Partnership Covenant
This Covenant is made between Tearfund, of 100 Church Road, Teddington,
Middlesex, TW11 8QE, UK, a charity registered with the Charity Commissioners for
England & Wales under number 265464 and ………………[Partner Name]
…………………………(together called the Partners) on …………………..(date)
The Partners enter into this Covenant to provide a framework of mutual respect and
recognition of the unity that exists between fellow believers and followers of Jesus
Christ, within which each Partner may contribute the different resources entrusted to
it by God and fulfil the very different roles of supporter and implementer in achieving
a common purpose. The Covenant is not intended to be a legally binding document
but a statement of commitment between the Partners.
In addition to, but separate from, this Covenant the Partners will enter into a Grant
Agreement which will set out the terms and conditions applying to funds transferred
by Tearfund to [Partner Name] by way of grants for specified activities. The Grant
Agreement supports Tearfund in fulfilling its legal and moral responsibility to both its
supporters and state authorities for the proper use of the funds entrusted to it and is
therefore legally binding.
(1) Duration of the Partnership and funding commitment
The partnership created under this Covenant will continue for a term of …….. years up
to …………… (maximum 6years)
During this period Tearfund expresses the intention to commit funding for work
proposed by [Partner Name] and to support the ongoing development of the Partner
organisation.
At the end of the stated term the partnership will be jointly reviewed and renewal of
the Covenant may be negotiated.
(2) Partnership Foundations
The partnership between our organisations is founded on the shared belief that as
individual leaders and staff of those organisations we are united in Jesus Christ and
equal under the fatherhood of God, and in our common purpose of bringing good
news to the poor.
We enter into this covenant in a spirit of mutual respect for each others’ mission,
values, culture and working practices as well as the practical circumstances and
regulatory framework under which each organisation operates.
We have chosen, as an expression of the reality of our commitment to Christ, to
support each other in works of service to the poor, sharing such resources as we
agree to commit for our common purpose.
We believe in the concept of Integral Mission, recognising that poverty is both
spiritual and material, and are committed to supporting the Church in its efforts to
reach out to the poor.
In particular……………………..
(optional wording to be developed and agreed with the partner – may wish to refer to
HIAF)
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(3) Partnership Values
Experience has taught us that effective, healthy, respectful and mutually beneficial
partnerships require the consistent application of values that are integral to our faith.
We look to practise these values in all we do, embracing servant leadership and
rejecting the misuse of power and control. We confess our inconsistency in this, and
look to one another and the Holy Spirit for help in applying these values in our
personal and partnership relationships.
Love
God is love, and love is from God. Jesus was the full expression of this, and he urges
us to love one another in the same way he loves us (1 John 4.7-12, John 15.12).
Indeed, as we do this God’s love becomes complete in us (1 John 4.12), and we
become attractive and persuasive evidence of that love. We are committed to strive
for a quality of relationships in our partnerships which expresses God’s love, affirms
the God-given dignity of all and proves the reality of our discipleship.
Grace and Forgiveness
Jesus was “full of grace and truth” (John 1.14), and our experience of this is
fundamental to who and what we are. We know that we are called to reflect his grace,
bursting with love, forgiveness and patience, in our service to one another (1 Peter
4.10). Inevitably, hurt and offence occur in our organisational relationships.
Acknowledging this, we aspire to be more grace-full and forgiving in the way we
relate to each other in our partnerships, knowing that this would do much to enrich
those partnerships, and the outcomes we are working for.
Truth
Human relationships and godly endeavour flourish in the presence of truth. We
worship the God of truth (Ps 31.5), and are called to love in truth and in action (1
John 3.18). Therefore, we aspire to truthfulness in our partnerships, acknowledging
the need for transparency and humility in all our dealings and communications with
one another. Our prayer is that by speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4.15), we will
encourage one another to excellence for the sake of the poor (Proverbs 27.17).
Humility
Humility, nurtured by a proper appreciation and understanding of God, self and
others, is critical to Godly partnerships (1 Peter 5.5). We aspire to humility in our
partnership relationships that will enable us to learn from each other and value our
different yet complementary roles. Such humility liberates us from the need to
dominate and own, in order that we might serve one another in love (Philippians 2.18).
Faithfulness
The God we worship is “faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds”
(Ps.145.13). So we will strive to treat with the utmost seriousness the commitments
we make to one another in our partnership arrangements, in good times and bad.
Trust
The giving and receiving of trust is essential to the development of mutually beneficial
partnerships. Amazingly, God has entrusted the Church with the awesome
responsibility of emulating Christ’s love in a deeply damaged, yet still wonderful world
(1 Peter 2.1-12). God’s willingness to place such trust in us is both our model and our
motivation in being willing to trust one another in our partnership relationships. We
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recognise that such trust involves risk, profound mutual accountability, and amazing
grace.
Justice
God loves justice, and urges us to be a people of justice (Ps.11.7, Amos 5.24). This is
what motivates us to work for a more just world. Therefore, we will strive to deal
justly with one another in our partnership relationships, seeking to avoid the pitfalls of
both dominance and manipulation.
Stewardship
There is one Creator, and one Owner (Ps.24.1). It is he who has delegated to us the
responsibility to be wise and honest managers of creation. So we will strive to
remember this fundamental truth as we transfer funds and resources from one
context to another. We do not accept the lie that we are owners rather than
managers, and will resist the power of money and position to weaken and distort our
partnerships.
Accountability
We recognise that we are primarily and fundamentally accountable to God for all our
actions and thoughts, and it is in this context that we are also accountable to one
another (Romans 14.7-12). and to those we serve. Therefore, in our partnerships we
cannot treat lightly our mutual accountability, nor can we divorce it from humility,
patience and grace. So we aspire to a fulsome and transparent accountability, and to
making what we do consistent with what we say.
Unity
We have experienced the profound joy of fellowship and interdependence in Christ
that transcends the divisions of race, culture, gender, economics, geography and
history. Such joy is at the heart of Jesus’ vision for his disciples and a profound sign
of the character and love of God (John 17.20-32). We acknowledge the seriousness
of the call to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Eph 4.2) in our
fellowship for the sake of the Gospel.
Prayer
Jesus taught us to pray (Matt 6.5-15), and experience has taught us that prayer is
vital, especially in addressing the many difficult situations that confront us in
partnership. We commit ourselves to pray for each other, recognising that this is an
invaluable means of mutual support (Col 4.2-4).
(4) Partnership commitments
In applying these values we will aim for high standards in our activities and
relationships:
The Partners commit:

