Table 3 Key elements of cross-sector partnerships that build capacity at the practitioner, organisational, and partnership levels

Practitioner

Process evaluation

Assessment of activities during and at the end of the project to see where improvements can be made.

Trust

Confidence in abilities and intentions of partners. Higher trust leads to more knowledge and skill sharing.

Period of collaboration-time

Duration of partnerships. Trust needs time to be developed. In a good partnership more skills and knowledge will be shared as time goes by and trust increases.

Personal contact

Personal relationship between people of different organisations. Open attitude and commitment to the partnership improve the personal contact, trust and knowledge sharing.

Coordination

Clarity of role, task, and expected input from partners increases accountability, trust and knowledge sharing among partners

External focus

Reaching own organisations goals by engaging in activities of other partners multiplies trust and knowledge sharing

Organisational

Mutuality

Interdependence between the partners. Greater needs to collaborate leads to greater willingness to share resources.

Policy support

Extent to which policy supports the organisation and allocates financial resources.

Support of partners

Partners who indicate added value of the partnership create legitimacy and positively influence policy makers.

Metrics for success

Objective results of relationships create legitimacy and positively influence the policy makers.

Partnership

Partner complementarity and fit

Composition of network partners with different expertise, so complementary skills and knowledge can be shared.

Diversity of activities

Multiple activities create added value for a wide variety of partners and extends the network

Period of collaboration-time

Duration of partnership gives time to obtain results and convince potential partners of the added value of a relationship.