Putting the “Co-labor” in Collaboration
In the nonprofit sector, we use use the term collaboration to indicate some degree of partnership, often without clarity about what exactly we mean by the term. For example, what does it mean to equitably collaborate with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) organizations especially when working on eliminating disparities? In this post, I’ll go a bit deeper into elements of collaboration that ought to be considered, particularly when white-led organizations partner with BIPOC communities, community members or organizations to advance equity in their work.
Collaboration typically entails a deeper level of trust and relationship-building than transactional exchanges, although transactions also require a degree of trust. In over eight years of hearing nonprofits describe their work, I’ve often noticed the term collaboration refer to all degrees of formal or informal collaborations. There is a wide spectrum in the depth and quality of relationships among the collaborating parties - and usually the depth of collaboration is evidenced by the sharing of resources and power (or the lack thereof).
One key observation I’ve developed is that collaboration ought to begin by building trust and deeper relationships with among partners across racialized groups. This means understanding the priorities of BIPOC community members/ organizations and articulating how those priorities fit into the work of historically white-led organizations and efforts. We must put a rest to the pattern of the more well-established and well-funded organizations, which tend to be white-led organizations, treating BIPOC partners and communities paternalistically. This type of “collaboration” reinforces historically inequitable power dynamics and racially discriminatory systems.
Collaboration can be used as a great tool to address structural power imbalances among white and BIPOC communities when it is authentic and works to address dynamics that have historically been harmful for BIPOC communities. Here some things to consider when gauging the authenticity of an organization’s collaborations:
Are the people/organizations who are collaborators sharing resources to get the work done?
How we distribute resources is reflective of our priorities. When in a collaborative relationship, we must consider whether the collaborating parties are equitably sharing resources to get the work done. This means caring for the long-term health of your key collaborators and considering how partners can grow their capacity to sustain the work beyond the scope of the project. It also means that people receive stipends to compensate them for their time and get access to transportation, meals, child care and whatever else they need to fully participate in the work.
Are the collaborating parties driving decisions in true partnership?
Conducting a power analysis is a critical first step in implementing an equity-centered approach to collaboration. Take a look at how collaborations are structured and ask whether any one party, or a few parties, in the collaboration can dictate the terms and conditions that drive the work more than others. This also includes considerations about the design and timing of project work. For example, getting front-end input on how the work is designed and evaluated indicates more authentic partnership than asking for surface level feedback after key decisions have been made.
Is listening to what impacted community members have to say a priority?
Where budgets are tight, it’s tempting to cut back on resources designed to reach communities that are historically excluded. This is where it becomes critical to ask whether an organization’s project budget reflects and honors the work that BIPOC communities bring to the table. Are there other expenses that can be adjusted to better compensate and recognize the time and talent of BIPOC collaborators? For nonprofits that value equity, it’s time to put our money where our mouths are.
Authentic collaborations that happens for the sake of any goal, but particularly for equity-related goals, leverage the unique strengths of the full diversity (whether white or BIPOC) of community and organizational partners. This includes relationship-building and connection grounded in a vision of equitable outcomes for all.
