Government Expands Official Outreach to Businesses and Nonprofits, Study Says

The federal government is setting up a growing number of specialized offices to serve as points of contact with foundations and businesses, reflecting the growth in partnerships between the public and the private sectors, according to a new study.

Such offices cover a wide swath of the federal government, including agencies involved in domestic policy, national security, and international aid.

Authors of the study, released last week by the University of Southern California Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy, described the functions in 21 of the 27 federal offices contacted.

The study does not account for all of the federal offices that have been established to ease cooperation among the government, philanthropy, and business.

The liaison offices between philanthropy and city and state governments have also become more common in recent years.

The liaison offices between philanthropy and city and state governments have also become more common in recent years. Public-private partnerships can benefit from the federal government’s deep pockets combined with the expertise wielded by members of the philanthropic and business communities. But members of each sector often operate in different styles and cultures.

The offices seek to “catalyze, facilitate, and accelerate” the partnerships between philanthropy and government in a way that will “demystify” the work of each sector.

The study found that the longer an office existed, the more structured and collaborative the relationship between the government and the private sector was.

“Some people aren’t doing anything more than information sharing,” says James Ferris, the center’s director. “Others are developing and co-creating programs.”

Offices within federal agencies that work to engage the private sector include the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, created in 2001, and the Peace Corps Office of Strategic Partnerships, which was created in 2012.

The study highlighted three major hurdles the offices face. Perhaps most vexing is the difficulty navigating the federal bureaucracy and translating government rules and jargon for those in the private sector. Leaders of public-private offices also have found it difficult to instill a “partnership” mentality within government and create a continuity plan so the offices outlast single administrations, the report says.

“Government is not accustomed to partnering,” the study says. “Federal workers typically operate on their own or with others in the federal government to accomplish their objectives.”