Theme 6: Proposal and Project Support Experiences within the Partnership Program

During the foundation building and development and demonstration periods, there was open dialogue and a regular pattern of reconsideration for project ideas. This encouraged partnership development that was considered a cornerstone of the program. During the period of program change, support and advice for proposal ideas were slower with the one-way communication being more bureaucratic and less responsive to the project goals. Added to this, was the introduction of peer-review committees for proposals.

Theme 7: Factors of an Unsuccessful Partnership- Key Stakeholder Voices

1. Conflicting objectives and hidden agendas during the initial development of a partnership can lead to a failed effort. These challenges can also surface halfway through the process. In a broader sense, when project objectives are tied to accountability rather than social development, there is more room for a disconnect between the partners’ visions and those of the funder.
2. Another factor affecting success is the working relationship among partners. Characteristics that can dampen a partnership and its work are broken trust, a lack of honesty and an unclear flow of information among partners.
3. Power struggles are another factor that can damage partnerships, especially when members do not have an understanding of each other’s organizational cultures.
4. A fourth factor that can contribute to an unsuccessful partnership is program structure barriers. When a partner organization chooses a champion from inside the organization to increase visibility of a workplace literacy issue and that individual leaves the organization, it can have a negative effect on the project work. Rigid reporting requirements and micro attention to project financial accountability can take partners away from the “real” work and this affects project results and impacts.