Partnerships 101

This page has the “How to” information for any stage of collaboration starting with understanding the Forest Service, legal requirements, funding and other details.

Understand the Forest Service

• About the Agency: a broad overview of the Forest Service and information on agency history, the Strategic Plan, budget, regulations and newsroom links.
• Forest Service Map Finder provides a comprehensive list of maps including a National Overview Map, and topographic, motor vehicle, visitor and other maps.  
• Agency organization provides a detailed look at how the U.S. Forest Service is organized.

Start a new partnership

• The Collaboration Primer outlines how to start building a partnership.
• Collaboration Watch Outs describes common pitfalls to avoid.
• “Building Partnerships: A Best Practices Guide” is about partnering with the private sector.

Explore funding opportunities

Check out information and links on the Funding Information page.

Legal & administrative aspects of a partnership

Many partnerships have formal arrangements that involve legal documents or administrative tasks.  While the Forest Service grants and agreement specialist is responsible for paperwork or legal instruments, partners may want to learn more about them.  Remember--it’s important to consult early and often with the Forest Service Grants and Agreements team.  Visit the Legal and Administrative Information page for detailed information. 

Maintain a Successful Partnership

• O’Neill’s 21 Partnership Success Factors offers guidelines for building healthy partnerships.
• Collaborating for Healthy Forests and Communities: Building Partnerships Among Diverse Interests” is a 30-minute video that showcases on-the-ground experiences of federal and state land managers and community leaders who are working together to overcome barriers, find agreement, and build partnerships.
• Ethics: This quick summary addresses major ethical considerations for partnerships.

Evaluate, Adapt or Close out a partnership

• Closing the Feedback Loop:  Evaluation and Adaptation in Collaborative Resource Management: This extensive sourcebook offers tips, lessons learned, short case studies, and ideas for how collaborative resource management groups might evaluate and adapt their work. 
• After Action Reviews:  is a tool for quickly assessing what happened during an activity and whether any lessons from it would help in the future. It includes facilitator tips and links to other resources.
• After Action Review Worksheet:  lets users fill in the blanks to evaluate a partnership.