Azari Foundation
The strongest programme partnership is clear about purpose, responsibility and learning.
Azari Foundation expects partnerships to combine local knowledge, specialist capability and accountable delivery. Funding alone does not create a functioning partnership.
Choose partners for the work required
The right partner may be a community organisation, school, health provider, research institution, enterprise network or specialist nonprofit.
Selection should start with the programme need, not with organisational familiarity alone.
Define roles before implementation
Who makes programme decisions, manages funds, handles safeguarding, owns data, communicates with participants and reports results should be clear.
Ambiguity can become risk when problems arise.
Respect local knowledge
A partner closer to the community may understand constraints and relationships that are invisible from a funder perspective.
That knowledge should influence design while still being tested against evidence and programme objectives.
Use proportionate oversight
Partner oversight should reflect financial, safeguarding, data and delivery risk.
The objective is to protect participants and resources without replacing the partner’s own management.
Treat learning as shared work
Partners should be able to report setbacks and implementation changes without being pushed toward only positive narratives.
A relationship that hides problems cannot improve them.