To maintain the Christian identity of our organisations including the
recruitment and development of Christian personnel in governance and staff
positions, wherever possible

To uphold standards of good practice, with reference to Tearfund’s Quality
Standards, including the principles of impartiality and neutrality, and
accountability to beneficiaries, as outlined in the Red Cross Code of Conduct,
Sphere Standards and the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership Standard;
and to uphold standards of good personnel management as outlined in the
People in Aid Code.
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
To obtain the other Partner’s permission before using their name in any
fundraising, advocacy or publicity activity and to guard against the mis-use of
data or information held about the organisation
Tearfund commits :

to respond promptly to project funding applications, reports and
communications during the duration of the partnership. Tearfund aims to
acknowledge all key communications within two weeks of receipt and give a
response to applications and reports within six weeks

to make available funding for approved projects according to the schedule
given in the grant Payment Letter, subject to satisfactory progress on the
project, compliance with reporting requirements and Tearfund’s continued
availability of resources

not to interrupt an agreed funding schedule without prior discussion with
[Partner Name], except in the case of actual or suspected mis-use of funds

to notify the [Partner Name] of any appropriate opportunities for institutional
funding and to seek the consent of [Partner Name] before applying for such
funding

except in exceptional circumstances, to give prior notification of any intended
visits to the project or offices and to negotiate mutually suitable dates

to notify [Partner Name] of any relevant changes of staff or circumstances at
Tearfund that could have an impact on Tearfund’s support of [Partner Name]

to maintain information and procedures to facilitate continuity in the
relationship between the Partners
[Partner Name] commits:

to abide by the terms of the Grant Agreement and any conditions notified in
the grant Payment Letter which accompanies a grant approval. Any foreseen
difficulties in complying with any of the requirements should be notified to
Tearfund in advance so that appropriate support can be considered.

to participate, where practicable, in non-project related initiatives in advocacy,
networking, capacity building, and the facilitation of Tearfund Transform
Teams

to support Tearfund in meeting its external accountability and reporting
obligations by cooperating with requests for information, reports and
evaluations

to notify Tearfund of any incident or concerns arising under the Core
Operational Policies noted in section 1.2 of the Grant Agreement

to notify Tearfund of relevant changes in the senior management and board
membership of the Partner

to notify Tearfund of any security issues relevant to programme
implementation or the safety of personnel
(5) Feedback, Disagreements, Complaints, and Withdrawal
Feedback
Tearfund is committed to openness and transparency, to learning and continual
improvement. Tearfund actively welcomes all forms of feedback regarding our
approach to partnership, and our policies and systems, in order for Tearfund to
improve the quality of our partnerships.
Partners are encouraged to express their concerns freely, and confidentiality will be
maintained if this is requested. Negative comments towards Tearfund are welcomed
and will not jeopardise the partnership.
Normal, regular communications regarding day to day project activities and plans, the
commitments outlined in this Partnership Covenant and the conditions outlined in the
Grant Agreement should be directed, in the first instance, to the Tearfund Country
Representative or Country Director.
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Disagreements
In case of disagreement on the implementation of approved projects, other joint
activities or the application of this Covenant or the Grant Agreement, the Partners will
make every effort to reach consensus by discussion and understanding, in accordance
with Biblical principles.
Complaints
Where Tearfund fails to meet its obligations stated in the Grant Agreement and
Partnership Covenant , or there are other issues of concern to the partner that are
within Tearfund’s control, a partner may raise a formal complaint. This will take the
form of a letter or email to the Head of the Geographic Area and headed “Complaint
Against Tearfund” describing the failure or issue.
The Head of the Geographic Area will provide an acknowledgement and explain the
timeframe within which a response will be given. The Head of the Geographic Area will
give a clear response to the partner, will request acknowledgement of receipt of the
response and acknowledgement that the partner has understood the response
provided. In the event that resolution is not reached with the Head of the Geographic
Area, the matter will be referred to the International Director.
Withdrawal
Either Partner may withdraw from the Covenant and Grant Agreement before the
normal duration date by mutual agreement or for a clearly stated reason or if any of
the following circumstances should occur:



Loss of official registration, or other status, rendering the organisation unable to
operate or represent its constituency
Failure to notify an incident covered by any of the Core Operating Policies in
section 1.2 of the Grant Agreement
Sustained failure to respect the Partnership Covenant or Grant Agreement
The reason for withdrawal shall be stated in writing and notified between the
International Director of Tearfund and the Chairman of [Partner Name] .
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