Hotel and Nonprofit Charity Collaboration

Hotels + nonprofits

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Turn hotel resources and nonprofit expertise into a partnership that can boost employee morale, help your hotel become an employer of choice, and create lasting local impact.

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Attract, develop, and retain great people
Build community trust through useful work

Nonprofits gain access to resources, skills, and relationships that support their mission.

Start with free guided planning. Explore your goals, compare partners, and build a plan together. Your answers stay on this device unless you choose to share them.

A shared plan turns goodwill into useful work

Your path to a working partnership

1Prepare
2Plan
3Build
4Measure

Program at a glance

Fourteen guided worksheets

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Finish with one shared action plan

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One program. Two clear paths.

Choose your role, complete each focused phase, and bring both teams together when the work needs to be shared.

Turn available space, supplies, purchasing power, and staff expertise into a practical community partnership.

Phase 1: Prepare25–40 minutes

Know what each team brings

Inventory what your hotel can offer

Create a realistic list of assets, capabilities, decision makers, and limits before approaching a partner.

You’ll finish withA hotel asset and readiness profile

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Worksheet 1 of 14Identify Assets and Capabilities Your Nonprofit Might Provide in Alliances

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Original worksheet title: Identify Assets and Capabilities Your Nonprofit Might Provide in Alliances

Read the following list of assets and capabilities on which nonprofit organizations build alliances with businesses. Briefly describe your organization’s assets and capabilities, and indicate the types of businesses (or specific businesses) that are likely to value them.

Identify Assets and Capabilities Your Nonprofit Might Provide in Alliances

Building on the assets and capabilities of both partners, successful strategic alliances between nonprofit organizations and businesses provide benefits to both. Nonprofits seek benefits that will further their missions, serve their customers, strengthen their organizations, and achieve desired results: Changed lives and Changed Conditions. In exchange, businesses seek a range of benefits, from enhancing business opportunities to strengthening human resource management to supporting corporate strategies through community improvement. To prepare for developing effective alliances with businesses, identify the assets and capabilities your nonprofit possesses that may be valuable to businesses. By identifying what your nonprofit can provide alliance partners, you can also determine what types of business are most likely to value an alliance with your organization.

Powerful mission: Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Powerful mission: Business Likely to Value our Organization

Strong presence: Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Strong presence: Business Likely to Value our Organization

Access to Potential Customers or Markets Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Access to Potential Customers or Markets Business Likely to Value our Organization

Extensive communication or distribution systems Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Extensive communication or distribution systems Business Likely to Value our Organization

Organizational expertise Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Organizational expertise Business Likely to Value our Organization

Programs and projects Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Programs and projects Business Likely to Value our Organization

Volunteer opportunities Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Volunteer opportunities Business Likely to Value our Organization

Ability to provide recognition endorsements and rewards Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Ability to provide recognition endorsements and rewards Business Likely to Value our Organization

Access to potential employees Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Access to potential employees Business Likely to Value our Organization

Well-known, respected leaders or spokespersons Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Well-known, respected leaders or spokespersons Business Likely to Value our Organization

Access to community leaders and influential people or organizations Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Access to community leaders and influential people or organizations Business Likely to Value our Organization

Staff and volunteer skills and expertise Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Staff and volunteer skills and expertise Business Likely to Value our Organization

Fundraising and financial capacity Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Fundraising and financial capacity Business Likely to Value our Organization

Facilities or equipment Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Facilities or equipment Business Likely to Value our Organization

Products for use or as incentives or giveaways Our Non profits assets and capabilities

Products for use or as incentives or giveaways Business Likely to Value our Organization

other Our Non profits assets and capabilities

other Business Likely to Value our Organization

other Our Non profits assets and capabilities

other Business Likely to Value our Organization

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Next Step

Determine Benefits Your Nonprofit Might Seek in Alliances

Successful alliances with businesses provide valuable benefits to nonprofits organizations and the communities they serve. Clarity about what benefits your nonprofit is seeking through alliances helps you focus on partners most likely to provide these benefits. Begin by rating most highly those benefits that will further your organization’s mission and are most valued by your primary customers—those whose lives are changed through the organization’s work. Also consider additional benefits to the organization. Then specify the resources, recognition, and relationships your nonprofit should seek, and identify businesses that might provide them. Read the following list of benefits that nonprofits receive in strategic alliances with businesses. Rate how important each type of benefit would be to your organization. For those you rate 3,4, or 5 briefly describe the specific benefits your nonprofit might seek (such as kinds of services, types of volunteers, and a target amount of funds), and indicate what types of businesses (or specific businesses) might provide them.

