Funding Formula Stage 5

Who Should Build Relationships and How?

Different people in your Member Association can play different roles in networking and building relationships with donors and other partners. For example:

• programme specialists can network with technical staff from national Ministries and UN agencies
• volunteers can work with their high-level contacts and parliamentarians
• advocacy team members can liaise with other CSOs
• your senior management team can meet with decision-makers of national and international donor agencies
• your executives at branch, chapter and clinic offices can contact local businesses and individuals

How to build robust relationships?

Networking will help you expand your relationships and establish your Member Association’s credibility and visibility.

1. Join a network 

Regularly communicate, partner and network with other organizations – other agencies should know about your Member Association, what you do and what successes you have achieved. Belonging to an alliance, committee, network or working group gives you many benefits: 

• the chance to publicise your work 

• provide details about potential sources of income and upcoming funding opportunities 
• supply information about issues that may influence your Member Association’s work 

2. Attend conferences and workshops 

Taking part in conferences and workshops tells others that your Member Association is active and interested – and has something to contribute to the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights. It is also: 

• an opportunity to inform attendees about your work, and to facilitate information sharing 
• a good place to meet donors, and other who share common interests 
• a chance to make presentations, give speeches and organize booths to enhance your credibility and visibility 

3. Organize events and visits  

To build an extensive network of contacts, it is vital to meet people personally: 

• face-to-face meetings inform donors and partners what work you are doing, and provide the opportunity to build a more personal relationship 
• distribute documentation that showcases the very best attributes of your Member Association – see how to develop this using IPPF’s capability statement template 
• host and attend events – and make sure you are prepared! All members of staff should have a short list of statements about your Member Association’s mission, goals, activities and success stories – so that everyone involved gives consistent messages.

4. Connect with policy makers 

Find out about policy making and policy makers to familiarize yourself with how the legislative system and process works: 

• research the individuals involved; who is on their staff teams; and what their priorities are 
• contact policy makers, and tailor your messages to their interests – thus demonstrating your relevance 
• organize study tours and project visits to inform policy makers about the scope and scale of your work. This is probably the most effective way of showing a donor the human impact of your work 

5. Working with the media 

Conduct a media study to identify the main media outlets, key journalists, current events (such as anniversaries and legislation) and past media coverage of sexual and reproductive health and rights issues: 

• record all media enquiries 
• maintain good contact with the media by inviting them to events 
• develop comprehensive media tools such as: press releases, newsworthy events, television and radio appearances, maintaining your website.

See more information in Stage 4 on how to increase your visibility.

Capturing key information about donors

Before you meet any donors, find out as much as you can about their key strategies and activities. This will help you think about how the work of your organisation is relevant to the priorities of the donor.

For further guidance in this area see Stage 3 on researching donors and partners.