Navigating cross-sector partnerships: A reference guide for community-based organizations collaborating with health care organizations

This reference guide was developed from insights gathered during conversations with CBOs and HCOs from across the United States. NCQA’s goal was to identify their motivations for partnering and key partnership activities and strategies that enable effective partnerships. NCQA conducted 3 focus groups with 10 CBOs actively engaged in partnerships with HCOs. The CBOs that participated in the focus groups provide a range of services such as food services, housing, health literacy, maternal health, transportation and access to care. NCQA also interviewed 6 HCOs, partnered with CBOs, about the context of their work and the types of business decisions that enabled and motivated their partnerships. NCQA combined this information with lessons learned from a systematic (blinded) review of documents that HCOs submitted as part of their application to earn NCQA Health Equity Accreditation Plus. NCQA relied on the Aligning Systems for Health framework5 as a guide to describe major themes. This guide highlights four overarching areas that CBOs may consider before and during partnering with HCOs. Each section outlines tips for setting up CBOs for success, and highlights tools and resources that can help CBOs prepare for and/or succeed in the partnership.