Benefits from Business Alliances

Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Professional Services: services that are valued by our primary customers and that further our mission Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Knowledge: information that is helpful to our primary customers or that is useful to our organization Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Revenue: income from donations, grants, cause-related marketing proceeds, or revenue from contracts or fees that exceed performance costs Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

People: volunteers serving as board members, event participants, fundraisers, or service providers Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Facilities: free or discounted access to or donations of buildings or other facilities for use by our customers or our organization Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Goods: free or discounted items for distribution to our customers or for use or sale by our organization Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Issue awareness: expanded distribution of messages or information (often through public relations and marketing communications) Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Visibility: distinctive positioning or image building for our organization or our cause (often through public relations and marketing communications) Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Experts: pro bono assistance for our organization and our primary customers (often with technological, financial, scientific, research, communication, or legal issues) Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Introductions to other businesses and influential people and groups: access to new sources of benefits. for our customers and our organization Importance (Choose One: 5 = Extremely Important; 1 = not at all important; DK = Don't know)

Specific Benefits Your Nonprofit Might Seek and Businesses That Might Provide Them

Resources

Professional Services: services that are valued by our primary customers and that further our mission

Knowledge: information that is helpful to our primary customers or that is useful to our organization

Revenue: income from donations, grants, cause-related marketing proceeds, or revenue from contracts or fees that exceed performance costs

People: volunteers serving as board members, event participants, fundraisers, or service providers

Facilities: free or discounted access to or donations of buildings or other facilities for use by our customers or our organization

Goods: free or discounted items for distribution to our customers or for use or sale by our organization

Recognition

Issue awareness: expanded distribution of messages or information (often through public relations and marketing communications)

Visibility: distinctive positioning or image building for our organization or our cause (often through public relations and marketing communications)

Relationships

Experts: pro bono assistance for our organization and our primary customers (often with technological, financial, scientific, research, communication, or legal issues)

Introductions to other businesses and influential people and groups: access to new sources of benefits. for our customers and our organization

Other

What, if anything, should we do to clarify and rate the benefits our organization might seek from businesses?

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Next Topic

Review Your Nonprofit’s Strategic Goals and Readiness for Developing AlliancesAlliances with businesses are part of the mix of strategies and tactics that effective nonprofit organizations employ to serve their customers, reach their goals, and achieve desired results.Taken together, a nonprofit’s strategic goals are the board-approved vision of the desired future of the organization.Within that framework, board members, volunteers, and staff can examine how alliances fit and can set objectives for alliance projects.Successful alliances between nonprofits and businesses require that nonprofits have effective leadership and management, high-quality programs, sound finances, and organizational practices open to entrepreneurial activities.Although effective alliances can help strengthen these fundamental organizational capacities, nonprofits need to have a solid foundation on which to build. In light of opportunities to develop strategic alliances with businesses, your nonprofit should revisit its mission and strategic goals, consider objectives that might involve alliances, and assess its readiness to pursue them.Your nonprofit can then decide how to increase its capability in any areas and whether to proceed to develop alliances or to wait until improvements are made. Write your nonprofit’s mission, and then address the following questions about your nonprofit’s strategic goals and organizational readiness,providing examples wherever possible.

Our Nonprofit’s Examples

Strategic goals: What aspects of our vision for the organization’s future can alliances help us realize? Our Nonprofit’s Examples

Strategic goals: What aspects of our vision for the organization’s future can alliances help us realize? Comments and Concerns

Effective governance: In what ways does our board demonstrate its capacity to establish sound policy, set clear direction, make timely decisions, delegate appropriately, and appraise performance? Our Nonprofit’s Examples

Effective management: In what ways do we demonstrate our ability to systematically plan, implement, and evaluate major initiatives? Our Nonprofit’s Examples

Effective management: In what ways do we demonstrate our ability to systematically plan, implement, and evaluate major initiatives? Comments and Concerns

Quality programs: What are the programs and services that demonstrate our organization’s ability to achieve results? Our Nonprofit’s Examples

Quality programs: What are the programs and services that demonstrate our organization’s ability to achieve results? Comments and Concerns

Sound finances: In what ways is alliance development integrated with our overall resource development activities? Do we have sound financial systems so that alliances with businesses can be managed effectively? Our Nonprofit’s Examples

Positive organizational culture: How have we demonstrated an openness to entrepreneurial activities, including seeking new opportunities, welcoming challenges, investing in new initiatives, undertaking reasonable risks, and learning from our experiences, whether or not they are successful? Our Nonprofit’s Examples

Given our answers to these questions, how ready is our nonprofit to develop strategic alliances with businesses?

