Social Work Agency Budgeting

Human services organizations cannot work in isolation because of the breadth and depth of social issues they address in their mission to provide services. By partnering with other organizations in the community, human services organizations can expand their service delivery. These community partners can complement the work of the social work agency and help raise additional funds for services. Strategic partnerships are not limited to nonprofit organizations; human services organizations may also work with local businesses. When considering community partners, administrators and leaders should keep an open mind and think about unique partnerships that will benefit the community.

For this Discussion, search for examples in your local community of partnerships between human services organizations and local businesses and/or nonprofits. (You may review the partnership example described at the top of page 306 in Understanding Your Social Agency, 3rd ed.) Consider how the human services organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and community benefit from these partnerships. Also consider limitations to these collaborative endeavors.

Post a description of examples in your local community of partnerships between human services organizations and local businesses and/or nonprofits that benefit the community. Analyze the collaboration to identify aspects that provide benefits that go beyond the initial collaborative effort. Explain how these aspects may benefit the human services organization. In addition, identify aspects of the collaboration that may lead to challenges, and explain how they may challenge the human services organization.

Lauffer, A. (2011). Understanding your social agency (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Sage.  •Chapter 9, “Fundraising and Development” (pp. 285–320).

Bowman, W. (2011). Financial capacity and sustainability of ordinary nonprofits. Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 22(1), 37–51.

LeRoux, K. (2009). Managing stakeholder demands: Balancing responsiveness to clients and funding agents in nonprofit social service organizations. Administration & Society, 41(2), 158–184.