Working with Government: Building Partnerships That Deliver
Event Description
If lasting change is to reach entire populations, it almost always runs through government. Yet in practice, collaboration between governments, nonprofits, and the private sector remains inconsistent, underdeveloped, and often avoided, especially in a context of shrinking foreign aid and shifting funding landscapes.
This discussion explores what it takes to build effective, scalable partnerships with government. How can NGOs, funders, and businesses move beyond parallel efforts to true co-creation and shared delivery? What models, such as Social–Public Partnerships, are proving effective in embedding innovation into public systems?
We will also examine how partnerships can be structured to align incentives, mobilize sustainable financing, and ensure that solutions move beyond pilot phases into long-term institutional adoption. Drawing on real examples, including cross-sector collaborations in education and early childhood development, this session invites participants to rethink how different actors can work together to deliver impact at scale.
Speakers
Rebecca Hickman is Chief Ecosystem and Policy Officer at SmartStart, advancing early childhood care and education through policy and systems change.
Viji Iyer is Director of Policy (Scale) at J-PAL, advancing evidence-based policy to scale social impact.
Gloria Anderson is Founder & Executive Director of TEDI Tanzania, driving EdTech solutions to strengthen foundational learning.
Vikram Bhat is CEO of SCALE Foundation, enabling cross-sector collaboration for systemic impact.
Carolyn Kandusi is CEO of Policy Innovation Lab-Africa, advancing social innovation through evidence-based government partnerships.
Discussion Questions
What makes partnerships between governments, NGOs, and the private sector succeed or fail in practice?
How can organizations effectively engage governments as long-term partners, especially in a context of declining aid?
What models or frameworks best support scaling innovations through public systems?
What would it take to move from fragmented efforts to truly coordinated, system-wide collaboration?