During the pre-partnership, there was a focus on building trust and earning respect for a different organizational approach to the same issue or problem. Even though member organizational structures remained autonomous, different strategies from each partner were brought to the table to complete the projects or activities. This new information was shared among member organizations, and the different partners began to recognize how project results influenced their own interests as well as each other’s.

Written agreements were made between the funding agency and the partner members after project proposals were approved. Working principles as to how the partnership would function were often verbally stated. When a successful pilot project was completed during these foundation building years, many of these same stakeholders strategically moved into the next phase of the continuum. As well, some partnerships did not progress beyond a pilot phase yet still considered their work to be successful. As awareness of the NLS program grew among business and labour organizations over the years, new groupings began the pre-partnership phase in the development and demonstration years and to some extent in the period of program change.