What, if anything, should our nonprofit undertake to strengthen its capability to develop and manage alliances (such as board, volunteer, and staff training or a resource development or strategic planning process)?

Should we begin developing strategic alliances while we strengthen our capabilities, or should we wait for specific improvements?

If we begin developing strategic alliances, how should we limit, if at all, the number or scope of alliance projects given our current organizational capacity?

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Table of Contents

Delegate Responsibilities for Guiding Alliance Development

Developing and managing strategic alliances with businesses involves a range of tasks, from the exploration of specific alliance options through planning alliance activities to periodic review of the entire alliance portfolio. These responsibilities are often guided by a small task group of board and staff members, usually led by the chief executive or an appointed executive staff member and a board member. These groups tend to include people experienced in resource development,project management, marketing,finance, public relations, and communications, as well as those with contacts in the business community. (Sometimes consultants are retained to provide planning or decision-making facilitation or expert advice on capacity building or alliance development.) This task group is responsible for regular communication about alliance development and for seeking governance and management attention whenever appropriate. Because of the many questions that can arise regarding relationships between nonprofits and businesses, nonprofit boards need to set parameters on ethical matters such as conflicts of interest, product endorsements, and acceptable types of business partners and practices.Additional policy areas may also be addressed. It is a governance responsibility to make sure your nonprofit has adequate guidelines for developing strategic alliances.Appendix D presents a summary of nonprofit policy areas related to alliances and a sample policy statement. At this point it is important to decide who should undertake the responsibilities for developing alliances with businesses, determine what policy guidelines are needed, and define next steps. Summarize your nonprofit’s answers to the following questions to delegate responsibilities for guiding alliance development.

Questions About Guiding Alliance Development

Who should be responsible for guiding alliance development in our organization? Suggestions for our Non Profit

Who should be responsible for guiding alliance development in our organization? Comment

Should a special group be appointed for any or all of the tasks involved? If so, what areas of expertise or individuals should be included? Suggestions for our Non Profit

Should a special group be appointed for any or all of the tasks involved? If so, what areas of expertise or individuals should be included? Comment

Should we consider contractors or consultants in any roles? Suggestions for our Non Profit

Should we consider contractors or consultants in any roles? Comment

What policies do we have and what guidelines do we need to set for developing strategic alliances? Suggestions for our Non Profit

What policies do we have and what guidelines do we need to set for developing strategic alliances? Comment

What next steps should we take to clearly delegate alliance development responsibilities? Suggestions for our Non Profit

What next steps should we take to clearly delegate alliance development responsibilities? Comment

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List Your Nonprofit’s Current Relationships with Businesses

Most nonprofit organizations have many existing commercial relationships with businesses as well as philanthropic and other alliances. Nonprofits purchase supplies, equipment, facilities, and utilities. They use professional services from banks, accountants, lawyers, insurance companies, and others. Nonprofits’ transactions with for-profit businesses can involve market rates or discounted fees, as well as donated goods, facilities, and services. Some businesses develop relationships with nonprofits because their employees volunteer with these nonprofits. Many nonprofits have a range of philanthropic relationships, in which they receive financial contributions from businesses through gifts and events, that are not perceived as strategic alliances. When nonprofits consider developing strategic alliances, their existing relationships with businesses can provide opportunities for expanding activities and mutual benefits. Therefore an inventory of your current relationships with businesses is an excellent way to begin identifying potential partners for strategic alliances.

To identify your nonprofit’s potential strategic alliances, list the businesses with which you currently have relationships, and briefly characterize each relationship.

