Program Design and Launch

Lasting impact requires those experiencing a problem and those solving it to design the answer together, with the whole system in view.

opportunities for impact

The Urgency

71%

of foundation leaders say their funding priorities are “very well aligned” with community needs, while fewer than a quarter of nonprofit leaders say most or all of their funders have priorities reflecting deep understanding of those they seek to benefit.

1 in 4

Employees across the globe strongly agree their opinions count at work.

80%

of cases in a systematic review cite community ownership through engagement as a key driver of program sustainability.

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People and process gaps

The Challenge

Too often, programs are designed without including the people most affected. That leaves room for programming that addresses certain aspects of a problem while creating friction and unintended consequences in the broader system. For example, a program that improves access can unintentionally reduce quality, a policy that speeds up one part of a process can create new bottlenecks elsewhere, a solution designed for the average user can fail the people with the greatest need. Good intentions and adequate resources aren’t enough on their own if the design process hasn’t accounted for the whole system in which the program operates.

Let’s Do Better

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A Systems lens

The Approach

Effective program design starts by putting the people affected at the center of the process, to define both the problem and the solution. We facilitate a systematic design process with an eye on the whole system so that a solution built for one part doesn’t create a new problem somewhere else. We surface unintended consequences before launch and ensure iteration happens efficiently and with comprehensive tradeoff awareness. The result is a program built to serve the outcome it was actually meant to achieve, for the people it was meant to serve.

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What We Do

Other Focus Areas

Not sure where to start? That’s okay. It’s usually where the best conversations begin.

Let’s Talk

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Leadership and Organizational Development

Build healthier cultures, more effective leaders, and internal systems that better serve your team and mission toward well-being, sustainability, and scale.

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Cross Sector Strategy and Facilitation

Turn competing priorities into real alignment, a clear path forward, and the follow-through to implement and execute.

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Leadership and Organizational Development Insights

Thinking Out Loud

Practical resources and in depth thinking, built to be used, not just read.

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Measuring What Actually Changed

The Future of Equity Centered Program Design

The word change, its letters shifting out of alignment

Why Culture Change Keeps Stalling

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The Hard Part of Working Across Sectors

Let’s Chat

Tell us what you’re working on, and we’ll figure out the right way in together. Want a complimentary and no pressure conversation? Start there. Have a specific question and want focused help fast? A 90 minute working session might be the best launching pad

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