Partnerships are relationships between two or more organizations where all parties agree to work together. This workshop provided participants with the general steps to partnership building --

• identifying goals, assets, and potential partners;
• creating successful partnerships; and
• sustaining partnerships.

This session featured presentations by Betty Milton, the Service Coordinator at the Browns Wood Neighborhood Networks Center in Browns Woods, New Jersey; Tarrie Cooper and Steve Langstaff, HUD Neighborhood Networks Coordinators; and Jerry Garcia, Neighborhood Networks Project staff. These presentations included tips on forming successful partnerships. The tips included:

• Prioritize center needs and identify where a partnership is needed;
• Consider the resources currently available in the community;
• Determine the type of partnership needed;
• Brainstorm potential partners;
• Think about what the center can offer the partner;
• Weigh the pros and cons of a partnership; and
• Do a reality check to see if the partnership is really what the center needs.

The Neighborhood Networks national technical assistance team can provide more detailed information about partnership building at Neighborhood Networks centers. Visit the Neighborhood Networks web site at www.neighborhoodnetworks.org for more information.