Creative Visions’ Organizational Transformation Story by Pat Chandler, CEO
How modest, targeted capacity support to the CEO of a small, high-impact nonprofit expanded its global and national impact and stabilized the organization.
Before receiving support from Peter Brach – including his belief in us, coaching and financial support, I often referred to myself as the Chief Everything Officer of Creative Visions. While half-joking, I was also serious as my role included managing and mentoring almost all staff, being pulled into most programming decisions and performing COO, marketing communications, fundraising, and Board management roles. Pete’s philanthropic investment in Creative Visions allowed me to bring on an executive-level professional staff person as a part-time Senior Advisor/Chief of Staff and, later, to hire a development person. Both hires have been game changers for the organization and me personally.
1. Securing major gifts totaling $1,075,000 for 2021 and 2022 to support operations and programs.
2. Developing a partnership and fiscal sponsorship agreement with a leading production company of non-fiction films resulting in millions of dollars for impact media films and $240,000 in direct support to Creative Visions as a percentage of their film funding.
3. Completing a 3-Year, Board-approved Strategic Plan that is now in the second year of implementation.
4. Increasing the affluence, influence, and diversity of our Board of Directors by adding three new board members.
5. Creating a new partnership with Discovery Education, the largest educational platform in the world, and we are now seeking investment in a 3-year initiative that will bring our media and human rights programming and curricula to millions of educators and students.
With the strategic support needed to offload the management of critical tasks with complete trust, I could finally build the infrastructure needed to take us to a higher impact level and shift my focus to CEO-level responsibilities. I could delegate projects, tasks, and activities that freed up hours in my week to focus on fundraising, scaling, partnerships, and Board development. Significant outcomes include:
Supporting Creative Visions to hire a part-time senior advisor with Chief of Staff responsibilities and a development lead totally transformed our organization. I believe the outcomes we achieved far exceed the 100K in grants Peter’s fund provided.