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    Creating equitable partnerships

    Building relationships rooted in trust, transparency and accountability by sharing information, funding and other resources rather than extracting time, talent and traditions from your community.

    Your organization’s ability to create equitable partnerships depends on your understanding of the history, existing conditions, issues and strengths of the individuals and entities with whom you partner. Vu Le’s Nonprofit AF blog, 9 questions to help you develop an equity mindset, lays out the vitally important—and often unasked—questions below, with additional context included in the blog:

    • Who are the most systemically excluded people and how have they been affected?

    • How are the voices and opinions of the people most affected by this situation centered?

    • What power dynamics are involved? Who holds the most power in this situation?

    • Who developed this system in the first place?

    • Who benefits most from things remaining unchanged?

    • What power dynamics are involved? Who holds the most power in this situation?

    • Who created the evidence that supports the status quo?

    • What does the data say when you disaggregate it?

    • How do your identity, upbringing, culture, education, privileges and biases affect your perspective?

    Governance model for equitable partnerships

    • Break power dynamics with joint decision making
    • Share risks and benefits
    • Share knowledge of all types
    • Share resources
    Resources for change

    This essential resource will help you better understand equitable partnerships with Indigenous communities.

    Next steps

    Questions for further reflection

    • How are project planning and decision-making shared among the project partners?

    • How can your projects be structured so that partners collaboratively agree that funding and other resources will be shared and contributed equitably and partners will collaboratively seek additional funding as needed?

    • When you communicate about projects or events, is the power being shared in the partnership reflected in publicity and communications about the project?

    Action

    What 2-3 actions can your organization take to start building equitable partnerships?

    Identify at least three community organizations that you want to create an equitable partnership with.

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