The JNB Foundation works in partnership with organizations, institutions, and agencies to implement programs that drive transformative social change for all and build a resilient, equitable, and peaceful society. Its relationship with these program partners, as such, is critical to this policy document. The policy outlines the principles and approaches that are fundamental to the partnership. It is aimed at ensuring harmony in the ways the Foundation works with all program stakeholders. These include government ministries and agencies, national and international organization (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs); Faith based organizations (FBOs) and private sector institutions. The policy further applies to the foundation’s staff whose work is connected to programmes and programme partners for guidance, direction and framework for negotiations when entering a programme partnership. Donors and international network relationships are not affected by this policy.

Partnership is a critical approach to program implementation for the JNB Foundation. It allows for increased positive effects, including the combination of resources and expertise for increased output and the utilization of a considerable experience, knowledge, and contacts of existing local organizations; the strengthening of the capacity of these partner organizations to become stronger and independent, even after the partnership; and the avoidance of parallel services that would no longer become viable when the program closes due to lack of fund.

The JNB Foundation therefore considers partnership as an interactive relationship that is mutually beneficial and is aimed at achieving shared goal and objectives for positive and sustainable program impact. It is a cooperative venture between the JNB Foundation and its partners with a common goal, who combine complementary resources to establish a mutual direction or complete a mutually beneficial project. The main goal for the JNB Foundation partnership is enhancing public offerings to meet the mission and goals of the Foundation. The JNB Foundation is interested in promoting partnerships which involve cooperation among many partners bringing resources together to accomplish goals in a synergistic manner.

Based on trust and respect, the JNB Foundation’s partnership policy is anchored on the following fundamental principles:

1. Shared goal: With a shared goal or alignment of goals, the Foundation and its partners develop a strong working relationship that holds together even when facing difficulties. The JNB Foundation and partners must therefore have goals aligned or commit to achieving agreed goals and promote transformative social change and improved living conditions of lives for all, mainly rural inhabitants.
2. Accountability: Accountability is not only viewed in terms of financial resource control, but also the use of other resources, including information, contacts, skill, experience, local knowledge, materials, and equipment. The JNB Foundation and partners are therefore accountable to each other to cover all things, as will be established and formally agreed at the outset of the relationship.

Fundamentally, all parties in the partnership shall be responsible for:

1. Providing the agreed inputs, as outlined in the funding agreement or legal contract.
2. Delivering the outputs and activities ascribed to them and as agreed between them in the project proposal, log-frame, and implementation plan.

• Ensuring that expenditure falls within acceptable parameters of variance from the agreed project budget.

1. Assessing the potential risks to project delivery and must work together to monitor and manage them on an on-going basis.
2. Ensuring they are aware of the project’s funding sources(s) and the obligations and reporting requirements thereof.
3. Maintaining appropriate accounting standards and record keeping, in accordance with legal and contractual obligations.

3. Ownership: Program ownership is essential to program sustainability. Appropriate management responsibility must hence be undertaken by the parties in the partnership and further consider that the program and its outcomes belong to them.
4. Openness and understanding: To develop a trusting and reliable relationship, partners should be opened and commit to consult and share information from the earliest stages of the partnership. Without fear that funding flow will be affected, partners should be able to discuss their concerns openly.
5. Learning and Mutual Support: The JNB partnership engagement is to enhance learning from actions mutually undertaken and successes and mistakes resulting therefrom. Partners should therefore commit to creating a mutually beneficial learning environment, take time to reflect on their own practices, share their experiences openly, and act upon any learning’s that emerge.
6. Respect: in the partnership, the JNB Foundation and partners must recognize all the partners’ contributions, including those of cash and non-cash value and public profile. They have mutual respect for each other’s mandates, obligations, principles, and independence. The partnership must not be dominated by any one organization and that everyone’s voice must be heard.
7. Integrity: The JNB Foundation will enter partnership with organizations, institutions, and individuals that are ethically disciplined and committed to accomplishing tasks with integrity and in a responsible and appropriate manner. Accordingly, the below minimal standards are to be satisfied by partner organizations to do business with:
   1. Partner organization must be appropriately registered and accredited as a legal entity in keeping with laws and policies of the Republic of Liberia.
   2. Partner organization’s mission and values must not conflict with the JNB Foundation.

• Partner organization must not intentionally discriminate against people on grounds of tribe, religion, culture, age, disability, gender, and ill-health.

1. Partner organization must not be found involved in exposing beneficiaries to any form of abuse and exploitation
2. Partner organization must guide against the foundation funding projects that would cause conflict or have legal implications for existing partnerships or relationships, including with donors.
3. Partner organization must not be suspect able of furthering its aims through violence or terrorist activities and/or has some connections with terrorist groups.

• Partner organization has not and must not been found involved in fraudulent or illegal activities as per credible sources.

Partner organization has not been convicted of an offence concerning professional conduct.

1. The JNB Foundation works with and not through partners to collaborate and achieve shared goals, contribute inputs in every way, and support capacity development to enhance sustainability, while valuing and respecting partner approaches, opinions, and creativity.
2. The JNB Foundation subscribes to wider collaboration and is committed to developing relationships where partner organizations can collaborate beyond the immediate work of the programme, both formally and informally, to include cooperating on advocacy activities or working together to build or strengthen alliances and networks.
3. The JNB Foundation will perform due diligence to ensure that it is the right partners chosen to work with and that it understands all partner organization’s strengths and weaknesses and the implications thereof for program design and management.
4. The JNB Foundation commits to supporting the capacity-building of partners, which decision is informed by the findings of the due diligence Capacity building support could take the form of full or partial funding for formal external training, including workshops, courses or dedicated support from external consultants or technical specialists; JNB Foundation-led training, mentoring, or consulting activities; and facilitating contact between partner organization and others and encouraging collaboration to promote synergies, skills transfer and mutual learning.
5. The JNB Foundation commits to achieving sustainable project outcomes and impact; and will therefore; work with partners to develop strategies for lasting change, whereby partners are able to take over the provision or mobilization of resources necessary to continue key project activities at the end of the project life span.