1. Business

1. Character of Current relationship

2. Business

2. Character of Current relationship

3. Business

3. Character of Current relationship

4. Business

4. Character of Current relationship

5. Business

5. Character of Current relationship

6. Business

6. Character of Current relationship

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Research Each Potential Alliance to Assess Strategic Fit and Opportunities

Successful alliances between nonprofit organizations and businesses depend on the partners’ strategic fit: their compatibility and ability to develop mutually beneficial projects. Research, even regarding businesses with which a nonprofit already has relationships, helps the nonprofit assess strategic fit, opportunities to create mutual benefits, and the costs and risks that may be involved in an alliance. Research may also help to generate ideas about potential alliance projects. Businesses increasingly release information that describes their missions, values, goals, product and service lines, reputations, and plans. You may wish to review public relations materials, including annual and community relations reports, as well as documents that businesses are required to file with government agencies. You may also inquire into businesses’ alliances with other nonprofit organizations and noteworthy business practices. Some of the most valuable research is conducted by informal networking, especially through your nonprofit’s business volunteers. Trade and general interest media carry current news about businesses, including frequent reports on cause-related marketing and other highly visible alliance activities. Businesses’ own Web sites are rich sources of information, and the Internet is making it easier to search for local, regional, national, and international business information. Local libraries and print directories continue to be valuable resources. The Drucker Foundation Web site [drucker.org/collaboration/] provides a list of Web sites for business research. Using your knowledge of your nonprofit’s research, respond to the following questions for the top 5 business you identified as having promising alliance potential.

Business 1.

How might our mission and values attract and be compatible with this business? Are there areas where our ethics or values might conflict with those of the business?

How might an alliance with this business serve our primary customers and the community? What benefits might this alliance provide to help our nonprofit further its mission? Would this alliance provide services our primary customers value? Would this alliance benefit our nonprofit’s operations?

How might this alliance contribute to the business’s strategy? Would it help generate business? Enhance the company’s image? Reach new markets? Support human resource development? Strengthen corporate culture? Improve business and social conditions in the community?

What assets and capabilities might be exchanged in this alliance? What might our nonprofit provide and expect to receive? What might this business provide and expect to receive?

How will this alliance be incorporated into our nonprofit’s operating plan? What costs might this alliance involve? How much leadership and management time would this alliance project require from each partner? What other investments of resources might be required?

What risks might this alliance involve? What risks to each other’s reputation? What financial risks?

Given this preliminary assessment, does this business have strong potential for a strategic alliance that will further our nonprofit’s mission?If so, note any ideas for alliance projects with this business.

If this business does not seem to have strong alliance potential and our nonprofit already has a relationship with this business, should our nonprofit maintain, expand, narrow, or abandon this relationship?

Business 2.

How might our mission and values attract and be compatible with this business? Are there areas where our ethics or values might conflict with those of the business?

What assets and capabilities might be exchanged in this alliance? What might our nonprofit provide and expect to receive? What might this business provide and expect to receive?

What risks might this alliance involve? What risks to each other’s reputation? What financial risks?

Business 3.

How might our mission and values attract and be compatible with this business? Are there areas where our ethics or values might conflict with those of the business?

What assets and capabilities might be exchanged in this alliance? What might our nonprofit provide and expect to receive? What might this business provide and expect to receive?

What risks might this alliance involve? What risks to each other’s reputation? What financial risks?

Business 4.

How might our mission and values attract and be compatible with this business? Are there areas where our ethics or values might conflict with those of the business?

What assets and capabilities might be exchanged in this alliance? What might our nonprofit provide and expect to receive? What might this business provide and expect to receive?

What risks might this alliance involve? What risks to each other’s reputation? What financial risks?

Business 5.

How might our mission and values attract and be compatible with this business? Are there areas where our ethics or values might conflict with those of the business?

What assets and capabilities might be exchanged in this alliance? What might our nonprofit provide and expect to receive? What might this business provide and expect to receive?

What risks might this alliance involve? What risks to each other’s reputation? What financial risks?

