Horizon Youth Alliance
Case Study
Case Study: Strategic Planning with [Name Changed for confidentiality]: Horizon Youth Alliance]
Client Overview
Horizon Youth Alliance (HYA) is a mid-sized nonprofit focused on youth development and college access in underserved communities. With 30+ staff members and a $4.2M annual budget, the organization faced rapid growth, shifting funding expectations, and internal uncertainty about long-term direction.
Challenge
HYA’s leadership team approached The Pivotal Group seeking clarity, structure, and alignment. They had:
The organization needed more than just a strategic plan — they needed a shared direction and a model for sustained progress.
OUR APPROACH: The Priority Cycle™
Using The Pivotal Group’s Priority Cycle™, we guided HYA through a focused, inclusive, and outcomes-driven process.
What We Did:
- Cross-functional steering committee compiled of staff and board members who guided purpose, scope, and early direction
- Facilitated a kick-off meeting with the board and senior leadership
- Conducted 15 one-on-one interviews with staff, funders, youth leaders, and partners
- Reviewed past strategic plans, evaluation data, and market trends
- Delivered a Mission, Vision & Values Refresh workshop
Key Insight:
The organization was still deeply rooted in its founding story but needed to redefine its purpose in light of current community realities and strategic opportunities.
What We Did:
- Held 3 strategy design labs with cross-functional staff and board teams
- Created a “What’s In / What’s Out” filter for decision-making
- Developed and tested 4 bold goal areas
- Conducted an adaptive SWOT and scenario planning session
- Facilitated a data led retreat with the board and senior leadership
Strategic Priorities Finalized:
Deepen Youth Leadership Pathways
Expand Strategic Partnerships for Access
Strengthen Internal Culture and Equity
Build Sustainable Fund Development Systems
Board Role: Re-centered on generative governance and strategic monitoring of the goals.
Action Teams: Staff-driven groups who shaped goals, surfaced real-world needs, and prepared for implementation ownership
This approach fostered alignment early and created the foundation for true progress later.
What We Did:
- Built a 3-year Implementation Roadmap
- Identified owners, timelines, and success indicators for each goal
- Delivered training on accountability dashboards
- Designed a custom 90-Day Review Cycle to embed adaptive learning
Result:
Staff had clarity. The board had visibility. And leadership had a rhythm of shared accountability.
Outcomes (6–12 Months Post Engagement)
- Strategic plan adopted unanimously by the board
- 100% of departments aligned to one or more strategic priorities
- A new Senior Manager of Strategy & Culture hired to support internal capacity
- Quarterly reporting dashboard launched and used at every board meeting
- Over $600K in new funding secured by aligning grants to new strategy
Client Testimonial
“The Pivotal Group didn’t just help us write a strategic plan — they helped us become the kind of organization that can live it. We’ve never felt more focused or more confident.”
— Monica J, Executive Director, Horizon Youth Alliance
Summary: What Made This Strategic Planning Process Different
- Inclusive, not performative – from youth leaders to board members, everyone had a voice
- Focused, not bloated – four goals, not forty initiatives
- Built to last – with a progress system the staff actually uses
