Leveraging Your Strengths: An organizational and fundraising assessment for Good Shepherd School for Children

Client Organization
Good Shepherd School for Children is dedicated to providing quality inclusive education for children with special needs and typically developing children from ages six weeks to six years. Exceptional learning and growth experiences are supplemented by therapeutic services, as needed, up to age thirteen.

Client Objective
Good Shepherd sought to assess its development efforts and create a plan to leverage these efforts for greater financial success.

Industry Challenge
With the weakened economy and the higher levels of competition for donor dollars, non-profits need to rethink their approach to raising funds and maximize their efforts to ensure long-term sustainability.

Unique Challenge
Good Shepherd School For Children already had a strong fundraising base, but with only one full-time development professional, the school needed to maximize its efforts for the greatest return.

What We Did
Paradigm Shift Studio conducted an organizational assessment, analyzing:

• Programs, physical facilities, and operating systems;
• Budgets;
• Development personnel;
• Special events and fundraising effectiveness;
• Diversity of revenue sources;
• Board perceptions, spheres of influence, diversity, and training needs;

• Secured additional grant revenue;
• Launched a new corporate sponsorship program;
• Modified its existing special events for higher net revenue;
• Created and launched a planned giving/endowment program;