Smart Partnerships: Collaboration and Resource Strategies

Wednesday, March 5, 2014, 9 a.m. – Noon

Hosted by North Park University, Chicago, IL

Half-Day Workshop: $80

3 CEUs

Registration is closed.  Thank you for your interest.

About this Session: Strategic partnerships allow you to achieve greater mission impact, reaching more people with more transformative programming; successful partnerships inspire donors, volunteers, staff and participants. This workshop will help you define what a strategic partnership is, establish internal and external partners, identify mutual goals and outcomes, set timelines and parameters, balance investment and risk, articulate roles and responsibilities, plan for evaluating, communicate the partnership to different stakeholders and avoid critical missteps in the partnership process. Using Chicago FarmWorks as a case study framework, we’ll explore partnerships as a tool for a more robust and enduring impact for your organization. We’ll cover establishing, maintaining and transitioning partnerships with for profit businesses, a variety of nonprofit agencies, public partners and educational institutions. We’ll also identify lessons learned and keys for framing successful partnerships, discussing accountability, succession planning, competencies and capacities of each partner.

Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Board Members, Management Staff, Program Staff

About the Presenter: Nancy Phillips is the Managing Director of the Employment and Economic Advancement Division at Heartland Alliance, providing increased economic security for refugees and immigrants, residents of public housing, persons with convictions in their background, those transitioning from homelessness, recipients of public aid and food assistance and others overcoming barriers to employment.  The programs serve several thousand people a year, providing support in obtaining and maintaining employment, contextualized literacy, bridge programs, youth mentoring and after school programs, hospitality training for refugee participants and more.  Chicago FarmWorks is Heartland Alliance’s newly launched 2.6 acre urban farm on the west side, offering Transitional Jobs to low-income residents growing vegetables for local food pantries while they develop skills in landscaping, urban agriculture, warehousing and distribution.

Nancy was the founding director of WomanCraft, a green social enterprise that employed women transitioning from homelessness as artisans creating handmade, recycled paper items from 1998-2010.  WomanCraft was recognized with Mayor Daley’s GreenWorks Award, the Illinois Recycling Association’s “Best Use of a Recycled Material,” and Mindful Metropolis reader’s choice for “Best Sustainable Community Initiative.” 

Nancy serves on the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness Employment 2.0 Task Force.  Her previous work includes 10 years in program management and education administration with affordable housing organizations and educational institutions in Chicago, including Deborah’s Place, Peoples Housing, the Property Management Resource Center and Columbia College Chicago. Nancy holds a Master of Science from Spertus College in Human Services Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Maryville College.