What skills do you believe are essential in ensuring successful strategic partnerships?

"I believe strategic partnerships are essential in a nonprofit environment to support funding, volunteer recruitment, and developing sound business practices. In my experience solidifying strategic partnerships during my work at a private foundation, I found it was best to develop a personal connection first with key leadership or community outreach staff. Be relatable. Be detailed and passionate in presenting the organization's mission and results. And, perhaps most importantly, be knowledgeable about the work your potential partner does as well."

"Patience and persistence are qualities I consider essential in developing and maintaining strategic partnerships. I have been working as the Strategic Partnerships Director at my organization for five years, and in that time, I have secured relationships with hundreds of corporations, universities, civic groups, and other entities. Their pledges add up to 3.5 million dollars over the course of two years. Their in-kind volunteer hours value equals more than 200,000 a year."

Don't simply share the theoretical skills you believe are necessary to obtain strategic partnerships. Describe the ways you have successfully leveraged these skills to secure lasting relationships that benefitted your organization.