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Identify Other Businesses with Which Your Nonprofit Might Create Alliances

Although it is generally easiest and fastest for a nonprofit organization to develop alliances through existing relationships with businesses,many nonprofit organizations seek out additional businesses for alliances. Most nonprofits conduct their own research and outreach activities to find new alliance partners. Potential partners are sometimes found through market-makers, including public relations, advertising, and communications firms that develop sponsorships, cause-related marketing programs, and image campaigns. There are also consulting groups that specialize in facilitating partner identification and alliance development for nonprofit organizations. If your nonprofit wants alliance benefits that are not likely to come from businesses with which it already has relationships, it is best to search systematically for other alliance partners using well defined criteria. Partner search criteria may include type of industry, mission and values, location, size, financial performance, reputation, philanthropic interests, and track record with other nonprofit alliances. You may wish to refer back to Worksheet 7 for a description of information sources and research approaches. After reviewing benefit areas you rated highly (3, 4, or 5) on Worksheet 2, describe as specifically as possible those benefits that are not likely to be provided by your nonprofit’s current business partners. Then, after reviewing your notes on Worksheet 1 about businesses that might value an alliance with your nonprofit, define criteria for identifying businesses that might provide the benefits you seek. Next, using your research, list specific businesses that meet these criteria. Finally, rank the businesses according to the importance of the benefits they may provide and the likelihood of their interest in developing an alliance with your nonprofit.

Return to Worksheet 7 to assess strategic fit and alliance opportunities for businesses that have promising alliance potential.

Benefits Sought

1. Benefits Sought

1. Business Partner Selection Criteria

1. Specific Businesses

1. Rank

2. Benefits Sought

2. Business Partner Selection Criteria

2. Specific Businesses

2. Rank

3. Benefits Sought

3. Business Partner Selection Criteria

3. Specific Businesses

3. Rank

4. Benefits Sought

4. Business Partner Selection Criteria

4. Specific Businesses

4. Rank

5. Benefits Sought

5. Business Partner Selection Criteria

5. Specific Businesses

5. Rank

6. Benefits Sought

6. Business Partner Selection Criteria

6. Specific Businesses

6. Rank

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Design a Marketing Approach for Each Potential Alliance

Once a nonprofit organization has determined that a business is an attractive candidate for an alliance, the nonprofit needs to gain that business’s commitment to develop an alliance. Viewing each business as a customer, the nonprofit markets an alliance to that prospective partner. To design an effective marketing approach for each potential partner, plan how to connect with key people in the business, understand the business’s needs, foster interest in possible alliance projects, and follow up in a timely, responsive, and persistent manner. To prepare for marketing each potential alliance, respond to the following questions.

Business

Plan how to identify business contacts If someone associated with our nonprofit has a strong contact within the business, who is the person and how should the business best be approached? or If no one in our nonprofit has a strong contact within the business, how will we find one? Do we know others who may have strong contacts or information? Are there business publications or associations that may provide names? Are there logical people in the business to "cold call" (to serve as contacts themselves or to recommend others we might approach)? Plan the initial discussion In the light of our research and responses to Worksheet 7 on strategic fit and opportunities, how will our nonprofit make the case that a meeting to explore a potential alliance would be worthwhile? Who in our nonprofit should conduct this discussion with the business representative?

Plan the initial meeting Considering our responses to Worksheet 7, what key points should we make during the initial meeting to build the business’s interest in a potential alliance? Who in our nonprofit should plan this meeting? Should the meeting be planned jointly with someone inside the business? Who from our nonprofit should participate in this meeting?

Plan to share information and materials What do we want the business to understand about our nonprofit and the potential benefits to the business? What materials, if any, should be presented either before or during the initial meeting, such as • General materials (annual reports, news articles, and brochures) • A fact sheet highlighting our nonprofit’s assets and capabilities • A one-page concept paper outlining potential benefits to the business and ideas for alliance projects What questions should be asked to learn more about the business, its needs, and its strategies?

Plan next steps and follow-up What immediate expressions of interest or commitment do we wish to obtain from the business, and what next steps should be agreed on, such as • Additional meetings • Other opportunities to build mutual understanding and develop ideas for the potential alliance Unless the business explicitly precludes further contact, how will our nonprofit demonstrate interest and responsiveness?

