The enabling environment exerts a significant influence on the formation and the nature of the partnership. While strong capacity on the part of each of the three sectors is ideal, it is still possible to have a successful partnership with different capacity mixes. Assessing the capacity of the individual sectors over time can provide a useful measure of whether the external environment has improved. Second, it is important to assess any mechanism that enhances the ability of the different sectors to work together in the external environment. When examining the capacities of individual sectors as well as the mechanisms for interaction among them, it is important to keep in mind differences which may exist between the national and community levels.
Process is often the most difficult of the three aspects to assess.
Communicating and Collaborating Within the ISP Designing mechanisms within an ISP, or any organizational entity, that encourage partners to work together toward a common goal is immensely challenging. The organizational culture needs to include clear mechanisms for communicating and collaborating within the partnership. The mechanisms that govern relations among sectors of society will also affect the way in which ISP partners interact with non-partners. The systems facilitating this outside communication and collaboration may be the most important factors for the sustainability of partnering. Members of an ISP should be able to negotiate with non-partners in every sector through both informal and formal means.