Strong referral networks depend on strong connections between organizations. As One Degree expands our work with 211 systems and community partners, we’re building the infrastructure that makes those connections easier to create and scale.

We recently launched a new self-service capability that allows organizations on One Degree to invite other organizations to formally connect and exchange referrals.

Previously, setting up these partnerships was a manual process. Now, an organization can send a partner invitation directly to another organization. The recipient can accept through a simple login or signup flow, and once the partnership is approved, both organizations are notified and can begin exchanging referrals.

Building the foundation for larger networks

This may seem like a simple workflow improvement, but it solves an important challenge as referral networks grow.

If every relationship between organizations has to be configured manually, expanding a network requires more administrative work with every new partner. Self-service invitations allow organizations to establish connections more directly, while One Degree maintains the review and safeguards needed to support trusted partnerships.

That becomes particularly important as we deepen our work with 211 networks. A 211 ecosystem can include many community-based organizations, service providers, and frontline professionals that need to coordinate referrals across organizational boundaries.

Giving organizations the ability to build these relationships themselves creates a foundation for networks that can grow more efficiently without requiring One Degree to manually establish every connection.

It’s one more step toward what we’re building with One Degree: connected networks where organizations can coordinate more easily and people can move between services with less friction.