Catholic Social Services Alaska

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Catholic Social Services Alaska serves Anchorage’s most vulnerable communities by providing the help and support they need most. On any given day, they facilitate food, case management, shelter and hope, serving and advocating for a wide range of Alaskans in need. To stay true to their mission and values, they needed to refocus their efforts and embrace technology.

Challenge

Unification and engagement

When you’re serving so many others, sometimes you lose sight of how you serve yourself. Catholic Social Services Alaska was tasked with keeping their board focused on strategy and their staff intentional with using data and improving their programs. They had a great program, but were lacking a unified approach to testing efficacy and the impact of interventions. They had an engaged board, but needed a strategic focus on sustainability. Enter Pivot.

Solution

Recommit to a shared vision

The first step in putting their improvement plan into action was conducting Theory of Change workshops—Pivot led working sessions which allowed the team to define their impact, create a test environment, and adjust as time goes on through the inclusion of learning and performance management best practices. This helped to re-engage the board through planned retreats, and also helped the staff to recommit to a shared vision.

Result

Serve with intention

Through Pivot’s Theory of Change workshops, Catholic Social Services was able to intentionally define their intended impact, allowing them to streamline their case management model and create a sustainability plan with a strategic focus on fund development, effective programming, talent investment and facilities improvement. This refocus created the space and clarity Catholic Social Services Alaska needed to do what they do best, which is serve their community.

Andrew is so accessible. Whenever I needed to talk about our Theory of Change, or discuss an issue with staff, funding, the board, you name it, Andrew was available. And he is always upbeat, stating the truth, but always looking for the positive too. His expertise in real program work was also an incredible asset - he knows the inherent challenges nonprofits face.
arrow-right Lisa Aquino, Executive Director, Catholic Social Services