We take the choice of who we collaborate with seriously.
In order to find organisations that are a mutual match we have created the following process through our Community Impact Committee (CIC):
- We review a pipeline of potential Victorian Not For Profit (NFP) Organisations aligned with our focus (NFP’s working with disadvantaged and marginalised youth in Victoria). These can come from our foundation partners, through enquiries online, and from our own partner recommendations.
- The CIC assess the nominations and usually engage in an informal conversation to qualify further. The Victorian NFP will be invited to submit a ‘Letter of Inquiry’, a short 4 page application.
- If SVPM funding is also requested, a ‘Full Proposal’ will be required providing more detail including financials, Board membership etc, building on the ‘Letter of Inquiry’.
- We like to meet to discuss the details of the request and to assess our ability to engage effectively.
- Depending on the need, we have a suite of tools and services that can be used to guide the planning and work effort required.
- We may request a presentation to the SVPM partners, before making a final recommendation from the CIC to the SVP Melbourne Board.
The assessment from the Community Impact Committee looks specifically for these characteristics:
We look for Victorian organisations that are looking to grow but aren’t clear how to do this or don’t have the resources.
Victorian organisations that are seeking opportunities to develop sustainability, for example through a social enterprise strategy.
Victorian organisations that have an element of risk to their mission. We don’t look for a safe house.
We are confident the Victorian organisation is prepared to share and work with us.
The tools we use allows us to review the Victorian organisation in the following ways:
- Assess the organisation’s capacities and gaps. (we use the Organisation Change Assessment Tool)
- Assess the organisation’s programs and outcomes (we use a Theory of Change framework).
- Facilitate the organisation to identify their current state vs desired state and any potential gaps.