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Develop the Purpose and Fit Statement for Each Alliance

Successful alliances between nonprofit organizations and businesses reflect mutual understanding of the alliance’s strategic fit and rely on the partners’ ability to develop opportunities into projects that provide significant benefits. The partners work together to design the alliance in order to meet each organization’s objectives and contribute strategic value to both. At this point, meet with your nonprofit organization’s business alliance partner and establish clear, mutual expectations about the alliance’s purpose and fit. Written agreements are recommended to avoid misunderstandings and provide a basis for future appraisal, though many successful alliances rely on oral agreements,with written documents limited to legal issues. After reviewing your assessment of the strategic fit and opportunities for an alliance with a business (Worksheet 7),work jointly with your partner to develop a purpose and fit statement. STRATEGIC ALLIANCE PURPOSE AND FIT STATEMENT between

Business:

Nonprofit organization

Non Profit

Mission & Values Non Profit

Mission & Values Business

Capabilities invested in alliance Non Profit

Capabilities invested in alliance Business

Objective for this alliance Non Profit

Objective for this alliance Business

Contribution to the other strategy Non Profit

Contribution to the other strategy Business

Alliance project activities:

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Develop the Management Plan for Each Alliance

Successful strategic alliances between nonprofits and businesses depend on effective management by both organizations. This mutual commitment to performance can be reinforced by partners working together to develop the management plan for the alliance. In meetings with your alliance partner,work together to establish clear mutual expectations. Written agreements help avoid misunderstandings and provide a useful basis for future appraisals. However,many successful alliances rely on oral agreements and ongoing communication to identify and resolve management issues. After completing the purpose and fit statement (Worksheet 10),work with your alliance partner to develop a management plan. STRATEGIC ALLIANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN between

Business

Nonprofit organization

How will the alliance capture sufficient attention among each partner’s key leaders to achieve its objectives?

Whom will each partner appoint to serve as overall relationship manager(s) and the manager(s) of alliance projects?

How will the alliance be institutionalized in each partner organization’s plans and practices to ensure continuity despite any personnel changes?

How will the alliance build mutual trust and commitment?

How will ongoing and effective communication about alliance projects be maintained between the partners, within each partner’s organization, and with customers and others?

How often will the partners meet to appraise the alliance’s progress and the partners’ performance?

How will each partner continue to learn about the other in order to strengthen the alliance, explore opportunities, and develop innovations?

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Prepare for Alliance Appraisal

Successful strategic alliances usually grow more successful when both partners commit themselves to appraising the alliance, exploring opportunities, developing innovations, and renewing the partnership periodically.Appraisal provides the opportunity to mark progress, review the purpose and fit statement and the management plan, reflect on what each partner is learning about developing an effective alliance, and make further plans.Appraisal is part of the alliance management plan (Worksheet 11) and takes place at intervals appropriate to each alliance.The outcomes of the appraisal process are incorporated into the nonprofit’s regular processes for updating operating and long-range plans. To prepare for an appraisal meeting with your nonprofit’s alliance partner, first assess the alliance’s performance to date and its potential in the next one to three years.Then, consider how the alliance can provide the greatest benefits within your organization’s governance and management capacity. Finally, plan for your nonprofit’s meeting with its alliance partner to determine whether to maintain, expand, narrow, or abandon this alliance. After reviewing the alliance’s purpose and fit statement (Worksheet 10) and management plan (Worksheet 11), consider the following to prepare for an appraisal meeting with your nonprofit’s alliance partner.

Business

How Are Our Expectations being met?

The strategic fit between the partners How Are Our Expectations being met?

The strategic fit between the partners How Do We Think Our Partner’s Expectations?

Objectives for the alliance How Are Our Expectations being met?

Objectives for the alliance How Do We Think Our Partner’s Expectations?

Contributions to strategies How Are Our Expectations being met?

Contributions to strategies How Do We Think Our Partner’s Expectations?

The management plan How Are Our Expectations being met?

The management plan How Do We Think Our Partner’s Expectations?

Is this alliance significantly benefiting our customers and furthering our mission? If so, how?

Is this alliance producing unexpected benefits for either or both partners? If so, what are they?

Do the alliance’s benefits for our customers and our nonprofit justify its costs? In what ways?

What are we learning about developing a more effective alliance with this partner?

Given this preliminary review:

Based on our organizational capability, does our nonprofit want to maintain, expand, narrow, or abandon this alliance?

