As discussed in the last All-Partner Meeting, Eastside Pathways is implementing a new partnership structure. The goals of this new structure are to keep the backbone small, make the best use of resources, and hold ourselves as a partnership accountable. We also want to have a defined process for decision making and to create a culture of working together. Finally, we will build in a mechanism as part of our Information and Onboarding Team to have larger, more established organizations help build the capacity of smaller, newer organizations.
The Partner Leadership Committee (PLC) will be 10-12 members and meet approximately every quarter. Four positions will be reserved: one for the Executive Director of Eastside Pathways, and one each for the City of Bellevue, Bellevue School District, and Eastside Racial Equity team. The other six to eight members will come from our partner organizations. All of the top-level partner organizations and self-selected mid-level partner organizations will rotate on the PLCfor a two-year term. (Note: we will stagger the terms of the founding PLC members so not all leave at the same time.) We will provide an orientation for PLC members. The PLC will elect a chair and a secretary. These positions will rotate yearly.
Three partnership levels are being created. Each organization will select a level that allows it to participate and add value in a comfortable way. All of our partner organizations are important. We want to acknowledge that some have fewer resources and therefore cannot contribute in the same way as others. As we all say in fund developing, we want you to give at a level that is commensurate with your capacity as well as your passion for the work.
The partner levels are:
- Associate Level: Contribute Staff Time, Liaison/Advisor, Resources; Participate and Support (required to serve on rotating basis on Partner Leadership Committee)
- Affiliate Level: Contribute Time or Resources; Participate and Support (able to serve on the Partner Leadership Committing on rotating basis if desired)
- Ally Level: Participate and Support
Definitions:
- Contributing Staff Time: organization provides staff time to 1) lead a collaborative (strategic level); 2) facilitate a collaborative (schedule meetings, agendas, minutes, food for meetings); 3) rotate onto and/or lead the Partner Leadership Committee; 4) analyze data; 5) provide staff support to the partnership or backbone in other ways.
- Liaison/Advisor: each member of the Partner Leadership Committee would be the liaison/advisor for one of the collaboratives. This individual would meet with or call the collaborative leader(s) and facilitator on a regular basis to ensure efforts are moving forward and to strategize about overcoming obstacles.
- Contribute Resources: organization provides resources to the Eastside Pathways Backbone or to specific collaboratives. Resources may include 1) copying/printing; 2) meeting space; 3) food for meetings; and 4) other resources that support the EP Backbone or a specific collaborative’s work.
- Participating: organization attends Partner Meetings, participates in collaboratives as appropriate, and otherwise contributes to the work of the Eastside Pathways Partnership as a full member.
- Supporting: organization spreads the word about Eastside Pathways’ work and advocates for the overall Partnership helping with community engagement within an organization’s sphere of influence.
Responsibilities of the Partner Leadership Committee
- Approve and offer suggestions and guidance on partnership work plans. Each collaborative will develop a work plan, using a template being created by the backbone staff, to bring to the PLC for input. We see the work plan as a work in progress that is updated throughout a project.
- Each member would be a liaison or an advisor to one of our collaborative work groups which now include: School Readiness, Attendance/Tardiness, Summer and Extended Learning, 4thPlus, Community Engagement, and Information and Onboarding Team. This individual would meet with or call the collaborative leader and facilitator on a regular basis to ensure efforts are moving forward and to strategize about overcoming obstacles.
- Help keep partner organizations focused on collective impact and provide gentle reminders to organizations of what commitments they have made.
- Other responsibilities may become apparent once the PLC gets underway.
Goals
- Provide an interactive way of working together and sharing ideas.
- Encourage creativity.
- Hold each other accountable.
- Make the best use of resources including the experience and input of senior members of our community.
- Create a culture of collaboration in which all organizations remember to work together rather than “going it alone.”
Criteria for membership
- The individual should be an executive or leadership level staff person from one of our partner organizations with sufficient experience to act as an advisor.
- The individual, if not the Executive Director, should have the support of the Executive Director.
- The individual should be able to make decisions.
Article written by Janet Levinger, board chair of Eastside Pathways