A collaborative among nonprofit human service agencies in Minnesota’s Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul is offering new solutions to the challenges posed by a tumultuous economy and the need for advanced technical expertise.
Founded in part by Alliance for Children and Families members Family & Children’s Service and Pillsbury United Communities (both are also members of United Neighborhood Centers of America), the collaborative allows its members to share many back office functions. Thereby, members are able to focus on serving clients and advancing mission.
This is the second of a two-part series about how Alliance members are increasingly turning to cooperative solutions to gain high levels of administrative competence and cost savings. Part one appeared in the fall 2008 Alliance for Children & Families Magazine.
A companion article in this issue features an additional cooperative arrangement in which Alliance member United Family Services, Charlotte, N.C., participates. The effort, which began as a means to save on rent costs by sharing office space, has resulted in much broader services-sharing initiatives with the potential for revenue generation.
In an additional subarticle, John Talbot, executive vice president of OPEN MINDS, a member of the Alliance’s Executive Consultant Select Group, offers advice for senior leaders to consider when thinking about whether collaborative arrangements are right for their organization.
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