Planning for a Successful Partnership

Learn more about partnering with Feed the Future and what it takes to build a successful collaboration that meets both business and development goals.

Is Partnership Right for You?

Given our focus on development, proposals will be more competitive if they demonstrate a longer-term commitment to the economic viability of the project, even after our support ends.

A partnership may be right for you if the intended results include:

• Creating a broad public good that benefits smallholder farmers, particularly women
• Strengthening institutional capacity in a developing country
• Transferring technical skills, methods, and new approaches
• Two-way transfer of technical expertise
• Establishing ongoing intellectual relationships among organizations
• Strengthening relationships between U.S. and host-country entities
• Establishing potential long-term (post-project completion) relations
• Linking local organizations to a wider network of international connections

A partnership may not be right for you if:

• Results requires a tight, fixed schedule
• Results only benefit your immediate company and/or have little impact on our development objectives
• Geographies and crops don’t overlap with Feed the Future’s priorities

Additionally, partnerships only work when you:

• Bring significant new resources to the project
• Allocate time to learning about how partnering with the U.S. Government works
• Undergo a formative period to identify intersecting interests
• Understand and adhere to U.S. Government regulations and policies
• Devote a leader in your company to provide active co-involvement
• Learn more about maximizing success in partnerships with Feed the Future.

Resources

Partnerships typically require a minimum 1:1 resource match between public and private partners of at least $250,000. This can be a combination of cash and in-kind resources. Generally, 25% of the resources you bring to the table must be cash, so $62,500 at a minimum.

Examples of In-Kind Resources

• Commodities such as drugs, foodstuffs and equipment
• Use of training or other purpose-specific facilities
• Value of time donated by technical consultants
• Value of salaries for staff dedicated to project
• Technology, communications and capital assets
• Intellectual property rights

What does the U.S. Government bring to a partnership?

• Access to country partners and other relationships
• Matching funds and technical assistance
• Connections across federal agencies
• Broader access to credit
• Power to convene
• Cultural experience and expertise
• Technical and regional expertise
• Rigorous and sophisticated monitoring and evaluation
• Risk mitigation and due diligence
• Capacity building
• Programming that is gender-equitable and environmentally conscious

What do private sector partners bring to a partnership?

• Bottom-line mentality and efficient use of resources
• Expertise, experience, services and products
• Innovative capital structure
• Technological innovation and intellectual property
• Commercial supply chain access and expertise
• Reductions in post-harvest losses
• Training that builds skills and capacity
• Marketing and communications expertise
• Focused leadership
• Cash and in-kind resources

Ensuring Success

Proper planning is necessary for the creation and success of any business venture. It’s no different with a public-private partnership. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you explore a partnership with us.

• Do your objectives align with the strategic goals of Feed the Future and the host country?
• Is there is strong enough demand to make the venture economically viable?
• Is there enthusiastic buy-in from host-country government agencies?
• Have you built understanding and buy-in for the project among local communities who will be impacted by the partnership—and taken their needs and input into account?
• Are there other relevant partners that could enhance the outcomes and success of the venture, such as a university that has an interest in the outcome or has researched the venture?
• Have all parties have made sufficient capital commitments to ensure adequate funding throughout the life of the partnership?
  Is there is enough collective experience among the partners to anticipate and effectively manage day-to-day decision making?
• Do local cultural customs allow adequate flexibility in making adjustments over time?
  Is there a provision for technical assistance to growers? Is vocational training available?
• Does the project involve enough capacity building to ensure long-term sustainability of the venture?
• How could/should Feed the Future agencies apply their specific expertise to the goals of this venture?

Interested in initiating a partnership with us?

Contact Us to get the process started.