Collaborative partnership design: The implications of organizational affiliation for watershed partnerships

Collaborative watershed partnerships are a common strategy for addressing complex natural resource management decisions. Despite a large literature surrounding their procedural strengths and weaknesses, little theory regarding collaborative partnership design is available to guide policymaking and implementation efforts. This study investigated the relationship between partnership structure and activities using interview data from 29 of Oregon's watershed partnerships. Confirming previous research, partnership composition is related to outcomes. Further exploration reveals that organizational affiliation is related to both composition and activities. Independent partnerships were more likely to conduct scientific assessments or plans, while agency-affiliated partnerships focused primarily on restoration projects. Additional findings suggest that independent partnerships develop priorities internally, while agency-affiliated partnerships tend to adopt the strategies of their parent organization. Diverse participation, incentives, and capacity are identified as critical design considerations for collaborative partnerships.