Why Don’t We Collaborate?

One of the issues that always faces us in philanthropic activities is that of collaboration. My question about this is, Why do our organizations resist collaborating?

Two foundation officers tell me that the lack of partnerships among NPOs is frustrating, costly and maddening to them.

“I will get six proposals from six local nonprofits all seeking to do the same thing!” one officer told me. “Why not get together and bring me a single proposal. That would be much more attractive to us, for sure.”

The reason for avoiding collaborations are often selfish, he explained. “I am a believer that nothing is impossible if no one cares who gets the credit,” he told me. “But individual credit is just too important to many organizations – often more important even than achieving the philanthropic objective.”

Another officer, who was reviewing proposals even as we spoke, told me that she is heartbroken by the lack of collaboration she sees. “So much more is possible if nonprofits would only work together,” she said.

A prominent CEO of a Houston nonprofit told me that she has occasionally sought collaborators, but most often been rebuffed. “Sometimes my calls don’t even get returned,” she said.

It all makes me wonder. If you have a thought, please let me know.