OCJ Collaboration Principles

• At the core of any partnership with OCJ—whether short-term, longer-term, or ongoing—is a shared commitment to center Oregon consumers in realizing our mutual goal(s).
   
• When OCJ collaborates, we commit to living our guiding principles and our values of equity, abundance, interconnection, integrity, trust, and courage. Learn more here.
   
• We recognize that trust is earned. We strive to build authentic, reciprocal relationships with individuals, partners, and communities by consistently and reliably showing up.
   
• We commit to open communication, accessibility, and transparency. We value equity of voice and seek to cultivate welcoming spaces for all individuals to join and actively contribute.
   
• We prioritize flexibility and compassion in our interactions, recognizing that we first need to connect as humans and that sometimes our personal responsibilities will outweigh our professional ones.
   
• OCJ recognizes that individuals come from diverse backgrounds and social contexts and that the organizational missions or professional environments of our collaborators can also influence how our collective efforts advance. We seek to honor one another's perspectives and insights.
   
• We value our commitments to each other and are accountable for them. We commit to staying engaged and working to address the conflicts that often arise in justice work.
   
• We challenge ourselves and others to take risks, be willing to fail, and openly learn from experience. We encourage reflection on what works and what doesn't so we can all improve outcomes to advance our mission. 

Collaborator Expectations

• OCJ would never expect every potential collaborator to fully align with our values, but we do expect them to act with integrity and authenticity in our partnership. It is also essential that trust, accountability, open communication, and information sharing are prioritized.
   
• OCJ works from the lens that collaborators will engage honestly with us about contextual factors that could jeopardize relationships, community trust, or OCJ's ability to fulfill its mission for consumers.
   
• While some collaborations are less formal and require factors that can be handled quickly, more complex and extended collaborations may necessitate the development of a memorandum of understanding (MOU). This will likely be true when shared efforts involve monetary expenditures, considerable staff time, or will invite public interest or scrutiny. Either party can request the development of a MOU to aid in facilitating positive outcomes.
   
• In entering into collaborative work, we will identify and align (alongside any other stakeholders) on project roles, responsibilities and relationships, timelines, and shared agreements. The look and feel of aligning on shared activities will vary depending on the complexity and length of collaboration (e.g., informal conversation, extended digital or in-person project launch meeting).