The Partnership Proof System
Most nonprofits don’t struggle with partnerships because they lack ideas. They struggle because they lack proof.
✔️ Proof that partnerships can work for their organization.
✔️ Proof that they can execute.
✔️ Proof that there’s real value on both sides of the table.
That’s exactly what The Partnership Proof System is designed
to create.
It’s a simple, practical, three-stage path that helps nonprofits:
✔️ Build their first piece of partnership proof
✔️ Turn that proof into credibility
✔️ Use that credibility to attract—and close—the next partner
This system grew directly out of the ideas I laid out in The Selfish Giving Manifesto: partnerships don’t create strength, they reflect it—and proof is what turns strength into momentum.
Stage 1: Partnership Proof Builder
Create Proof
This is where everything starts.
One of the biggest misconceptions I see in nonprofit partnerships is the belief that you need a big, splashy partner before companies will take you seriously.
You don’t.
What you need is proof.
The Partnership Proof Builder is designed for organizations that:
Don’t have a corporate partnership yet
Have had one-off partnerships that never repeated
Or have partnerships—but nothing strong enough to confidently point to
Instead of starting with a massive strategy deck or a long list of “target companies,” we start with something far more effective:
👉 We identify one realistic, aligned partnership you can actually execute.
Together, we:
Assess your mission, audience, assets, and capacity
Clarify what you can credibly offer a partner right now
Identify where you already have proximity, trust, or leverage
Shape a partnership idea that’s achievable—not aspirational
Create a clear path from conversation to commitment
The goal isn’t to build a “program.”
The goal is to build your first piece of partnership proof.
And if that partnership is strong enough, it can become a case study—the foundation for everything that follows.
[IMAGE: BUILDER-focused diagram with Builder emphasized]
(Use the version where BUILDER is visually dominant.)
Stage 2: Partnership Proof Accelerator
Publish Proof
Once you have proof, the next mistake nonprofits make is sitting on it.
They treat successful partnerships like private wins instead of public assets.
The Partnership Proof Accelerator is for organizations that already have a proof-worthy partnership and are ready to use it.
This stage focuses on turning success into credibility.
That often includes:
Creating a clear, compelling partnership case study
Translating results into language companies understand
Making proof easy to see, share, and trust
Equipping your team with stories and examples that shorten sales cycles
This is where partnerships stop feeling random—and start feeling repeatable.
[IMAGE: ACCELERATOR-focused diagram with Accelerator emphasized]
(Use the gold-dominant version.)
Stage 3: Partnership Proof Flywheel
Leverage Proof
The Flywheel is where partnerships become inevitable.
At this stage, proof isn’t just something you show—it’s something that works for you, even when you’re not actively pitching.
The Partnership Proof Flywheel connects:
Case studies
Your partnership web page
Your newsletter and ongoing visibility
Each partnership fuels the next one.
Each case study makes the next conversation easier.
Outreach gets warmer.
Sales cycles get shorter.
Confidence goes up—on both sides of the table.
[IMAGE: FLYWHEEL-focused diagram with Flywheel emphasized]
(Use the black box version with Flywheel enlarged.)
[IMAGE: Full flywheel diagram with curved arrow and caption]
“Which fuels the next partnership—and the next case study.”
This is the system at work.
Who This Is (and Isn’t) For
This is for nonprofits that want to build partnerships on clarity, credibility, and execution—not vibes or volume.
This isn’t for organizations looking for shortcuts, cold lists, or silver bullets.
Where to Start
Most organizations start with the Partnership Proof Builder—because proof comes before scale.
If you already have proof, the Accelerator or Flywheel may be the right fit.
Either way, the path is the same:
Build proof → Publish proof → Leverage proof.
If this resonates, the best next step is a conversation.
👉 [Schedule a call]
Or reply to my newsletter and tell me where you’re stuck.
