Now that the background for partnerships in family literacy has been established, the content of the manual turns to practical matters. This chapter outlines the first steps you need to take in initiating a partnership in your community.

The first section in this chapter looks at establishing a context and reflecting on what you already know about needs and services in your community. Next you'll look at what the needs and resources are in your own agency that justify building a partnership. There are a number of important considerations that can affect how feasible a partnership is.

The next section of this chapter describes strategies for identifying potential partners, preparing information, contacting the agencies you've identified, and making agency visits to build interest in and support for the partnership.

Finally, strategies for holding an inter-agency meeting to bring interested parties to the table to discuss the proposed partnership are provided.