Compete or Cooperate?

USA Today recently published an article about several animal welfare charities cooperating with each other in dogfighting and disaster rescues; they included HSUS, ASPCA, American Humane, UAN and Best Friends.  

 

Kudos to those organizations for working together, because like many same-cause non-profits that compete for money from the same funding sources, those in the animal sphere vigorously protect their own individual projects and successes. The groups' differing approaches, scope and reach, plus, some ego issues, often block the notion of cooperation, except in occasional joint pushes for legislation. (source: Sharon L. Peters, Special for USA TODAY)

 

Earlier this year I heard another example of cross-organizational cooperation that involved joint fundraising and joint mission delivery.  This instance included an animal organization and a children’s services agency who shared a common entry point. Their innovation – combined home checks for pets and kids along with the provision of various education services.

 

I know … cooperation is hard, whether within, or across, departments in your own organization, much less across organizations. But remember, fundraising is a group effort because it involves people working together, and if you are a successful fundraiser, you already practice partnership.

 

Take it to the next level because working with another nonprofit may help open new avenues of donor engagement. (How to do this? Have drinks with a peer from another organization and then talk about all the things that you want to accomplish. You may be able to do things together that you couldn’t do on your own.)

 

-Becky Graninger

 

Comments

[Cheap Compouters Canada]

Competition and co operation are the key factors that keep the business rolling.

[Frank P]

Good to see that people are joining forces against this.

[Peggy]

I totally agree with this post. Looking at the old adage 'two heads are better than one', it clearly does make a world of difference. If organizations partnered up with those who are also aimed at the same goal as them, they could generate alot of funds together.http://www.nonprofit.nu is a good resource to get more nonprofit news about this like this story and others.

[Mazarine]

Hi Becky!

I agree, what nonprofits are supposedly built on is a mission, whether it's to help animals or save the environment. If nonprofits banded together more, seeing that it was more about the cause than individual egos, then much more could get done across each segment of each cause. It's a good start to do joint fundraisers and collaboration, but there is more to be done. What about joint appeal letters? Joint staff meetings? Joint marketing efforts, like clubbing together to buy a newspaper ad, or do SMS fundraising? I believe that increasing our levels of innovation in joint fundraising are what will keep nonprofits in the black for these next few hard years after the economic crash.

http://wildwomanfundraising.com

[Chris McKinley]

Great post. Very true. Collaboration has so many more benefits than cons. Life is fast and often gets in the way. We're here to save animals and that is the bottom line. We can save more together and with the needs growing and the marketplace changing, innovation and integrated efforts helps all around -- saving animals, branding, fundraising, awareness and education. The new marketplace is like a giant database with many relationships and SEM opportunities – embrace them!