Building Successful
Coalitions
Best Practices and
Pitfalls
National Women’s Law Center
What is a Coalition

Organization of organizations working
together to achieve a common goal
Advantages and Disadvantages
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Win what can’t be won
alone.
Build an ongoing power
base.
Increase impact of an
individual organization.
Develop new leaders.
Increase resources.
Broaden scope.



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Distracts from other
work.
Weak members can’t
deliver.
Too many
compromises.
Inequality of power.
Individual organizations
don’t get credit.
Dull tactics.
Best Practices

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Choose Unifying Issues
Pool Resources to Expand Reach and
Create Buy-in
Divide Tasks/Responsibilities
Keep Lines of Communication Open
Understand and Respect Institutional
Interest
Help Organizations Achieve Their Selfinterest
Have a Realistic Budget
Respect Coalition Members’ Time
Best Practices (cont.)
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Agree to Disagree
Use Tactics Most Groups Can Embrace
Recognize Contributions Vary
Encourage Participation by Senior Staff
Choose Strong, Stable Groups for Steering
Committee
 Clarify Decision-making Procedures
 Distribute Credit Fairly
 Celebrate Victories
Questions to Consider Before
Joining a Coalition
Is it Permanent or Temporary?
 Who is Behind the Coalition?
 What is Your Organizational SelfInterest?
 How Can Your Members Participate?
 How Will Participating Build Your
Organization?
 Is It a Letterhead Coalition?

Building the Coalition:
Some Considerations

Never become involved in internal politics of any
coalition member organization.
 Who makes the decisions?
 What competing organizational self interests exist
between members?
 Which organizations are contributing the most/which
are getting the most from their participation?
 Where is the money coming from?
 Who is being excluded and why?