Power imbalances pose significant challenges in interorganizational collaborations, yet little is known about how these dynamics unfold in community-based collaborations driven by inclusivity. This study examines power asymmetries in a consortium of seven third-sector organizations in East England. Using qualitative methods, we identify a distinctive interplay between active power sharing by more powerful members and voluntary subordination by less powerful ones. This voluntary subordination arises from resource constraints and competitive perceptions, creating relational tensions and collaboration frictions. However, these dynamics also facilitate empowerment for less powerful organizations through organizational learning, growth, and enhanced influence in broader community contexts. Our findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of power imbalances in third-sector collaborations, demonstrating that such imbalances can serve as mechanisms for both tension and empowerment. By theorizing the dual dynamics of power imbalances and redistribution, this research advances scholarship on power in interorganizational collaborations and offers fresh insights into how inclusivity and power imbalance intersect in third-sector partnerships.
