Select Recent Clients

Center on Education Policy (Washington, DC) The Center is a national independent advocate for public education and more effective public schools. We co-authored with them an in-depth report on national issues in K-12 school reform for a newly established education foundation. The report included suggestions on how such a foundation might have a positive impact on school reform in its target geography as well recommendations on grantmaking strategies to achieve that impact.

College Access Foundation of California (San Francisco, CA) This rapidly expanding statewide foundation seeks to improve access to higher education for students with financial need. In the process of ramping up its staff contingent, the foundation sought assistance in managing a quickly expanding grants docket. We reviewed incoming proposals, conducted discussions with grantee agencies, conferred with senior foundation staff, prepared written funding recommendations for staff and board consideration, and provided observations on short- and long-term strategic challenges facing the foundation.

Ellis Center for Educational Excellence (Phoenix, AZ) As a new grantmaking foundation with a statewide focus on K-12 education, the Ellis Center undertook an intensive planning process to lay the groundwork for its efforts. We worked closely with the board and staff in developing a blueprint for grantmaking strategies and implementation. We also facilitated the board’s deliberations in defining a change strategy and creating the mechanics needed for the foundation to advance comprehensive school reform in Arizona.

Helios Education Foundation (Phoenix, AZ and Tampa, FL) During the summer of 2008, we are assisting the foundation in developing a team approach in operationalizing its change strategy. The foundation has assembled its first program staff team across two states and several content areas. We have organized a multi-phase, interactive process through which senior management and program staff are participating in planning, implementation and assessing its early work in bringing the foundation’s vision to life.

We worked with the senior management of the foundation in 2007 to develop a change strategy built on its core mission of creating opportunities for success in postsecondary education for individuals in Arizona and Florida. Additionally, we helped further articulate the foundation’s grantmaking efforts, developed internal grant management systems, and designed ways in which the foundation would communicate and interact with the larger community.

Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Networks (Washington, DC) Started in 1995, this national initiative encourages the establishment of community learning centers in HUD insured and assisted properties. The learning centers promote self-sufficiency and help provide computer access to low-income housing communities. We used an organizational development approach in building the capacity of centers’ staff to better position their work and achievements, improve their planning efforts, and strengthen their overall viability.

Indiana Grantmakers Alliance (Indianapolis, IN) This regional membership association of grantmakers serves Indiana’s philanthropic community by promoting legal, ethical, effective and efficient grantmaking across the state. We are assisting the Alliance in their efforts to increase the impact of grantmaking by small and medium-sized family foundations by creating a series of quarterly newsletter articles and an interactive session for family foundations at its annual conference.

Thomas H. Maren Foundation (Gainesville, FL) We worked with this private foundation to facilitate discussions among its board and family members considering how the organization will approach its strategy for spending-down and closing out the Foundation.

Norton School of Consumer and Family Sciences at the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) We helped design a multi-faceted statewide youth development initiative created to stimulate a new, more comprehensive and strategic approach to youth issues in Arizona. Our efforts included strategic planning, capacity building and leadership development, issue positioning, coaching on relationship building with public and private funders and supporters, and content research.

Ramsey Executive Education Program at Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs (Phoenix, AZ) New leadership at the Ramsey Executive Education Program brought an expanded vision for how this enterprise could grow. We helped chart a course for the Ramsey Program to fulfill the vision of becoming a regional center to build the management and leadership capacity of public officials in the Southwest United States. We provided assistance in positioning the program as a regional leader, outlined long-term fund development strategies, engaged community partners, and raised the level of program content.

Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM) Sandia is a government-owned/contractor-operated facility that develops science-based technologies to support the country’s national security. We designed and presented a capacity-building experience for several dozen Sandia engineers, researchers and staff to improve internal capabilities in marketing and relationship building. Through this work, we also identified training and process needs for consideration by the agency’s management.

Select Past Clients

Center for Leadership in Education (Elyria, OH) This countywide education fund works with school districts, individual schools and educators to bring about systemic change and improved student achievement. We helped facilitate discussions with teachers concerned about their district’s engagement in school improvement activities, and surfaced issues to create a context to improve relationships and build ownership in the school reform work.

Citizen League of Lorain (Lorain, OH) We provided strategic and program planning services to this community-based, countywide start-up organization. The Citizen League was created to give voice to citizens in civic decision-making and to create a venue for citizens to learn more about the policies, practices and officials that had an impact in their communities.

Common Ground: The Cindy Nord Center for Renewal (Oberlin, OH) Common Ground is a 21-acre retreat center serving individuals, organizations and businesses through a variety of programs and services. We undertook a community assessment and marketing survey to determine the kinds of programming sought by different consumer groups, and what level of support and participation the organization might expect from a range of constituencies.

George Gund Foundation (Cleveland, OH) During an extended period of multiple staff transitions, the largest family foundation in Ohio was in need of assistance in conducting thorough reviews of proposals and projects in the areas of economic development, neighborhood revitalization and human services. We conducted site visits, held meetings with grantees, performed background research, conferred with the Foundation’s senior staff, and prepared written recommendations for action and funding.

Key Trust Company for the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust (Cleveland, OH) Management staff at Key Trust sought assistance in designing grantmaking strategies for the start-up activities of the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust whose mission is to prevent cruelty to animals and promote the humane treatment of companion animals. We prepared a major report and issues survey on the topic area to frame the subject for the Trust’s decision-makers, and provided recommendations on grantmaking strategies and management as the Trust moved forward.

Lake Erie Alliance (Oberlin, OH) We ran a regional search for this multi-state, bi-national environmental organization’s new executive director. By working closely with a diverse board of directors, we shaped a revised position description and profile of the ideal candidate, and designed and implemented a search process that was concluded successfully within budget and timeline objectives.