strategic CFO As-Needed

Tap into our depth of experience as an extra strategic resource to supplement your team. Available as you need it, when you need it.

cost reductions assessment

Identify cost-savings opportunities that will not impact core programming.

management dashboards

Develop a one-page dashboard of leading and lagging indicators providing a quick view of how the school is doing.

Executive Partnering

Serve as a third-party sounding board with a deep understanding of how schools operate.

cfo mentoring

A partner and executive coach for bean-counter CFOs looking to expand their strategic thinking toolkit.

financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting

Develop tools and approaches that will result in a clearer financial picture and provide you with more control over your financial decisions.

outsourcing business operations

A strategic opportunity to leverage the post COVID-19 environment to save money while maintaining or improving the quality of business operations.

business office Review

Ensure awareness of the best-in-class approaches to business operations and identify actions steps to elevate your operations to the next level.

operational improvements

Recommend solutions to improve areas of operation that are ineffective or underperforming.

financially attainable campus master plans

Develop tools and approaches to planning work that will ensure that the campus plan is strategically agile, financially attainable, and aligned to your school’s mission and core beliefs.

alignment of budget to strategic plan

Identify potential areas of refinement to better align your campus master plan and operating budget to your Strategic Plan.

new school development

Startup and operational advisory services for the creation and launch of new schools.

Strategic Opportunities Evaluation

Conduct an initial impressions assessment of the potential strategic opportunities specific to your school.  

strategic plan refinement

More closely align and shift from a laundry list of important items to a prioritized plan of strategic initiatives.

Plant Assessment

Provide you with a picture of how your facilities operations are doing from staffing to deferred maintenance to your work order system with recommendations on what aspect of your plant you should focus on.

governance strategies

Identify modifications to your approach to Trustee meetings and structure to ensure “governance-minded” focus for Trustees that is rewarding to them and adds value to the organization.

Program analysis and implementation

Develop the process and create a framework for implementing selected programs such as Enterprise Risk Management, Environmental Sustainability, Performance Management, Non-Tuition Revenue, and Wellness.

Strategic Partnering

• How can we shift the Trustees’ focus out of the day-to-day operations and into the more long-term & strategic decisions?

• We have been playing the net tuition game. How do we exit this unsustainable strategy?

• Our Strategic Plan is a laundry list of programs to pursue. How do we determine where to start?

• How do I engage the Trustees in the appropriate generative and governance tasks and not the management of our school?

• I am interested in pertinent professional development for our newly promoted Chief Financial Officer. Does this exist?

• The increased expectations of work we need to complete in the business office is too great for one person. How should we reorganize the Finance Department given we have limited resources?

• How can we more clearly identify our school’s differentiating factor?

• How can we get our Trustees to realize the sense of urgency in the fundraising and implementation of our campus master plan?

• How can we ensure a smooth transition for our new Chief Financial Officer?

• We want Trustees to feel their time is well spent and that they are adding value to the school. What Trustee committees should we have, how often should they meet, and how should they interact and operate?

• How can we more closely align our operating budget to support our strategic initiatives?

• How do I set up a Head of School compensation process that ensures buy-in from the compensation committee, is compliant with all regulations, and meets the expectations of the Head?

• How can I use a monthly dashboard to more effectively run my school?

• How can we help our Chief Financial Officer become more of a Strategic CFO?

PLANNING SERVICES

• We are paralyzed on which step to take next due to the overwhelming number of projects with no current funding available. How can we help the Trustees get unstuck?

• How can we develop a master plan that is affordable for our school?

• Our campus master plan doesn't feel aligned with our strategic plan. How can we modify the master plan to better support and enhance teaching and learning?

• There are a large number of interdependencies between potential projects. How can we summarize them in a way that will be helpful for Trustee decision making and prioritization?

• Our campus is landlocked. How can we be innovative in maximizing our space usage?

• How should we go about securing strategic real estate acquisitions for our school?

• How do we know if our near-term decisions will be financially sustainable over time?

• What is the right size for our school and how does it impact our bottom line?

• What approaches are available to help us develop a capital plan?

OPERATIONAL REVIEWS

• Is there a solution to health insurance that enhances benefits and reduces costs now and in the future?

• How can we lower annual operating costs without impacting our core program or reducing offerings?

• Do we spend too much money on non-instructional expenses? How do we compare to others?

• What aspect of our operations should we outsource versus operate with employees of the school?

• How can we better predict and forecast the current year budget?

• How can we improve the transparency of financial operations and enhance the Trustees’ confidence?

• How can we report our progress on our Strategic Plan effectively to our more business-minded Trustees?

• How can we document and track the gap between our near-term maintenance needs and our long-term facilities projects?

• We need to reorganize our facilities team. How should we go about it? What type of Facilities Director do we need?

• How much should we allocate for Capital Projects annually to prudently address our backlogged deferred maintenance?

• How can we transition from a cash-based operating budget conversation to the GAAP-based financial statement without confusion?

• How can we develop an annual budget cycle that allows for appropriate involvement with Trustees without impeding the process for management?

• What is the most effective management dashboard tool for school staff?

• How do I transition from a fully insured health insurance program to a self-funded program?

• I need to find the right balance of compliance and strategy. How do I structure human resources with limited resources?

PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

• How can we set up a structure to pay employees fairly and reward those who exceed expectations?

• How can we strategically and proactively manage the hundreds of risks inherent in the day-to-day operations of school?

• Can you help us develop a framework and path to become more environmentally sustainable while reducing costs?

• Our school is too reliant on tuition. What other options are available for us to pursue to supplement revenue?

• We want to move past environmental sustainability projects of recycling and composting. How can we develop a school program that has us on track to achieve carbon neutrality?

• How do we leverage Performance Management to ensure we are hiring the best teachers and supporting them all the way through their careers?

• What is the most effective way to establish a comprehensive wellness program?

• How can we develop a dining option that tastes good yet is healthy and affordable?

• We seem to waste a lot of money on our energy consumption. Where should we start to address this?