Page 21 - 2021 MHA Start-up Guide

Collaborating with community organizations
As part of your business plan, you’ll have to indicate which partners you plan to work with to
deliver service, both on site and off. A like-minded, community-oriented partner organization is a
mobile program’s best friend. Working with such groups carries a number of benefits. It demon-
strates to the community how serious you are about your mission . It creates opportunities for
outreach and marketing to new client populations . It also creates another channel for dialogue
with community members — one that doesn’t have to drive away from the site every night .

When vetting partners, be sure they match your level of commitment .
You can expect the first year of your program to be a learning experi-
ence on both sides . Set a minimum engagement time frame and stick When vetting partners,
it out . Word of mouth is an important source of basic information on be sure they match your
a prospective partner . Being already trusted and well recognized in level of commitment…
the community is essential . Other indicators to look for in a strong
partner include: Being already trusted and
well recognized in the
Experience. Has this organization worked with mobile programs in community is
the past, and if so, what were the primary learnings from that expe-
rience? First-time partners may be passionate, but healthcare is com- essential.
plex, and veterans have a lot of knowledge they can leverage to the ben-
efit of your program.

Logistical competencies. As site partners, are they willing to help with logistics like distributing
and collecting waivers or permission forms prior to vehicle arrival? This can save you many, many
hours and ensure a consistent experience for your clients .

Resource availability. Can you
expect a fixed number of vol-
unteers from the organization
to attend each site event? This
is where a strong memoran-
dum of understanding (MOU),
signed by both parties, comes
in handy (we’ll review those
later on) . It’s worth reminding
your partner organization that
companies that encourage
community engagement are
more attractive to top talent,
especially millennial talent . And
from a consumer standpoint,
82% of those in the US consid-
er corporate social responsibil-
ity policies during the purchas-
ing journey . 7

7 Forbes Human Resources Council . “How Community Involvement Programs Can Grow Your Business .” Forbes . 8 June 2017 . Web .

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