaching the Same or Complementary Target Audiences

Are we engaging with the same audience (directly or indirectly)? Does the organization have a demonstrated ability to reach this audience?

check

History of Successful Collaborations and Partnerships

Does the organization have any successful past partnerships with measurable outcomes?

Below is a model of prominent evidence creators and curators located in the United States. By exploring these organizations, you can kickstart your journey and identify valuable opportunities for connecting with potential partners and collaborators who are doing similar work.

Also consider establishing partnerships with entities that are very different from you: e.g. state/local education agencies, academic institutions, community entities.

Exercise

Partner Mapping
Now that you have a better overview of the landscape and the various kinds of entities you can partner with, it is time to start identifying potential partners.

Fill the template

Complete the exercise by accessing our template. You can either download and use it online or print it for use with your team.
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Step 03: Establish Contact and Build Relationships

Initiating contact marks a pivotal first step in forming successful partnerships. It’s equally vital to ensure strong leadership support, particularly when multiple stakeholders are involved. Strong backing from senior leaders within the organization helps prevent resistance to necessary changes or decisions that may arise during the partnership journey.

Exercise

Partner Bank
This template is designed to help you visualize and manage your partner network. Use this tool to identify key partners and their affiliated districts, organizations, and government entities. It will also help you keep track of important details for effective collaboration.

Fill the template

Complete the exercise by accessing our template. You can either download and use it online or print it for use with your team.
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Step 04: Set Clear Goals and Metrics

Agree on specific goals and how you will measure success. 
Include guidance on each other’s strengths in order to articulate what can be achieved when navigating through the partnership.

Exercise

Use these guide questions to help you define your goals

Overall Purpose

What is the focus of the partnership?

Expertise

What can you/they bring to the table?

Target Needs

What can you/they provide (unique upselling points)?

Urgent

Are there upcoming initiatives to be leveraged?

Long Term

Are there long term efforts for the partnership to support?

Climate

Are there public/news events to capitalize on?

Challenges

What challenges might they be needing support with?

Sustainability

Is there opportunity for a long-term partnership?

Now that you’ve established clarity regarding respective roles, it’s time to align on the metrics of success. While these may vary among partners, it’s essential to keep the following key points in mind:

  • Define key performance indicators (KPIs).
  • Set milestones and deadlines.
  • Regularly assess progress and adjust strategies as needed.

Exercise

Partnership Goal Setting
This template offers a structured approach for partners to establish and monitor their goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) effectively. It is designed to guide the process of defining, measuring, and evaluating progress toward shared objectives.

Fill the template

Complete the exercise by accessing our template. You can either download and use it online or print it for use with your team.
Access template
file

Need more help to define your goals?

Refer to this tool to explore how to articulate your organizational goals

Related tool

Establish your metrics

What parameters can best inform your decision making?

Step 05: Foster Open Communication

Good communication is always crucial for successful partnerships. It’s the solid base that keeps our teamwork strong and adaptable. To cultivate effective communication within your educational partnerships, consider these essential practices:

connectivity

Maintain Consistent, Transparent Communication Channels

Consistent and transparent communication lies at the heart of trust and understanding among partners. Regular updates, sharing of progress, and open discussions create a dependable relationship.

dialogue

Encourage Feedback and Open Dialogue

Foster a culture where all partners feel empowered to share insights and concerns openly. Feedback not only refines strategies but also nurtures a sense of ownership among all stakeholders.

calendar

Address Challenges Promptly and Constructively

Challenges and conflicts are inherent in any partnership. It is vital to resolve these issues timely and constructively. Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement can lead to innovative solutions and stronger partnerships.

Step 06: Evaluate and Adapt

Good communication is always crucial for successful partnerships. It’s the solid base that keeps our teamwork strong and adaptable. To cultivate effective communication within your educational partnerships, consider these essential practices:

work-in-progress

Review Progress

Regularly evaluate how your partnership is performing against the metrics and goals you’ve established. This helps maintain clarity on what’s working well and what may require adjustments.

processing-time

Adapt and Evolve

Use the insights gained from your assessments to adapt your strategies and approaches. Lessons learned from both successes and setbacks serve as valuable guidance for making informed decisions moving forward.

medal

Celebrate and Learn

Take time to celebrate the milestones and achievements reached in your partnership. Equally important is the ability to learn from challenges and setbacks. These experiences contribute to the partnership’s growth and resilience, providing opportunities for continuous improvement.

