Partnership 101

Questions to ask and resources to consider

Partnership 101 provides an outline of questions to ask and Colorado resources to consider reviewing when you begin a new partnership.

Anti-trafficking partnerships can take many forms and typically involve bringing together different groups and organizations that can effectively represent a city, county, or region’s work on this issue. Initiating a formal partnership is hard work that involves answering key questions about the purpose of the partnership, the terms of membership, and the envisioned joint actions.

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Define your partnership

How do you define your partnership?

Partnership measures acknowledge that combating human trafficking requires a comprehensive response through the cooperation of multiple sectors. Partnerships bring together diverse experiences, amplify messages, and leverage resources. For the purpose of this survey, an anti-human trafficking partnership refers to a … [e.g., a cooperative relationship between two or more organizations established for the purpose of jointly combating human trafficking in some way.]

Here are some examples of anti-trafficking partnerships around the world:

The functions of your partnership

What would you like your partnership to do?

It could:

Provide strategic coordination for human trafficking work in your area.
Provide operational coordination for human trafficking work in your area.
Share information and resources.
Increase awareness of the extent of human trafficking in your area.
Involve businesses and community members in anti-human trafficking work.
Prioritize engagement of survivors directly in the anti-human trafficking movement.

The membership of your partnership

How will you determine membership within your partnership?

Are there existing partnerships/networks in your area or region that you should link with? e.g. Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs), Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART). Consider creating a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Consider inviting the following types of organizations, agencies, and private companies and create a leadership structure. Here is guidance on adding members and who should be included:

Child Welfare (CDHS)
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE)
Community-Based Advocates
County-level human services and public health departments
Direct Victim Services – providers may offer intervention, risk reduction, and prevention services to both direct and indirect victims and survivors of crime:
- Child abuse and neglect
- Domestic Violence
- Faith-based Organizations
- Homelessness
- Immigrant resources/rights
- Sexual assault
First responders (Fire, EMS)
Healthcare Providers
Immigration and Customs Enforcement/ICE
Law Enforcement
Legal Assistance
- ALIGHT (Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking)
- Colorado Legal Services
- COVA Human Trafficking Program
- Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network
- The Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center (JAMLAC)
Local legislators
Local LGBTQ+ Resources
- 4STAR Durango
- Envision: You
- Hey Denver
- Inside/Out Youth Services
- The Center
- The Empowerment Program
- Youth Seen
Local NGOs working in anti-trafficking
- Asian Pacific Development Center
- Avery Center for Research
- Covered Colorado
- Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance (COVA)
- Colorado Legal Services (CLS)
- Extended Hands of Hope
- Free Our Girls
- Hispanic Affairs Project
- Hope Academy
- Human Trafficking Center
- Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking
- Open Heart Advocates
- Restore Innocence
- Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN)
- Sarah’s Home
- SARA House
- Street’s Hope / Voluntas
- TESSA
- The Exodus Road
National NGOs with local representation
Native & Indigenous Organizations and Resources
- Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women
- Denver Indian Center
- Denver Indian Family Resource Center
- Denver Indian Health and Family Resources
- Haseya Advocate Program
- Native American Rights Fund
- Sexual Assault Services of Northwest New Mexico
- Southern Ute Indian Tribe Victim Services
- Spirit of the Sun
Parallel Movements – human rights and social justice movements that often intersect or run parallel to protecting and serving specific groups of individuals
- Child welfare
- Crime Victims’ Rights
- Immigrant rights
- Labor rights
- LGBTQ+ Rights
- Refugee and asylum rights
- Sex worker rights
Probation Services
Survivor advocates
Survivor-led organizations
- Avery Center for Research
- BridgeHope
- National Survivor Network
Survivors with diverse backgrounds, identities and lived experiences
Systems-Based Advocates
Unions/trade groups
- Agriculture
- Construction
- Hospitality
- Manufacturing
- Ranching
U.S. Department of Labor and Employment

How will you set up a leadership structure?

Different partnership functions involve different types of partners and methods of engagement. Here are some examples of local anti-trafficking partnership structures and governance:

Consider the following key roles in your parntership’s leadership structure: