Client Spotlights: Organizational Strategies

Wisconsin Lutheran High School wanted to position itself for long-term growth and so decided it was time to assess the current state of Mission Advancement—including the team’s structure as well as both boards’ roles in the fundraising effort—and use the findings of the assessment to clarify roles and responsibilities, identify key metrics to track, and create a better structure for the team.

In 2021, the Development & Communications team at Covenant House Vancouver was ready to create its own strategic plan to dovetail with the organizational plan already in place. The D&C team wanted a plan that would guide their work for budget planning, programmatic and marketing decision-making, and fundraising campaign goals from FY22 to FY25.

With both new executive and board leadership at the helm in early 2020, the time was right for the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota (EFMN) to transform its board and equip them to be a best-in-class board of directors. Today, the board has doubled in size, is more representative of the populations the organization serves, and understands the role and reach of each member’s own philanthropy.

As a start-up organization, Springtide Research Institute needed a full philanthropic strategy and operational plan that would both challenge them and provide a step-by-step path toward success.

A virtual training—tailored to meet EMF’s needs and specific situation—was conducted that focused on data science, prospect identification, relationship management, and prospect research.

The year-long effort began with the formation of a Strategic Planning Steering Committee, followed by a facilitated retreat with that group.