Between:
[Collaborative Name] and [Member Organization]

Effective Date: __________________

1. Purpose

This collaborative exists to:

Share content
Strengthen local journalism
Work together on projects that better serve our communities

2. Member Commitments

As a member, you agree to:

Share original content you choose to contribute
Participate in collaborative efforts when possible
Contribute to joint projects when feasible (reporting, editing, etc.)
Credit partner outlets when publishing shared content
Communicate openly about capacity and availability
Designate one primary point of contact

3. Collaborative Commitments

The collaborative (or coordinating group) will:

Maintain a system for sharing content
Coordinate communication and timelines
Support collaborative projects
Ensure proper credit and use of shared content

4. Content Sharing

Members may publish shared content with proper credit
Content remains the property of the originating outlet
Minor edits (headlines, formatting) are allowed
Significant edits require permission

5. Participation Expectations

Participation is flexible but encouraged
Members contribute when able
Members communicate if capacity changes

6. Term + Ending Participation

This agreement continues unless ended by either party
Members may leave with notice
Members may be removed for non-participation or violation of terms

7. Legal + Responsibility

Each organization is responsible for the content it provides
Members should maintain appropriate insurance where applicable

8. General

This is a working agreement and may evolve
Updates should be agreed upon by participating members

Signatures (optional for early-stage groups)

Don’t go it alone

You don’t have to figure this out from scratch. We’ve worked through the same challenges—structure, trust, participation, momentum—and we help other collaboratives do the same.

👉 GSNC: Strategy, facilitation, and collaborative design
👉 Plucky: Tools to share content and scale your work

Start here: www.collaborativenh.org/consulting