I. INTRODUCTION

Purpose of the Handbook

Intersectoral partnering is emerging as an increasingly important development strategy in response to current development trends. These trends include a decline in international development funding, a devolution of national government power to local entities, heightened involvement of the private sector in social issues, and an increasing number of civil society actors. Government, business, and civil society actors are realizing that globalization not only brings countries closer together, but also makes it necessary for different sectors within societies to collaborate. Without collaborative action, the sectors often work at cross-purposes; with collaborative action, they can take advantage of creative synergies and achieve outcomes that are impossible for any one of them to achieve acting alone. Intersectoral partnerships (ISPs) strengthen individual organizations within each sector, offer a mechanism to resolve specific development issues, and can lay the foundation for broader, systemic change.

Collaboration among sectors is challenging. While significant research has been undertaken to explore this approach, practical guidance is needed on how best to implement intersectoral partnerships. This handbook provides a concise framework for how to get this process underway. It is the result of a collaborative effort, with most of the information drawn from USAID's New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) Resource Guide, recent reports from the field, and ongoing research and documents by Steve Waddell, director of intersectoral services at the Institute for Development Research, for USAID's Private and Voluntary Cooperation office.

Organization of the Handbook

The handbook is divided into six sections. The first section defines intersectoral partnering and discusses the form and function of intersectoral partnerships. Section two identifies the benefits of forming a partnership and highlights some of the potential results of intersectoral partnerships. Section three discusses factors to consider when forming a partnership. The fourth section presents steps for developing partnerships. Section five discusses general challenges to the intersectoral partnering process and specific challenges and opportunities stemming from USAID policies and procedures. The final section highlights key elements and lessons learned from intersectoral partnering. It also discusses the role a USAID mission director could play in the development of a partnership.