Collaboration: Stronger Together

The Ask

Many non-profit organizations struggling to remain relevant and resilient amid an evolving and crowded market place are considering new and innovative ways to remain viable, including collaborating with like organizations. Two such organizations breaking new ground are Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada and Make-A-Wish Foundation, who joined forces in 2019 with the goal of reaching their full mission potential - granting the wish of every eligible child across the country. Jennifer Ritter, Co-CEO of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada, the resulting amalgamation, shares the process the two organizations undertook, from assessing the potential for collaboration, to integrating business practices and melding two very different organizational cultures. Despite challenges, the organizations were able to take similar missions, passion and drive to form one highly competitive organization that is now able to achieve far more, far faster than they were able to accomplish separately.