Strategic alliances have been defined as voluntary arrangements between organizations involving “exchange, sharing, or co-development of products, technologies, and services”(Gulati, 1998, p. 293). Strategic alliances with non-profits, governmental agencies or businesses can offer youth development organizations benefits such as expanded program reach, heightened organizational credibility, improved informational networks, and access to new physical, financial, or human resources. Given the extent of these benefits, alliances may offer youth development organizations a more sustainable and effective route to solving community issues than they might possess in isolation. In this way, alliances may be an essential part of an organization’s capacity to fulfill its mission (Noam & Tillinger, 2004). At the same time, a high percentage of alliances fail for reasons such as poor conflict management, disagreement/uncertainty about the goals of the alliance, and breakdowns in trust or communication (Compassion Capital Fund, 2010). Therefore, the purpose of this research brief is to share best practices for structuring strategic alliances. However, practitioners should consider their unique organizational cultures, missions, resources, and context and adapt ideas to fit their current circumstances.