Forging strong relationships between not-for-profit groups and corporates can reap many rewards. But how do NFPs approach the fine line between building rapport and being able to ask for more funding?
Some of WA’s leading NFPs share their insights into this delicate balancing act.
Leveraging your good name
When it comes to building and retaining relationships with the corporate sector, RSPCA WA’s position as a household name presents benefits as well as challenges.
The RSPCA is by far the most well-known animal welfare organisation in WA, according to Painted Dog research from 2020.
This alone creates an incredible return on investment opportunity for corporate partners.
On the flip side, the animal welfare organisation also grapples with common misconceptions around its funding model, according to RSPCA WA philanthropy and partnership manager Gosia Paton.
“There is a mistaken belief that the RSPCA receives a high level of state government funding, which can be detrimental when searching for new partnerships,” Ms Paton said.
“I make a point of emphasising that more than 80 per cent of RSPCA’s work in WA is funded through donations and community support, during talks with new prospects.
“By breaking that initial barrier, I can demonstrate how powerful corporate support can be in achieving our vision for a future free from animal cruelty.”
Ms Paton said RSPCA WA faced tough questions from corporates head on.
“We don’t shy away from difficult conversations,” she said.
“We prefer any issues or concerns be addressed early in the piece, building a strong foundation of trust and transparency.”
Ms Paton said early conversations could often be eye-opening for corporates, who might have cast RSPCA WA as ‘just another rescue group’.
“The scope of RSPCA WA’s work in the community is far-ranging and future-focused,” she said.
“Last financial year, our AWARE and Junior Rescue Officer programs reached a massive 3,727 students and young people, helping them develop responsible and caring behaviours towards animals.
“Meanwhile, our community outreach efforts delivered 1,787 kilograms of free food to vulnerable pet owners and facilitated 544 free pet health checks.
“We’re not just dealing with the fall-out of poor animal welfare, we’re taking proactive steps to create change and bringing our partners along on that journey.”
Do the research
For Foundation Housing, it’s important there is an alignment of aims and vision between a corporate organisation which partners with a NFP that provides affordable housing for those most in need.
“When approaching a new corporate partner for funds or support, it is important to understand the business thesis between yourselves,” Foundation Housing’s CEO, Chris Smith said.
For what purpose are you partnering with each other and how will both parties benefit from the partnership?
“A bespoke approach is best adopted as different partners have different motivations,” Mr Smith said.
“It is important to remain flexible to achieve the best outcome for both parties. Remaining open and transparent is integral.”
Once a new relationship had been established, it’s important to address any questions the new partner might raise, Mr Smith said.
“We align with parties that share similar values with us,” he said.
“Getting to know potential partners and understanding why they want to work with us, what their motivation is for getting involved in the sector, and how we can collaborate to achieve the best outcome are important questions to know the answers to.
“We also make it a priority to do the work ourselves beforehand to understand if the project is suitable and financially sustainable before we move forward.”
The ideal corporate partners from Foundation Housing’s point of view are those that are ‘mission-focused’.
“Also, they must understand the tenure required to achieve certain returns,” Mr Smith said.
“An ideal long-lasting relationship grows from shared values and a commitment to the journey from both parties.”
Showcasing your selling points
AWESOME Arts chief executive Jenny Simpson believes that sometimes the arts suffer from being seen as ‘lightweight’ by corporates in comparison to more prominent NFPs.
Their benefits are less immediately obvious, such as in providing housing to the homeless or feeding the hungry.
“For this reason, I spend quite a bit of time explaining the multitude of ways that our work creates and delivers real impact,” Ms Simpson said.
“Corporate partners are often surprised that arts companies can and do deliver impact, and that we work towards delivering hard and fast goals and KPIs just like they do (and not an air kiss in sight).”
In fact, so certain is Ms Simpson of the long-term benefits of helping deliver the services AWESOME Arts does year-on-year, she welcomes any thorny questions about return on investment.
“The ROI conversation is not thorny for us at all, in fact, we welcome it,” she said.
“By and large, the ROI on arts and creative programs is significant and demonstrable in a number of ways.
“Setting the parameters and goals with corporate partners so that we deliver ROI is paramount and needs to be written into every partnership agreement.”
Long term, the ideal relationship between a NFP like AWESOME Arts and a corporate entity comes down to a couple of immutable things – trust and transparency.
“Like any relationship, a corporate partnership is a journey and sometimes things do not go as planned,” Ms Simpson said.
“Being transparent and honest when things go wrong actually builds trust and understanding between partners.
“It is also important to celebrate the milestones and successes with corporate partners.”
