Weaving Successful Partnerships: When Funders, Evaluators, and Intermediaries Work Together

Funders who have ambitious goals to change large systems often create partnerships with intermediaries and evaluators to help realize their visions. But what does it take to effectively weave these partners together and position them for shared success?

The aim of this report, commissioned by The James Irvine Foundation and collaboratively developed by Engage R+D, Equal Measure, and Harder & Company Community Research, is to contribute to field dialogue and learning about how to structure complex systems change strategies involving multiple partners. Informed by a literature review on partnership structures, trust building, and developing a learning culture – and case studies of three different partnerships involving this triad – this brief is designed to inform stakeholders in complex change strategies involving multiple partners, funders, intermediaries, and evaluators.