Service Provider: CVA Executive Director
The Need: High risk community in need of a Community Health Center.
Seton Center had a modest soup kitchen, distributed groceries, gave utility assistance for the poverty-stricken population of inner Kansas City, Missouri.
The Challenge: Moving an existing small social service agency into a comprehensive community health center.
The original Seton Center lacked sufficient infrastructure. Employee benefits were minimal, HR department was very small, and information technology was not completely developed. With a modest budget under $100,000 annually, the agency relied on private donations. When the community called for health services, educational services and expanded social services, sustainable revenue sources were paramount.
The Solution: Embark on a Capital Campaign to expand the footprint, increase social service programming, add a healthcare component, and begin providing services generating re-imbursement streams, and identify a collaborative partner.
The Impact: Today Seton Center Family & Health Services is a thriving community center and is recognized as part of the “safety net” for the metropolitan Kansas City area. Thousands of people have passed through its doors. It is an outreach ministry of Ascension Health, the largest Catholic Health System in the United States.
Service Providers: CVA, Alliance Advisors, Holmes Radford & Reynolds
Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants (CBC) is an 18-year-old clinical psychology practice.
The co-founders, Dr. Alec Miller and Dr. Lata McGinn decided it was time to give back to the community by developing a nonprofit dedicated to mental health access for the underserved by providing evidence-based treatment, and garnering funds to provide scholarships to diverse mental health interns.
CBC called upon Community Value Alliance to assist in developing the new nonprofit, Access Psychology Foundation. Rachel Covington provided Board Development and worked with the organization’s attorney in submitting Articles of Incorporation needed to get IRS nonprofit designation. After positioning the organization structurally, CVA devised personnel, board, and volunteer handbooks with HR policies and procedures. Later, the co-founders felt it was time to hire the Executive Director and CVA recruited a former employee from the Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation. Subsequent to the hire, the foundation asked CVA to conduct a strategic planning effort.
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Services provided included: Board Development, HR Policies & Procedures, Staffing, Strategic Planning
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“As a founder of a new non-profit, I have been extremely impressed by and grateful for Rachel Covington and her team of talented consultants at CVA. Rachel and her colleagues conducted a thorough needs assessment and have guided us every step of the way from day one. Starting with board formation, bylaws, and handbooks, to conducting a search to secure our stellar executive director, to fundraising and strategic planning, CVA's expert guidance has been proven invaluable! I recommend Rachel and CVA to any nonprofit foundation that wants the best consultation.”
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Dr. Alec Miller, President of Access Psychology Foundation
Service Provider: Community Value Alliance
Caring for Kids is a nonprofit dedicated to finding shelter, food, clothing, and other needed services for children who have become wards of the court. Dianne Brncic, organization president, contacted CVA for board development support. CVA conducted a Discovery Session and realized that financials and resources changed. Moreover, the Board was no longer as engaged and struggled with making decisions. Complicating matters was the impending retirement of their Executive Director who'd served for twenty years. Caring for Kids had participated in a vision session conducted by another St. Louis nonprofit, although the session's outcome remained unclear. Dianne asked CVA to assist in bringing the board to the point of making a firm decision.
CVA's assessment led to a proposal for Board Development and suggested a focused session to decide the organization's future. Executive Director Rachel Covington facilitated a mini-board retreat at which time four issues were identified as CALLS TO ACTION.
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Services provided included: Consulting and Board Development
Service Provider: Alliance Technologies
Tight budgets, bolt on upgrades, and a lack of central planning caused this growing non-profit to suffer daily IT challenges. This is an organization offering world-class care for its hundreds of therapy patients and families across Missouri. Unfortunately, the care they provide was stressed by IT operations that weren’t able to meet staff needs. Negative staff sentiment abounded, leading to low tech work arounds to service clients. Surveys indicated support for the crippled system lagged.
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When they engaged the Service Provider, they were generating over 300 tickets a month. Misconfigured and underperforming workflows were returned to best practice. Monthly trouble tickets fell to an average of 100 by the third month. Two years into the project, their environment generates between 50-60 tickets a month.
Their culture has shifted towards embracing technology to enhance their workflow and further their mission.
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Services provided included: Managed Services, Managed Security, Live Support Desk, and virtual CIO support.