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Update Your Nonprofit’s Operating Plan An effective alliance appraisal process results in the partners’ mutual agreement to maintain, expand, narrow, or abandon the relationship. Even when an alliance has been successful, occasionally one of the partners decides it is no longer in its strategic interest to continue, and the partners work together to develop a mutually satisfactory end. Therefore, regardless of an alliance appraisal’soutcome, the nonprofit needs to update its operating plan. Following the appraisal process with your alliance partner, summarize this work and the implications for your nonprofit’s operating plan. For example, the revised alliance plan may involve new costs, different allocations of leadership and management time, or investments of other resources. Following the appraisal process, summarize the work and implications for your nonprofit’s operating plan by responding to the following. Following the appraisal process, summarize the work and implications for your nonprofit’soperating plan by responding to the following.

Business

Nonprofit organization:

Alliance direction (maintain, expand, narrow, or abandon):

Contribution to our nonprofit’s strategies and objectives:

Alliance project activities:

Benefits to our customers and our nonprofit:

Costs to our nonprofit:

• Financial

• Leadership and management time

• Other investments

What changes does this review suggest for our organization’s annual operating plan?

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Measure what matters

Show what changed—not just what was given.

A credible impact review connects resources to participation, outcomes, lessons, and a clear next decision. Publish only verified results and protect participant privacy.

01Community outcome

Describe the real-world result and the evidence used to assess it.

02Shared contribution

Record what each team actually provided.

03Next decision

Renew, adjust, pause, or close with a reason.

Resources

Everything you need to move from good intent to a shared plan.

Program guide

Understand the four-phase process

Start with role clarity, outputs, estimated time, and the decision each phase enables.

Explore the guided process →

14 worksheets

Build the plan one focused task at a time

Use locally saved notes, then export a plain-text action plan for both teams to review.

Open the worksheets →

Impact toolkit

Measure results responsibly

Choose practical indicators, document sources, and separate verified outcomes from hopes or estimates.

Review the impact framework →

Common questions

Know what you’re starting.

Who is this program for?

It is for hotel teams and nonprofit organizations that want a practical framework for exploring, building, and reviewing a local collaboration.

What does the program cost?

The planning tools on this page are free to use. Each organization decides what time, goods, services, space, expertise, or funding it can responsibly commit.

What will our teams finish with?

The four phases produce readiness profiles, a partnership brief, a shared action plan, and an impact review that supports a renewal, adjustment, pause, or closeout decision.

Where are our worksheet answers stored?

Draft answers stay in this browser unless you choose to export them. Use a private device and do not enter guest, beneficiary, health, payment, or other protected information.

Should we put personal or sensitive information in the worksheets?

No. Keep guest, beneficiary, health, payment, and other private information out of these notes. Use your organizations’ approved systems for protected records.

Start with clarity

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Need help deciding where to begin? Call Hotels4Humanity at 480-875-0161.

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Charity Collaboration for Hotels and Nonprofits

Build a stronger team. Lead in your community.

Who are you planning for?

Your path to a working partnership

Program at a glance

One program. Two clear paths.

Inventory what your hotel can offer

Prepare your partnership profile

Define the value your hotel needs

Plan a credible collaboration

Build the agreement together

Measure the partnership’s impact

Measure and share the impact

Fourteen worksheets. One guided workspace.

Move the partnership forward—one question at a time.

Identify Assets and Capabilities Your Nonprofit Might Provide in Alliances

Determine Benefits Your Nonprofit Might Seek in Alliances

Benefits from Business Alliances

Specific Benefits Your Nonprofit Might Seek and Businesses That Might Provide Them

Resources

Recognition

Relationships

Other

Delegate Responsibilities for Guiding Alliance Development

List Your Nonprofit’s Current Relationships with Businesses

Plan Your Nonprofit Organization’s Strategic Alliances with Businesses

Map Your Nonprofit’s Business Relationships on the Collaboration Continuum

Research Each Potential Alliance to Assess Strategic Fit and Opportunities

Identify Other Businesses with Which Your Nonprofit Might Create Alliances

Design a Marketing Approach for Each Potential Alliance

Develop the Purpose and Fit Statement for Each Alliance

Develop the Management Plan for Each Alliance

Prepare for Alliance Appraisal

Show what changed—not just what was given.

Everything you need to move from good intent to a shared plan.

Understand the four-phase process

Build the plan one focused task at a time

Measure results responsibly

Know what you’re starting.

Choose your role and build one practical next step.