Services
The success of our engagement will be in the outcomes, deliverables and progress toward your goals.
Let us also consider the qualities of our interactions and how they impact you, your colleagues and constituents.
Drawing on my three decades of Non-Profit CEO experience, I will help you assess your needs and activate solutions for
short/mid/long-term challenges; develop goals and objectives; and pursue aspirations for your/your organization’s future
Organizational StartUps & TuneUps
Key decisions made in any stage of organizational development will have ramifications for decades to come.
As an experienced founder and fixer, I can help you think ahead to make sound decisions today. Assessment, advice, proven templates, access to resources and referrals can help emerging and existing organizations address concerns
and lay track for healthy growth and sustainability. Guidance to avoid pitfalls, fix problems, and improve functionality from Operations to Development and everything in between.
No one understands your experience (and pain points) better than another nonprofit CEO/founder. Let's cut to the chase, get real, and actively address your organization's needs... and yours.
Sessions weekly/monthly/ad hoc/on-call - ask about a monthly retainer vs hourly billing.
CEO / ED Coaching
No one understands your experience (and pain points) better than another nonprofit CEO. Let's cut to the chase, get real, and proactively address your organization's needs, and yours. I will meet you where you are and function as
a listener, sounding board, thought partner, advisor, and connector. Sometimes an outside perspective is just what's needed before that board or staff or funder meeting. We can work together on immediate triage, short term objectives and special initiatives, or develop your mid/longterm goals and outline a strategic plan for your next Board retreat.
Our sessions can produce immediate, incremental, lasting, and transformational results.
Sessions weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, and/or on-call
Workplace Culture Assessment and Recalibration
Too many nonprofits are doing powerful, impactful work in the front, while in the back their workforce communities are struggling with lack of equity, cohesion and well-being.
Ideals, values, institutionalization, growth, historic inequities, and multi-generational and diverse workforces comprise complex sets of factors and conditions that often lead to tension, disconnection and general degradation of workplace ecosystems. Mistrust produces toxic dynamics that whittle away at the meaning, goodwill and momentum of organizations of all sizes and focus areas.
Real solutions vary and take time, but the first step is always to perform an honest assessment of current conditions, utilizing a trusted outside entity with the bona fides and experience to help you and your organization face uncomfortable truths, identify key causes, develop effective solutions; and support you and your staff and board of directors in taking necessary actions and creating dependable structures, systems and safeguards to (re)build and sustain a healthy, self-regulating workplace ecosystem that operates in alignment with your organization's core values.
Phase One: Assessment (3-6 months)
- Work with Leadership to Identify/establish core values, intentions and DNA for your workplace - your standards;
- 360-degree observation, interviews, focus groups and surveys to analyze current workplace culture and management methods for (mis)alignment with values;
- DELIVERABLE: Detailed report identifying deficits, hotspots, toxic origins, and standard bearers; recommendations for short, mid, and long term solutions and improvements; a proposed scope of work and/or set of referrals
Phase Two: Recalibration (6-18 months)
- Intensive work with your organization's leadership (group) to formulate and coach on execution of a sequential plan to support sustainable culture change and realignment, including trust-building, feedback loops, and systems development to support "walking the talk" from the C suites to the front lines of service
- Executive coaching
- Calibration checks for adherence to values and plans
Board Culture, Structure and Efficacy
Your Board of Directors should be a consistent resource and thought partner in support of organizational vision, strategic planning, sustainability, networking, and financial security. Too many nonprofit boards are under-utilized and/or misdirected, which is a set up for micro management and burnout.
Let's maximize your Board's efficacy and functionality to produce the outcomes your organization needs:
- Further engage and activate your Board;
- Reset your Board's committee structure and include senior staff;
- Establish working relationships between your BOD and senior staff
- Develop templates for BOD meetings and retreats, as well as committee meetings
- Establish a BOD data platform for self-service access to BOD materials
6-12 months of guidance/meeting prep/committee support/retreat planning and execution
Strengthening Resource Development Capacity
Fiscal stability is a must-have for sustainability, growth, innovation, and a healthy workplace ecosystem.
How can you optimize your organization's development and fundraising team's efforts and what is the best next move to increase your resource development capacity?
We will assess current staff positions/needs, software platforms, campaigns, events, and messaging and create a high level plan to help your fundraising evolve to the next level. Referrals available for implementation support.
Sessions weekly/monthly/ad hoc
2-4 months
Speechwriting / Public Speaking for the CEO
People are watching and listening to you. Whether you hate it or love it, sometimes you are called on to lead, respond, reassure, inspire, advocate, call to action, cultivate support, or even apologize in public.
I can help with crafting your message and with preparation for speaking engagements, live appeals, pitches, media appearances, and more.
Sessions ad hoc / as needed
CEO / ED Transition Planning & Support
Transitioning out of your CEO/ED role from an organization you love and have responsibility for is not
a simple matter. Having done it three times, I can help you and your Board plan and prepare for a graceful transition with minimal drama, alarm, and loss of momentum.
- Support with communications planning and messaging for funders, partners and constituents
- Guidance regarding exit package for outgoing CEO
- Auxiliary support for search process
- Planning and support for senior staff with preparation for onboarding a new leader
- Coaching for outgoing executive in preparation their next chapter
3-36 months of planning and coaching
Services for Philanthropy
1. Could any of your grantees benefit from the nonprofit services I offer?
You can make a restricted grant to them and stipulate that it be used to secure an engagement for my services.
2. Are you an individual or a principal in a small family foundation that wants to make the most impact with your resources? Do you need guidance in honing your focus and setting standards and procedures.
Is your mission clear? Do you want to welcome unsolicited requests? How do you qualify and vet applicant organizations? What kinds of reports should you request?
- Assistance for small/new foundations, with developing mission and messaging
- Assistance with developing grantee vetting and review practices
- Support in identifying qualified grant applicants