Competition and scarcity

Money can make people weird. When funds are scarce, or held at artificially scarce levels, community members can feel like they are pitted against one another. A sense of competition can get in the way of progress and it is important to be aware and transparent about how people are feeling. Remember to meet your collaborators where they are. Ask questions and engage with community members about how this has worked in the past. By staying open and highlighting what each organization brings, you can avoid duplication of effort and know where growth is still needed. A compassionate approach will enable folks to come together.

Collective approach

One strategy for helping orient group members who may be feeling competitive or threatened is to focus on meeting the needs of consumers. No one organization can provide all the things and from an IL perspective, consumers deserve choice and the ability to access multiple resources. By working together, you can challenge the siloing of services and work collectively to integrate services – creating more opportunities!

In an IL approach, we say: “Instead of fighting over the same piece of pie, let’s start advocating for the whole darn thing!”