Partnership Facilitation Process
Key organizations involved in a WOP are service providers, WOP facilitators, development partners and the WaterLinks Center.  WOP facilitators are organizations that provide technical assistance and coordination support in facilitating the development and implementation of WOPs, usually under contract or with funding assistance from a development partner.  Development partners are donor agencies, international organizations, private corporations, foundations, water associations, and non-profits that give funding and technical support to WOPs.  The WaterLinks Center functions as coordinating body for WOPs under WaterLinks. 

Although every partnership under WaterLinks is distinct, they generally prescribe to the following process:

Step 1: Identification
The WOP facilitator works with potential partners to assess: (1) the capacity building needs and priorities of prospective recipient partners; (2) the skill sets and incentives of candidate mentors; and (3) willingness of both potential partners to contribute towards a meaningful and mutually beneficial relationship.  The facilitator also consults with relevant government representatives and development partners.  The purpose of Step1 is to identify candidate mentors and recipients for WOPs and their priorities, interests and needs.  The WaterLinks Center maintains a database of service providers interested in WOPs.    

Output: List of candidate WOP mentor and recipient partners including their profiles, priorities, capacity building needs, capabilities and interests.

Step 2: Introduction
Based on information from Step 1, the WOP facilitator helps match potential partners.  Matchmaking considerations include where the partners are, their scale of operations, how they can communicate, how they can impart practical knowledge and adopt accordingly, and how they are willing to contribute resources to make the partnership work. 

The facilitator then prepares a concept note capturing these factors and outlining the WOP focus area (or challenge) to be addressed, its objective, targets, expected resource contributions, results and anticipated duration.  When necessary, the facilitator organizes a proper partner introduction to help reach agreement on the concept note.  The facilitator may also reach out to relevant stakeholders that may be interested in future replication and/or scale up of good practices emerging from the WOP.  The purpose of Step 2 is essentially to match a mentor with one or more recipients. 

Output: (1) Concept note detailing WOP objectives, activities and outcomes; (2) an expression of interest from both partners to initiate a WOP, formalized through a Letter of Intent or other documents as necessary

Step 3: Establishment
Once partners agree to the concept note, the facilitator organizes a 3-5 day diagnostic vist by the mentor to the recipient.  In this visit, the mentor observes first hand the recipient's local conditions and service delivery challenges, and assess overall capacity building needs.  Based on this assessment, both partners and the facilitator discuss a joint work program that will address the priority needs, has realistic targets and milestones, and will achieve tangible results in terms of improved or expanded delivery of services. 

WOP partners also verify commitments to contribute financial, human and technical resources to the program implementation.  After partners agree to their own WOP terms and work program, they formalize the WOP agreement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other documentation.  The MOU typically stipulates the WOP goals, activities, timetable, milestones, roles, and contributions.  The purpose of Step 3 is therefore to ensure both partners have a common understanding of the partnership objectives and develop a mutually agreed work program.   

Output:  (1) Diagnostic report describing the recipient's operations, challenges, and capacity building needs; (2) joint work program; and (3) a partnership agreement to carry out the work program and achieve agreed targets

Step 4: Implementation
In this step, partners implement the work program by advancing defined activities according to the agreed timeline.  The facilitator when necessary helps manage, coordinate and monitor activity implementation.  Near the completion of WOP work program, the facilitator supports WOP partners to prepare a report that summarizes each activity, results, lessons learned, outcomes as measured against objectives and performance indicators, and further needs for improvements or scale-up of new practices within the recipient's service area. 

Click here for an example of a timeline for a typical water operator partnership. To view additional partnerships, click here.  

Output: Progress reports and final WOP report

An example timeline

Step 5: Expansion
WaterLinks promotes (1) replication of good practices and innovations between services providers at the regional and national levels and (2) scale-up of improvements within a provider's service area.  Based on the WOP final report, WOP partners and the facilitator jointly prepare a scale-up action plan, in which the facilitator will follow-up thorugh a new or extended partnership.  For replication, WOP partners and the facilitator document and disseminate WOP achievements and lessons at various international, regional and national events.  The facilitator advocates for replication and scale-up with other stakeholders such as relevant development partners, governments, and non-government organizations.  The purpose of Step 5 is to achieve greater WOP impact through replication and scale-up of good practices.  

The WaterLinks Center helps in garnering technical and financial support for replication and scale-up. 

Output:  (1) Scale-up action plan and (2) dissemination of WOP achievements to promote replication