Redesigning How a National Nonprofit Works—and Works Together

A national education nonprofit was ready to turn its newly articulated Theory of Change into real, measurable impact. But to do that, the organization needed something deeper than strategy—it needed an Operating Model that clarified how people worked together, made decisions, and drove outcomes across geographies and teams.

We stepped in as a thought partner and facilitator, working with the Executive Leadership Team, Board members, and staff to chart a path forward. Through design sprints, focus groups, and organization-wide engagement, we uncovered structural challenges, surfaced cultural dynamics, and illuminated opportunities to streamline, strengthen, and modernize the way work got done.

Simultaneously, we scanned the landscape—analyzing peer models across the sector to ensure the organization’s new structure would not only fit its context but position it for the future. From this foundation, we designed a comprehensive Operating Model and an implementation roadmap that brought clarity to roles, created decision-making protocols, established feedback loops, and enabled cross-functional collaboration.

The roadmap also defined updated reporting structures, new or reshaped roles, and organizational habits that would help the nonprofit execute its strategy with consistency, alignment, and accountability.

The new Operating Model was fully adopted and implemented, giving the organization the clarity, structure, and shared ways of working it needed to deliver on its mission at scale.