Board Development projects aim to improve effectiveness and engagement to sustain a high-performing board. The Compass team provides an objective evaluation of board operations and structure, and offers recommendations to build a solid foundation of governance, recruitment, onboarding, committee functions and charters, effective meetings, reporting, and communications. Compass can assess board member satisfaction, provide best practices for leadership evaluation, and help the board identify gaps in skills, industry expertise, board expertise, and representation. Projects may also include guidance on leadership succession planning and strategies for involving the board in development efforts.

Decision Support Projects are designed to provide flexible consulting and data-driven support. A nonprofit leader may be faced with one or multiple opportunities or challenges that demand resolution or may be seeking to inject greater analytical rigor in one or more areas of the nonprofit’s operations. A Compass team can 1) generate data, analyze information, and create frameworks to support current and future decision-making, 2) evaluate the consequences of course adjustments or opportunities, 3) provide decision making support to nonprofits as they plan next steps. If the key decision at hand involves an idea for a new product or service, please see New Ventures.

Funding Strategy projects provide guidance to position the organization for greater fundraising success. Depending on the organization’s activities and opportunities, the Compass team can assess revenue sources and revenue generation methods, analyze funding streams, and provide guidance to broaden or deepen current sources of revenue, identify untapped sources for funding, and screen out less promising avenues. Compass typically provides recommendations to improve fundraising processes and external communications, and required organizational support, including board engagement.

Nonprofit leaders often have great ideas for new programs or earned income ventures but lack the organizational bandwidth to evaluate them and create a launch plan. A Compass team will gather the data and conduct the research and analysis to determine the feasibility of a new initiative and recommend a framework for launching the product. The initial project phase includes a feasibility assessment comprised of market and competitive analysis, financial modeling, and an examination of strategic, organizational, and operational considerations that would lead to a go/no go recommendation. Following a “go” recommendation, the team would focus on next steps to operationalize the venture, including potential pilot program design. Alternatively, following a “no go” recommendation, the Compass team may explore related new ideas or ways to expand or enhance existing programs. Applicants to this service line must propose a specific new venture for evaluation.