How to Build a Coalition with NGOs and Other Organisations

Identify potential partners

Start by listing organisations that share an interest in your cause. These might include:

• NGOs and charities working on the same or related issues.
• Trade unions or professional associations whose members are affected.
• Neighborhood associations, school parent groups, or local community organisations.
• Academic institutions or research groups with expertise in the issue.
• Businesses or industry groups that have a stake in the outcome.

Look beyond the obvious. An environmental petition might attract support from hiking clubs, tourism businesses, and local health organisations, not only environmental groups.

Make contact with the right person

Large organisations receive many requests. Find the name of the person responsible for campaigns, partnerships, or communications and contact them directly, rather than sending a message to a general inbox.

A short, direct email explaining who you are, what you are asking for, and why it aligns with their work is far more effective than a long formal letter.

Be clear about what you are asking

Different organisations can contribute in different ways. Be specific about what you need from each one:

• Endorsement: The organisation publicly supports the petition and lists itself as a backer.
• Promotion: They share the petition with their members or on their social media channels.
• Co-signing: They sign a joint letter or statement alongside your petition.
• Active participation: They send a representative to events or meetings with decision makers.

Asking for a small commitment first, such as sharing the petition once, makes it easier for organisations to say yes. Deeper involvement can follow once the relationship is established.

Explain the benefit to them

Organisations are more likely to join a coalition if it serves their own mission and interests. Frame your request in terms of what they care about, not just what you need.

Do not only ask them to sign your petition. Explain how supporting the campaign helps them advance their own goals, serve their members, or show leadership on an issue they already care about.

A partner organisation can also gain visibility and demonstrate active engagement with their own members by supporting a well-run campaign.

Set expectations early

Agree on what each partner will do and by when. Misaligned expectations are one of the most common reasons coalitions fall apart.

A simple written summary of agreed roles, even an email, is enough to avoid misunderstandings later.

Keep partners informed

Send regular brief updates to your coalition partners, the same way you update your petition signatories. Tell them what has happened, what is coming next, and what you need from them.

Partners who feel informed and valued stay engaged. Partners who hear nothing tend to drift away.

Handle disagreements carefully

Coalition partners rarely agree on everything. Focus on the specific goal that brought you together and avoid expanding the campaign into areas where partners diverge.

A focused coalition that agrees on one clear demand is more effective than a broad coalition with internal disagreements about goals and tactics.

Acknowledge your partners publicly

List your coalition partners on your petition page and in your press releases. Public acknowledgment shows decision makers the breadth of support and gives partner organisations something to share with their own audiences.

Invite partner representatives to speak at your events or to join the petition delivery. After the campaign, thank your partners formally, regardless of the outcome. Good relationships with organisations are worth maintaining for future campaigns.