You can manage some of the risks by undertaking adequate due diligence and setting up an appropriate legal framework in the collaboration agreement. There are also practical questions to be considered as you discuss the options and how you want to work together:
- Getting on together – different organisational cultures, attitudes to risk and processes can cause tension and friction
- You need to decide on the overall structure and decide whether one organisation will be the lead partner and subcontract or whether you will be equal partners. As part of this you may wish to consider how accountability will be arranged
- How you will manage potential conflicts of interest needs to be settled before you start the collaboration. The collaborative venture may lead to further work, which could be undertaken together or separately. You may also find yourselves competing against each other for other contracts
- You need to consider if the work your charity is doing is within its objects