Thursday, November 13, 2008

When Partnerships Go Bad

It happens. Because partnerships between agencies are based on relationships between people, sometimes things take a negative turn - just like personal relationships sometimes do.

So, what can you do to keep your collaborative relationships from going bad, and how can you recoup a relationship that has already taken a turn for the worse?

  1. Communicate. Yeah, I know. Everybody talks about communication like it is the panacea for whatever ails you. However, when it comes to relationships, it really is important. The problem is that when relationships are strained, talking it out is exactly what we don't want to do. There is an agency I volunteer with that I am having some trouble with right now. The last thing I want to do is pick up the phone and talk to the person who is annoying me, but my relationship with that organization depends on it. Ask yourself, how valuable is the relationship to me? If it's a valuable relationship, suck it up. Start talking.
  2. Focus on the positive. Even when people don't agree on everything, it's likely that they do agree on some fundamental principles. Focus on those. Release your emotional grip on the details that don't really matter and focus on common sense of purpose.
  3. Express your appreciation. Everybody wants and needs to know that they are valued and appreciated. It may be hard to express your appreciation when things are strained, but that is when it is needed most. Send a heartfelt card or a handwritten note expressing your gratitude for the collaboration or something special the individual involved has done to make your work easier.
  4. Keep the problem to yourself. You may be tempted to tell the story about what went wrong to others. Don't. No good can come from that, and you could cause permanent damage to the collaborative relationship if you do.
  5. Don't over-analyze the problem. Sometimes it's easier to get over a bump in the road by just driving over it. If you stop, get out and start analyzing why there is a bump in the road, and detailing all of the possible ways around it, you may end up stuck there at that bump forever. In the same way, sometimes the best and most productive and respectful way around a problem with a collaborative partner is to acknowledge that there has been an issue and keep working together anyway. Not all problems in relationships need to be defined and fully resolved before you move forward. Agreeing to disagree and moving on can be a very good thing.

Don't be discouraged when a wonderful collaborative relationship hits a bumpy spot. Remember that it's normal for highly committed individuals to disagree sometimes. Not all people communicate perfectly all the time. A temporary disagreement doesn't have to turn into a permanent rift.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

What to Look for in a Request for Proposals - BlogTalkRadio Show Today!

Today's BlogTalkRadio show topic is "What to Look for in an RFP." We'll be talking about the things you should look for in an RFP when making the decision about whether or not to apply for a grant, and what detail items you need to look for to be sure you don't miss anything in your application.

Remember, if you miss the live broadcast today at 3:00 p.m. PST, you can listen to the archived version by following the same link below.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Veronica-Robbins

Monday, November 3, 2008

Another Blog Your Should Read

I probably spend more time than I should scouring the Internet for resources and useful information. There are many blogs and websites out there that don't provide much useful information or, if they do, you have to pay to get it. Every now and then I come across some great resources that are useful and free. I'll be sharing them from time to time, so keep checking back.

The first blog I want to share with you is 79 Grant Writing Resources. The blog gives some excellent grant writing and grant seeking tips, as well as links to resources on a variety grant related topics. You'll also find some good warnings about little known tricks and errors to avoid.

Check it out. You will definitely learn something you didn't know before.

BlogTalkRadio Show About Mini-Grants

If you missed Friday's radio show about Getting Started with Mini-Grants, listen to the archived version now. You can access it by clicking on the BlogTalkRadio button on the right hand side of this page. In addition to giving some tips on how to get started and be successful with mini-grants, we also highlighted some excellent sources of mini-grants that you can download and apply for today.

About Creative Resources & Research

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Woodland, CA, United States
Creative Resources and Research is a consulting firm specializing in grant writing, grant seeking, program evaluation and professional development training. We have worked with hundreds of clients including public and private schools, school districts, universities, non-profit organizations, and social service agencies throughout California, securing over $155 million from federal, state and private foundation funding sources over the past decade. Our primary grant writers and program evaluators have over 50 years of combined experience in the education and social services fields. At CRR we prefer a personal approach to the clients we work with; by developing long term relationships, we are better suited to match client’s needs with available funding sources. We provide a variety of services to help assist you, including grant writing, evaluation consulting, professional development opportunities, and workshops.