Partnership Principles
Springfield is diverse racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically. CMSS must ensure that historically marginalized communities are heard and represented in our organization in order to build the trust necessary to deeply and positively impact our community. Partnerships and collaboration are critical in this work.
CMSS’ partnership principles are designed to support our organizational equity goal of expanding CMSS’s role as a place of creative expression that unites and builds trust among communities. CMSS is committed to challenging injustice and prioritizing equity and inclusion in all of our relationships, communications and programs.
Organizations and individuals who partner with CMSS are expected to treat those they come in contact with through their work with CMSS with courtesy and empathy. We expect our partners to act with the integrity and goodwill that CMSS intentionally cultivates, and to default to the assumption that others are doing the same. We expect our partners’ communication with others to be respectful, kind, and in the spirit of collaboration.
When selecting partners, vendors, and contractors, CMSS will prioritize organizations that:
- Are locally owned and operated
- Are owned and/or led by people from historically marginalized groups (e.g. people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals)
- Pay their employees a living wage
- Adhere to equitable and ethical policies and practices
- Do not work at cross purposes with CMSS’ mission and values