Assessment

We analyze your organization’s recent results and practices through data analysis and interviews with the CEO, key development staff, and Board leadership.

Action plan

We produce a comprehensive action plan for your organization that provides clear goals, key strategies and tactics, and an operational framework.

Implementation

Once an action plan is completed, we work with your organization on a weekly basis, and are available whenever issues and questions arise.

Assessment

We begin by fully understanding your organization – its Mission, Vision, impact on the community, financial health, major issues and opportunities, and the objectives of the Campaign. We do this through interviews, a thorough review of fundamental organizational documents and financial analysis.

Campaign Activation

We guide you and your organization as you prepare to launch the Campaign.  This includes working with your organization on assessing and determining the campaign goal; prospect evaluation; the case for support; campaign committee; administrative infrastructure; strategy; Board preparation to fulfill its responsibilities; determining the campaign resources needed to execute the campaign; all policy issues including campaign recognition.

Campaign Execution

We work with you to determine ask amounts; develop specific solicitation strategies; prepare talking points; develop standard communications for securing meetings and how to follow up.  In addition, we advise your campaign committee members on best practices for solicitations, and we help you prepare for each committee meeting.  We offer weekly campaign check-in meetings with the CEO and key staff, and monthly meetings that include the Campaign chair.  We make ourselves available for questions and problem solving whenever these arise. 

Assessment

We begin by reviewing your most recent Board engagement surveys. Absent those, we will help you create an effective survey to understand the Board’s overall engagement and perceptions around governance effectiveness. We supplement this analysis with interviews of key Board leaders and a cross-section of Board members.  We also review your committee structure and a sample of agendas from committee meetings and Board meetings. 

Recommendations

We provide a set of specific recommendations to increase Board engagement and to enhance the overall quality of governance in your organization. Recommendations may address issues such as Board size, committee structure, meeting frequency, criteria for bringing issues to a Board or committee meeting, determining agendas, and how to strike an effective balance between discussion and reports in meetings.

Implementation

We guide you on how to implement these recommendations over the course of a full business year in order to ensure that they have the maximum impact. 

Assessment

We begin by evaluating your organization’s financial position from three perspectives.

• structural position to determine if its recurring revenue and recurring expenses are in alignment.

• financial position from a balance sheet perspective.

• cash position and short-term ability to meet its financial obligations. 

Recommendations

We work with your staff and Board leadership to develop a road map towards achieving a sustainable organization for the mid- and long-term. We develop an action plan with staff leadership to provide your organization with the financial means both to meet its short-term obligations and to transition to sustainability. We may recommend special funding for the short term.  Prospective donors to fund short-term needs will want to see a clear road map in order to be confident that a path to a healthy, sustainable organization is realistic, and that their investment will not be in vain.

Execution

We work with staff leadership to develop a plan that addresses both the short-term challenges and a road map to sustainability. We also help you develop key rallying messages for your organization, messages which will provide the foundation for special fundraising.