Insights From Our Consultants

Imagine a human service organization brimming with potential, poised to make a real difference in its community. Now, imagine that same organization struggling to overcome chronic funding shortages, paralyzed by rigid procedures, or overly reliant on a single leader.

It's not all growth all the time. The natural world experiences disruptions. A forest fire or hurricane moves through an ecosystem and creates a huge change in the natural order of things.  A drought may wipe out a farmer's crop. A virus may eliminate a whole...

Choosing the right customer relationship management (CRM) system can feel overwhelming for nonprofits—especially with limited staff capacity, tight budgets, and the constant push to grow fundraising year after year. I’ve seen organizations get excited about all the...

Thirty five years ago, I started my career in nonprofits. During that time I've seen nonprofit organizations come and go. I've seen passionate people who see a need for services, oftentimes for a loved one, and say, "I want to start a nonprofit." It is this passion...

When you first look at the Adaptive Cycle you see an infinity symbol (a lemniscate). This is deliberate because it demonstrates the cyclical nature of an ecosystem. It shows two phases to this cycle, the Growth Phase represented by the traditional s-curve, and the...

As someone who has spent much of my career immersed in human service organizations, I've been privileged to witness firsthand the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of effective interventions. From my early days as an HIV/AIDS educator to my...

Jesus, a true story It is ironic that his name was Jesus  He had no home All that he had was gifted to him – clothing, food, a shed for shelter behind a car wash where he used to work when he was still able a walker  a dollar a drink We don’t know his full...

Traditional community engagement often falls into a predictable pattern: organizations repeatedly ask marginalized communities about their needs, but struggle to create meaningful change based on those responses. Personally, I have heard multiple conversations where...

Hey everyone, and happy Pride! This is Fiona, Partners for Impact’s design consultant, coming to you in the newsletter this month. I’m not usually the one writing in this space, but I asked for the chance to write this month because I’ve been thinking and feeling a...