Partnerships
We build with organizations that share our commitment to cultural infrastructure.
Partnership Is Infrastructure. Not Promotion.
Sankofa Publishers does not pursue partnerships for visibility alone. We build structural relationships with organizations that share our commitment to African and diasporic narrative, author ownership, and cultural accountability.
Every partnership begins with alignment. We ask: does this relationship strengthen the infrastructure? Does it serve authors and communities we exist to support? If yes, we build. If not, we decline respectfully.
Partnership Categories
We engage across five structured partnership categories. Each is designed to create genuine infrastructure — not symbolic association.
Academic & Research Institutions
Universities, research centers, and academic departments seeking publishing infrastructure for faculty, student, or institutional work. We provide discounted services, co-publication agreements, and institutional publishing frameworks.
Cultural & Community Organizations
Non-profits, cultural centers, community organizations, and advocacy groups with stories, histories, or analyses that deserve professional publishing infrastructure.
Media & Content Platforms
Podcasts, digital platforms, independent media outlets, and content creators seeking to extend their work into long-form published format with professional distribution.
Distribution & Retail Partners
Bookstores, libraries, and specialty retailers — particularly those serving African and diasporic communities — interested in carrying Sankofa catalog titles or establishing preferred retailer agreements.
Corporate & Institutional Sponsors
Organizations whose values align with cultural sovereignty and publishing equity, seeking to support the press through sponsorship, endowment, or institutional contribution.
International & Diaspora Networks
African Union institutions, diaspora organizations, pan-African networks, and international cultural bodies seeking publishing alignment and collaborative distribution reach.
Who We Partner With
We evaluate all partnership inquiries against a set of alignment criteria. Organizations that meet these criteria are invited to move forward to a structured conversation.
Non-Negotiable Exclusions
Some organizations are structurally incompatible with Sankofa's mission. We decline these relationships regardless of financial terms or visibility offered.
The Partnership Process
Every partnership begins the same way — with a conversation. We do not rush into agreements. We build with intention.
Initial Inquiry
Submit a partnership inquiry using the form below or by emailing partnerships@sankofapublishers.com. Include a brief description of your organization, your mission, and the nature of the partnership you are proposing.
Alignment Review
Our team reviews your inquiry against our alignment criteria. We respond within five business days. If alignment is confirmed, we invite you to a structured introductory conversation.
Introductory Conversation
A focused 45-minute conversation to understand your organizational goals, explore potential structures, and determine whether a formal partnership is appropriate.
Proposal Development
If the introductory conversation confirms alignment, we develop a formal partnership proposal outlining scope, terms, deliverables, duration, and any financial arrangements.
Agreement & Activation
All partnerships are formalized through a written agreement. Upon signing, activation begins according to the agreed timeline and structure.
What Partners Receive
Partnership with Sankofa is a structural relationship. Partners receive tangible infrastructure — not just association.
Publishing Infrastructure Access
Discounted or priority access to editorial, design, and production services for qualifying partner manuscripts and publications.
Co-Publication Opportunities
Jointly produced titles under both the Sankofa imprint and the partner's brand — shared distribution, shared visibility.
Catalog Placement
Partner-affiliated authors receive consideration through a dedicated submission pathway with expedited review.
Platform Visibility
Featured partner acknowledgment on the Sankofa website, in press materials, and in relevant catalog communications.
Event Collaboration
Joint programming, panels, book launches, and speaking events aligned with shared cultural and publishing goals.
Community Distribution Network
Access to Sankofa's growing network of community-aligned retailers, libraries, and diaspora distribution channels.
"We do not build with organizations.
We build with people inside organizations
who understand what is at stake."
Build something that lasts.
If your organization is aligned with our mission and committed to cultural infrastructure — we want to hear from you.
