Toolkit user guide

- The toolkit is structured around the key steps and phases of a new funder collaboration - laying the foundations, building the structure, stewarding the collaboration. Choose the stage that’s most relevant to you and jump in
- It’s not intended as a linear guide to follow strictly - many of the tools will be more relevant at different stages depending on your collaboration, and you may wish to revisit some of them from time to time to review and update. That said, for those wanting a place to start, the toolkit can function as a rough pathway for the kind of questions and activities that are needed at different stages.
- Complete the tools together. While each tool is designed to stand alone, many build on one another and will complement each other when used together.
- Each tool contains a set of icons that let you know roughly how long each activity should take in total, how many people it’s designed for, and which other tools it works particularly well with.
- Make a copy of each tool so you can edit and work in it directly.
- An important note: Please view this toolkit as a ‘beta version’ or work in progress. Although it’s based on research and best-practice and adapted from existing tools, the specific tools included in this toolkit, and their combination, have not yet been tested. We’d love to hear your feedback when you use it - please let us know how it goes and how we can improve it by clicking here.
Example user pathways through the toolkit
A | TWO FUNDERS EXPLORING WHETHER STARTING A NEW COLLABORATION IS WORTH IT | B | A GROUP OF FUNDERS IN THE PROCESS OF CO-DESIGNING A COLLABORATION. | C | AN ESTABLISHED FUNDER COLLABORATION THAT WANTS TO REFRESH WHAT THEY ARE DOING. |
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Tool no. |
Tool name |
Purpose |
1 |
To map out the key steps you need to take. |
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2 |
To find out what other funders are working on. |
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3 |
To articulate the case for collaboration. |
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4 |
To develop a list of potential funder partners. |
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5 |
To reach out beyond existing relationships and networks. |
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6 |
To develop a shared purpose for your collaboration. |
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7 |
To define roles and responsibilities within a collaborative effort. |
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8 |
To plan and convene your first group meetings together. |
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9 |
To develop a bespoke agreement for your collaboration. |
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10 |
To learn from funders about how to manage collaborations well. |
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11 |
To assess how you are doing as a collaboration. |
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12 |
To find additional resources and reading about best practice. |