Date & Time: December 4, 2025, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (CST)

Cost: OKCNP PRO & Essential Members- $90 | Non-members - $180

Description:  Nonprofits thrive when they align with the right partners—those who share their mission, values, and commitment to community impact. In this dynamic 3-hour workshop, participants will explore the strategic importance of mission-aligned partnerships in advancing nonprofit goals. The session will equip nonprofit leaders with tools and frameworks to identify, cultivate, and sustain partnerships that enhance programs, improve resource utilization, and increase organizational credibility.

Grounded in the Standards for Excellence ethics and accountability code and the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits’ sustainability model, this workshop addresses the intersection of mission focus, leadership engagement, and strategic collaboration. Participants will engage in interactive exercises, including partner mapping and risk-benefit analysis, and leave with actionable strategies to build mutually beneficial relationships with public, private, and nonprofit entities.

This session is ideal for executive directors, board members, development professionals, and program managers seeking to scale impact through cooperative ventures while maintaining clarity and integrity of purpose.

Participants will leave equipped to:

• Define what constitutes a mission-aligned partnership and distinguish it from opportunistic or transactional collaborations.

• Apply the Standards for Excellence guiding principles to evaluate partnership opportunities for ethical alignment and strategic fit.

• Utilize a partnership mapping tool to identify potential collaborators in corporate, educational, tribal, faith-based, and healthcare sectors.

• Assess partnership risks and benefits using a values-based decision-making framework.

• Develop key messaging and engagement strategies for initiating productive partnership conversations.

• Establish written agreements and shared expectations that support accountability and long-term sustainability.

• Strengthen board and staff readiness to pursue and manage collaborative initiatives effectively.

• Identify opportunities for joint advocacy, funding, or program implementation that align with mission-driven outcomes.