Public-Private Partnership: Pathways to Expand Change Exponentially

Can social enterprises and nonprofits work as stand-alone entities at the grass root level and achieve the large-scale impact that they set out to do? How crucial are public-private partnership models, to drive positive change?

Social transformation can be achieved by standalone, mission-driven companies. However, driving social impact on a large scale can be achieved only through public-private collaborations. Companies and individuals aiming to drive change within a population, especially among underserved sections at the grassroots, need to collaborate with other stakeholders such as the government, and other like-minded professional organizations.  

Collaborations with government bodies smoothen the work of social ventures at many levels. For instance, while finding its foothold in the market, a social enterprise can rely on government-owned mechanisms such as networks or institutions such as Panchayat or Gram Sabhas to communicate to beneficiaries and run awareness campaigns. It can often work with an existing government  program to ensure that its products or services are accessed by the target population.

Moreover, once a social enterprise has demonstrated the efficacy of an idea successfully within a region, it can partner with the  government to replicate the proof-of-concept model in other regions with funding or operational support from the government. Social organizations should not isolate themselves from local governments. Instead, they must develop ways of communicating to government representatives in simple, persuasive ways to build mutual trust; and see how they can collaborate to achieve common goals.

Says Ramji Raghavan, Founder & Chairman, Agastya International Foundation, “Simplicity in the way you articulate your mission is critical to deliver impact. There are a lot of good people in the government. You have to build a relationship with the government and even with players in the corporate sector at various levels.” Ramji was speaking at a session titled, “Public-Private Partnership: Pathways to Expand Change Exponentially,” at the Development Dialogue held in Hubballi in February 2016.