How We Help You
Turn Concern
Into Success
We lack clarity in our mission and where we are heading...we’ve lost our focus.
We know the change we seek and our unique role to accomplish it.
There’s conflict between the board and CEO and it’s really affecting our impact. What do I do?
Our board and staff are aligned on the big picture, and work constructively to leverage diverse perspectives for a better outcome.
How do we navigate the high levels of complexity? We have too many competing factors and variables that change all the time.
We are skilled in mapping options and scenarios, and coming to principled decisions.
A ‘competitor’ wants to collaborate – what does that mean, and is it too big a risk?
We are clear under what circumstances we can collaborate effectively to achieve bigger outcomes together.
Our CEO is leaving, now what? We can’t afford to mess up this transition!
We have taken a thoughtful approach to not only the recruiting, but all the factors that will determine our success during a transition.
I am so overwhelmed! I feel stuck and out of ideas!
I have sorted through the noise and know how to advance our priorities in a thoughtful way.
Can I really do this job? My confidence is really at a low ebb.
I feel competent and resilient, and this attitude permeates the organization and our work.
Should we merge with this complementary nonprofit? How will that affect our mission and is it too risky?
We have looked at the entire spectrum of ways to collaborate, and chose the optimal solution for our work in the community.
Do we need to think about closing our doors? We are struggling financially and our impact is uncertain.
We have gone through a thoughtful process to assess our impact and our options, and we made a decision with integrity.
We’ve had a windfall. How do we use it wisely and fully capture this big growth opportunity, and not let it overwhelm us?
We took the opportunity to affirm our vision and goals, and to invest where we can have the greatest impact in a way that is sustainable.
As a foundation executive, I see my grantees struggling but I don’t know how to support them effectively.
I provide resources to address common issues in a cost-effective manner that also honors each grantee’s unique context.
I am doing well financially – how can I figure out how to give back without wasting resources on the wrong efforts, or having it be too time consuming?
I am clear on my values and how I can align my business, personal, and philanthropic goals to advance a legacy and have real impact.
We want to bring groups together to solve this problem, but collaborating is super complex, time consuming and costly.
We have figured out a way to work together on shared impact in a way that advances each of us rather than being a burden.
MULTI-SERVICE PARTNER
Here are some examples of our services and how we can work with you. We are happy to talk with you to fully customize an approach for you and our project together.
Advisor in Residence for Foundations
High Impact Advisory Services to Support the Foundation Board, Executives, Program Officers and Grantees
Each year, we offer a limited number of Advisor in Residence opportunities for public, private, corporate and family Foundations that benefit from flexible, ongoing board and executive-level support throughout the year. Our Advisor in Residence program is highly customized to most effectively serve your changing needs. For foundations, this is also the ideal structure to provide high-quality “on-call” assistance for grantees and chapters.
Advisor in Residence for Nonprofits
High Impact Advisory Services to Support Nonprofit Board, Executives, Chapters and Affiliates
Each year, we offer a limited number of Advisor in Residence opportunities for Nonprofits that benefit from flexible, ongoing board and executive-level support throughout the year. Our Advisor in Residence program is highly customized to most effectively serve your changing needs, and help you navigate the constant stream of often unpredictable and unplanned-for challenges. For national organizations with affiliates, this is also the ideal structure to provide high-quality “on-call” assistance for Chapters and Affiliates.
Focus on an Important Specific Need or Process
Governance: Transition and Change Management Service
Navigating successful transition—and retention—of the organization’s top executive is one of the most critical functions of a board. Transitions are complex and impact every area of a nonprofit’s business - especially for a long-term leader or a founder. Failing to look at the whole picture and just focusing on “recruiting” alone allows for unnecessary, costly, and detrimental risk. We open a board’s perspectives to the full picture, and more importantly, how to navigate the entire scope of the transition successfully. We turn complexity into digestible conversations and clear action steps, and help insulate your board and organization from risk by bringing our expertise and nearly 30 years of experience into the most critical areas.
For other specific topics such as exploring a merger, developing a high-impact strategy, managing growth, improving governance, or others, please contact us.
Cohorts and Collaborations
Olive Grove supports many different types of cohorts and collaborations including donor circles, groups working together to address issues (collaborations and collective impact), and supporting multiple grantees of a foundation -- or affiliates of a national organization.
For other types of assistance launching or advancing your group work, contact us.
One-on-One Advice and Support
All leaders, at some point, benefit from a trusted and knowledgeable advisor to help them through turbulent times, or periods of rapid and intense learning, to achieve the best results for their organizations, the people and communities they serve, and for themselves. Our coaching clients become more confident, capable, and credible. We serve all leaders in influential positions - whether as an executive, a public official, a business leader, or a philanthropist. And we have special programs for women working one-on-one and in learning circles.
Contact us for more information.
Find Your Song: Musicians Giving Back Initiative
Support for Individual Philanthropic Endeavor
We believe that it is possible to align your work with your passions so that every day fuels you in some way. We help musicians who are just as passionate about giving back as they are about their music, and wish to find their optimal path to ‘give back’ in numerous ways while also building their brand and fan base.
For other individual or family philanthropists or topic areas, including supporting business leaders in aligning their business/personal/philanthropic goals, please contact us.
Coming together is a beginning;
Keeping together is progress;
Working together is success.