At Social Income, our partner organizations are essential to realizing our shared goal of lifting individuals out of extreme poverty. Partnering with the right organization is crucial. The right partners ensure our support is ethical, impactful, and suitable to the needs of the community we are working in. But how exactly do we select these partners? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at our process.

Research and Alignment

The first step in any potential partnership is careful research. We begin by identifying organizations whose mission and values align with ours, such as agency, empowerment, and inclusion. Just as important is whether they run programmes where direct cash transfers can be integrated into existing systems. The research into a partnerships’ alignment with Social Income includes internet research and conversations with those on-the-ground and in-the-know. This includes understanding:

• Who their target community or cause is

• Where their programs are currently active 

• Whether Social Income’s support would enhance their existing programs 

Initial Contact

Once we’ve identified a potential partner, we reach out to introduce Social Income and expressing  interest in collaboration. This step often includes asking preliminary questions to understand the organization better, such as:

• How many beneficiaries does your organization work with , and how many are over 16 years old?

• Have you initiated a cash transfer program before?

• Have you partnered with other organizations before?

The responses give us a preliminary sense of alignment and potential synergies.

Exploratory Meeting

If initial communication is positive and constructive, we arrange an in-person exploratory meeting. The goal is simple: get to know each other.

We take this opportunity to assess trustworthiness and the value of a potential collaboration. Internally, we use a Trust Score scale from 1–10 to measure our initial impression which is based on the vibe we get during the meeting.

From the onset, the meeting is structured to be interactive and encourage an open dialogue  about goals, programs, and structure. 

Internal Review

Following the exploratory meeting, our team meets to discuss our impressions of the organization and whether a collaboration would be beneficial. A key component for us is that the potential partner organization operates projects to which we can add value. We discuss alignment, potential impact, as well as any possible risks or concerns. This review ensures that every partnership is intentional and thoughtfully considered.

Compliance Checks

The next step is compliance and due diligence checks. This ensures that organizations Social Income partners with meet the legal requirements and ethical standards, safeguarding both our beneficiaries and the integrity of Social Income. We also gather information to create a profile of the organization. This includes any relevant policies, funding history, and team composition. Having this information on file helps us build a clearer picture of the organization, assess the type of entity they are, and evaluate their trustworthiness and governance. Ultimately, this supports our due diligence process and informs how appropriate and responsible it would be to enter into a partnership with them.

We also compose organization profiles, with information such as the organizations policies, funding history and team members and responsibilities. 

Field Visits

When the decision is made to move forward with the organization, we visit the organization’s field sites to see their programs in action. Speaking to the communities on the ground gives us a better understanding of their needs and the viability of cash transfers within the community. This gives us a firsthand understanding of operations, the communities served, and the organization’s approach to impact. This is imperative in  building trust and confidence. 

This firsthand experience of the day-to-day operations, the communities served, and the organization's approach to impact is imperative in building trust and confidence. 

Pilot Programme

Finally, once we are confident Social Income will add value to the impact of the organization’s work, we initiate a pilot program. This involves selecting a small group of recipients to test the partnership through our randomised selection process. The pilot allows the organizations to learn, refine processes, and ensure that the program truly benefits  the intended communities before scaling up. 

Full-scale Programme

Following a successful pilot project and it has been established that the partnership is a strong fit, we launch a full-scale program and increase the number of recipients. We will also create a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to guarantee that both parties are protected and committed to the program targets. 

As each region and organization operates differently and with varying resources, we don’t have a set timeframe through which we determine whether the pilot program will be upscaled, but a focus is to ensure there are no major issues during the pilot project phase. Potential issues include limited phone service coverage in the community or long journeys to cash out the Social Income from Orange Money agents.

Ongoing Review Dialogue

Partnerships don’t end with a signed agreement. We continue to monitor and evaluate impact, receive feedback from our partner organizations, and provide support where needed. The goal is a long-term collaboration that continuously improves outcomes for the communities we serve. We also invite all our partner organizations to an annual meeting organized by the country office to discuss ongoing projects. This provides an opportunity for partners to meet in person — alongside communication via the shared WhatsApp group — and to exchange knowledge and approaches for supporting recipients. For Social Income, the meeting offers a chance to identify any issues, share best practices, and review requested adjustments.

In Conclusion 

From research to pilot programs, every step we take in selecting partner organizations is deliberate and thorough. By combining careful vetting, compliance, field visits, and small-scale pilots, we ensure that our partners share our vision and commitment to lifting individuals out of poverty. This approach allows us to build trust, maximise impact, and create sustainable, meaningful change.