The purpose of this research project was to examine, in the light of major public funding cuts, the potential for developing community partnerships between women's organizations and institutions in Vancouver.

The present study involved the participation of 13 women's organizations who answered a questionnaire (see Appendix I) out of 29 solicited. Six, out of the 13 participants also attended a focus group (see: Appendix II).

The project included 266 institutions which we selected from various resource lists (see: Institutions Survey Analysis), and which were sent a questionnaire. Seven out of these 266 institutions sent us back a letter of reply to our request for information without filling out our questionnaire. Six other institutions answered and returned a completed questionnaire.

I - Surveys

Two survey instruments were constructed. The first one was specifically aimed at women's organizations and the second one at institutions.

The women's survey was prepared as a tool to explore women's organizations' present sources of funding, their successful and unsuccessful partnerships, their needs, their goals and their ethical considerations for future partnerships (see Appendix I).

The institution's survey was designed to bring out the nature of their past and present partnerships, their expectations, their resources and interests, their current practices and the manner in which they like to be approached by non-profit organizations (see Appendix II).

II - A focus group and interviews

The women's organizations' focus group was organized to supplement the information collected through the survey. Through this second research instrument we examined in further detail the benefits and the costs accruing from partnerships for women's organizations, as well as the criteria by which they determined the suitability of potential partners.

Another focus group was scheduled to complete the results of the institutional survey. However, as a more convenient means for institutions, and to gather as much information as possible within our time constraints, we conducted telephone interviews instead. The questions asked were designed to examine institutions' expectations in a partnership, their criteria for selecting a partner, and their preference for a women's organization they would be willing to partner with.

In the process we re-contacted the 266 institutions we had sent a questionnaire to and requested a ten-minute telephone interview. Six institutions accepted. They included a large labour organization, a large utility corporation, a large financial institution, a medium-sized local food chain (which operated 3 stores in Vancouver), and two small repair shops.

The women's organizations contacted consisted of research and advocacy centres, sexual assault centres, and other organizations who provide a range of services to survivors of violence.