Partnerships
Collaboration can help your program overcome challenges and make the most of the resources available. Nutrition programs should seek opportunities to partner with both public and private entities within their communities and beyond. Explore ideas and resources for collaboration and get inspired by examples from other senior nutrition programs.
Briefs
- 4 Reasons to Partner with a Senior Center for Evidence-Based Programming and Beyond—
Article on delivering evidence-based health promotion programs (National Council on Aging, 2022) - Developing Partnerships with the Disability Community— Fact sheet on disability organizations that can partner to expand access to evidence-based programs for people with disabilities (National Council on Aging, 2021)
Guides
- Iowa Cafe Guides
- Iowa Cafe Guide for AAAs — Example restaurant partnership guide designed to help AAAs partner with foodservice establishments (Iowa HHS, 2023)
- Iowa Cafe Guide for Partners — Example restaurant partnership guide designed to help foodservice establishments partner with AAAs (Iowa HHS, 2023)
- Nourishing Partnerships — Guide to building partnerships and business skills to serve more older adults and people with disabilities (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center)
- Guide to Working with Restaurants and Grocery Stores for Meals During COVID-19 — Guidance in partnering with food retailers to maintain competitiveness, provide high-quality meals, and offer increased meal choice (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center)
- Title III and Title VI Programs Nutrition Collaboration — Guidance to SUAs, AAAs, and local nutrition providers on how Title III and Title VI programs can collaborate to meet goals (ACL)
- Nutrition and Aging Resource Center Partnerships Guides
- How-To Guide: Partnering with Dietetic Programs — Benefits of partnering with dietetic programs and interns
- How Dietetic Programs Can Partner with Senior Nutrition Programs — Guide to partnering with senior nutrition programs and the benefits of that partnership
- How-To Guide: Partnering with Grocery Stores — Information on partnering with a grocery store to reduce food costs, cross-promote your services, connect your participants, and more
- How Grocery Stores Can Partner with Senior Nutrition Programs — Guide to connecting with senior nutrition programs
- How Restaurants Can Partner with Senior Nutrition Programs — Guide to creating a relationship with senior nutrition programs to diversify your client base, cater to local meal programs, and more
- How-To Guide: Partnering with Health Care Systems — Guide to partnering with health care systems to create access and positive outcomes for your clients
- Social Enterprising Aging Network Example: REAL Grille — Example of innovation including use of a food truck and catering services (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2020)
- Partnerships with Food Banks and Other United States Department of Agriculture Programs — Frequently asked questions on how Older Americans Act programs can partner with SNAP, TEFAP, food banks, and more (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center)
Tools & Toolkits
- Memorandum of Understanding Template — Sample agreement for use between an aging services organization and an education partner (ACL)
- Sample Donor Thank You Letter — Sample letter to thank donors (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center)
- Asset Mapping Template — Template to visualize current and potential partners, competitors, funding, and barriers (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center)
- Health Care Partnership Assessment Tools— Tools to assess readiness and explore health care partnership (Aging and Disability Business Institute)
- Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships — Toolkit to provide guidance for partnering to address goals (University of Kansas)
- Partnership Assessment Tool — Method developed for assessing key areas of your network (National Council on Aging, 2021)
- Coffee and Contracts: A Social Needs Contracting Community of Practice— Learning series on contracting between CBOs/CCHs and healthcare organizations (Partnership to Align Social Care)
- The Diner: Promising Practices from the Network — Example of pivoting to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2020)
Presentations
- Summer Webinar Series: Navigating Partnerships— Webinar series from Connection to Collaboration on the benefits, strategies, and partnerships with healthcare organizations, State Units on Aging, Universities, and government agencies (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2024)
- Partnership Webinar Series Evaluation Report — Survey report from Navigating Partnerships: Connection to Collaboration webinar series (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2024)
- Navigating Successful Partnerships: Connection to Collaboration — Presentation slides on benefits and strategies to establish and grow partnerships (University of Kansas, 2024)
- Extension and the Aging Network: A Collaborative Partnership to Promote Healthy Aging — Presentation slides on building collaborations in the aging network, university, or cooperative extension (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2024)
- Navigating Successful Partnerships: More than a Meal — Presentation slides on how partnerships enhanced their innovative new campus (WesleyLife Meals on Wheels)
- Recipe for Success: Partnerships (YouTube)— Bite-sized video with tips on creating and sustaining partnerships (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2024)
- Increasing Participation - The Trifecta (YouTube)— One-hour webinar on increasing participation when area agencies on aging and restaurants partner together (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2024)
- Kupuna U - Innovation in Congregate Dining — Marketing presentation for potential partner organizations (Lanakila Pacific Meals on Wheels)
- Finding Your Passion (YouTube)— Ten-minute Network Spotlight on blending life purpose and working with local partners has created the perfect match for Chef Robert Walley (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2023)
- The Power of Partnerships (YouTube)— Four-minute Network Spotlight on Windy Hill on the Campus, a senior center in Pennsylvania (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2023)
- Pursuing Innovation: Strategies for Outreach and Partnerships— One-hour webinar that showcases innovative tactics to reach new audiences (National Council on Aging, 2023)