Step 07: Roles and Responsibilities

Clear roles and responsibilities ensure smooth collaboration.
Here’s a sample map that will assist you in clearly defining and aligning the roles of each group involved in the collaborative process

Exercise

Define expectations and assign responsibilities through a Stakeholder Role Mapping
The primary goal of this map is to set clear expectations for each party and document their respective responsibilities throughout the timeline of the collaboration.

Fill the template

Complete the exercise by accessing our template. You can either download and use it online or print it for use with your team.
Access template
file

Potential Pitfalls

Even well-established partnerships can break down due to either internal or external reasons—and sometimes maybe both. Changing circumstances might require re-establishing the purposes of the partnership in the first place, and sometimes no one can predict when this might happen. Here are some common areas where problems might arise:

Internal Struggles

When an organization is not meeting their internal goals/targets, the resulting tension can lead to transferring to the interactions with the partner/s.

Different Priorities

Even with common goals, different organizations have their own areas of focus. While this doesn’t always lead to breakdowns in relationships, it’s still important to keep in mind when thinking about investment levels.

Management

Each contact person will likely have a direct report, and thus are accountable to their management. Even with a smooth partnership, the dynamics of the relationship between partners can shift based on how each management team interacts with their respective colleagues within the organization.

Scope Creep

Despite having clearly defined roles and objectives, the duration of the partnership can lead to changes in scope. Generally caused by poor project management, scope creeping can lead the partnership to break down when it results in power or role imbalances.

Quiz Partnership Evaluation

Indicate whether each statement is True or False based on your knowledge of effective partnership practices.

  1. Partnership goals should always align with the organization’s mission and values, as well as those of your partners. (Step 1)

    a. True
    b. False

  2. Effective communication is not always a critical factor for successful partnerships. (Step 5)

    a. True
    b. False

  3. In a partnership, it may be acceptable for one party to benefit significantly more than the others as long as it is communicated in the beginning. (Step 4)

    a. True
    b. False

  4. Strong leadership support may not be essential for a successful partnership if there are enough stakeholders involved. (Step 3)

    a. True
    b. False

  5. There may be no need for a plan to sustain a collaboration beyond the initial phase. (Step 6)

    a. True
    b. False

  6. There may be no need for a plan to sustain a collaboration beyond the initial phase. (Step 6)

    a. True
    b. False

Answers to Partnership Evaluation

Indicate whether each statement is True or False based on your knowledge of effective partnership practices.

  1. Partnership goals should always align with the organization’s mission and values, as well as those of your partners. (Step 1)

    a. True ✔
    b. False

  2. Effective communication is not always a critical factor for successful partnerships. (Step 5)

    a. True
    b. False ✔

  3. In a partnership, it may be acceptable for one party to benefit significantly more than the others as long as it is communicated in the beginning. (Step 4)

    a. True ✔
    b. False

  4. Strong leadership support may not be essential for a successful partnership if there are enough stakeholders involved. (Step 3)

    a. True
    b. False ✔

  5. There may be no need for a plan to sustain a collaboration beyond the initial phase. (Step 6)

    a. True
    b. False ✔

  6. There may be no need for a plan to sustain a collaboration beyond the initial phase. (Step 6)

    a. True ✔
    b. False

Summary

Identifying the “who” and “how” of partnerships upfront is very important. Waiting for opportunities to find you will make you dependent on who is easily available and will not best serve your strategic plans for your organization. By defining your goals and collaboratively pursuing and maintaining partnerships, you can identify win-win opportunities that optimize your bandwidth. 

Key Takeaways

  • Be clear on your partnership goals before engaging with key players in the ecosystem.
  • Do your research and be creative as you explore potential partners.
  • Be transparent and adaptable throughout your partnership planning and execution process. 

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2 Cunningham, Linda C., and Lisa A. Tedesco. “Mission Possible: Developing Effective Educational Partnerships.” Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 79–89. 2001.

³ Doran, George T. “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives.” Management Review, 35-36. 1981.