This paper explores the institutional effects of interorganizational collaboration, focusing on how such collaborations can lead to the creation of new practices, technologies, and rules that may become new institutions. Using the case of Mère et Enfant (Palestine), a small non-governmental organization (NGO) providing nutritional services, the study argues that collaborations that are highly embedded and involve high levels of participation among partners are most likely to generate proto-institutions. These are new practices, technologies, and rules that have the potential to become fully institutionalized if they diffuse sufficiently within the institutional field. The study employs a qualitative, multi-case comparative approach to analyze the collaborative activities of Mère et Enfant over a four-year period. It identifies two key dimensions of collaboration: involvement and embeddedness. Involvement refers to the depth and scope of interactions among collaborators, while embeddedness refers to the extent to which the collaboration is integrated into broader interorganizational networks. The findings suggest that high levels of involvement and embeddedness are associated with the creation of proto-institutions, which can then lead to broader institutional change. The research highlights the role of interorganizational collaboration in institutional innovation, demonstrating how such collaborations can facilitate the development of new practices, technologies, and rules that transcend the boundaries of the collaboration. The case of Mère et Enfant and its collaboration with the University of Oslo’s School of Nutrition illustrates how high levels of involvement and embeddedness can lead to the creation of new institutional practices and rules that are adopted beyond the collaboration. This study contributes to institutional theory by showing how collaboration can act as a catalyst for institutional change, and by emphasizing the importance of both the characteristics of the collaboration and the broader institutional context in shaping institutional outcomes.This paper explores the institutional effects of interorganizational collaboration, focusing on how such collaborations can lead to the creation of new practices, technologies, and rules that may become new institutions. Using the case of Mère et Enfant (Palestine), a small non-governmental organization (NGO) providing nutritional services, the study argues that collaborations that are highly embedded and involve high levels of participation among partners are most likely to generate proto-institutions. These are new practices, technologies, and rules that have the potential to become fully institutionalized if they diffuse sufficiently within the institutional field. The study employs a qualitative, multi-case comparative approach to analyze the collaborative activities of Mère et Enfant over a four-year period. It identifies two key dimensions of collaboration: involvement and embeddedness. Involvement refers to the depth and scope of interactions among collaborators, while embeddedness refers to the extent to which the collaboration is integrated into broader interorganizational networks. The findings suggest that high levels of involvement and embeddedness are associated with the creation of proto-institutions, which can then lead to broader institutional change. The research highlights the role of interorganizational collaboration in institutional innovation, demonstrating how such collaborations can facilitate the development of new practices, technologies, and rules that transcend the boundaries of the collaboration. The case of Mère et Enfant and its collaboration with the University of Oslo’s School of Nutrition illustrates how high levels of involvement and embeddedness can lead to the creation of new institutional practices and rules that are adopted beyond the collaboration. This study contributes to institutional theory by showing how collaboration can act as a catalyst for institutional change, and by emphasizing the importance of both the characteristics of the collaboration and the broader institutional context in shaping institutional outcomes.