At Sort Sol Group, we co-create process and outcomes with our clients to build capacity and increase mission impact.

SSG was the first outside consultant we engaged to assist us with Strategic Planning. They brought great perspective to the process and kept our group focused and engaged.

What did you learn?

SSG focused us on a direction and a path that we continue to navigate today – and we have finally reached a point where we can focus on impact. Dennis is a wealth of information on nonprofit achievement and excellence, and I learn something from every conversation that we have.

What’s next for you?

We have grown and continue to grow. In 2013 we had 136 members; we now have over 320. Our budget in 2015 was just under $1.3M – for 2023 our budget is just under $3.6M. We’re about to enter into a strategic plan update this year and look forward to our 30^th anniversary next year!

Society for American Archaeology

Client Mission:

Empower members to understand humanity’s past through ethically-based scientific and humanistic investigation, to promote preservation of archaeological resources and cultural heritage through support of legislation and education, to create collaboration between the profession and descendant communities, and to assist professional growth.

Advisory:

Strategy Development

What was the impact?

In the absence of a current mission, vision, and values statements, the Society had experienced mission drift over the last several decades; we found ourselves trying to do too much with too few resources. SSG helped us develop tools to aid future decision-making and ensure that the Society continues to serve its membership better.

What did you learn?

We learned that in order to be sustainable, we have to better understand our business model and deliver a value proposition for members that adequately captures our cost structure and revenues.

What’s next for you?

Implementing our goals in a tactical sequence with a priority of advancing our equity strategy first: engage stakeholders across the Society to address inequitable structures and practices that have resulted in members’ disproportionate barriers and burdens to full participation.

Apna Ghar
End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
The Food Trust

Apna Ghar

Client mission:

Provide critical, comprehensive, culturally competent services, and conduct outreach and advocacy across communities to end gender violence.

Advisories:

Strategy Development

What was the impact?

SSG helped transform our organization, helping us to think big and grow to the “next” level.

What did you learn?

Our capacity to do more and bring ideas to fruition. We have added new and innovative programs, while building on a strong foundation.

What’s next for you?

We have made great progress in meeting our strategic goals, growing in all the ways that we planned and are now contemplating best strategies to sustain our growth.

End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin

Mission

Promote social change that transforms societal attitudes, practices, and policies to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse.

Advisory:

Strategy Development

What was the impact?

SSG facilitated our strategy development with staff and board; they made a lot of hard work fun! Everyone became more engaged in thinking about where our organization is going and how to get there strategically!

What did you learn?

We learned that there is a lot of energy in our organization for big picture thinking.

What’s next for you?

Our organization is better prepared to launch new initiatives that will re-orient and transform our focus towards root causes and a social justice framework.

The Food Trust

Client Mission:

Delicious, nutritious food for all

Advisory:

Strategy Development

What was the impact?

With Sort Sol Group’s guidance, The Food Trust underwent an intensely participatory strategic planning process that engaged a myriad of stakeholders — from external thought leaders and Board of Directors to 100% of the organization’s 65-member staff from associate to CEO and everyone in between. This was particularly challenging in a virtual environment, but with SSG’s thoughtful planning, group activities, and facilitation, The Food Trust was able to build a strategic plan that reflected the group’s collective vision for our future.

What did you learn?

The Food Trust’s passionate staff, dedicated Board, and thoughtful external stakeholders are all working toward the same goals. Now that our strategic planning process is complete, the organization had the opportunity to develop shared language that we can all stand behind — from an impactful mission statement, to meaningful shared values, to a set of principles and vision statement that guide our decision-making.

What’s next for you?

With a clear roadmap for success in hand, The Food Trust is moving strategically toward our goals while staying true to our roots.

Aptiv
Girls on the Run – S. Central WI
Wispact

Aptiv

Mission

Provide a spectrum of innovative support for individuals with disabilities so they may live more independent lives.

Advisory:

Collective Impact

What was the impact?

SSG’s knowledge and delivery of collective impact planning helped us establish the Disability Action Network, to create barrier-free communities in Western Wisconsin.

What did you learn?

We have used these tools to change the culture of our organization and encourage new leadership interactions in the organization.

What’s next for you?

To create a better service system for people with disabilities, a steering committee has formed providing oversight to create impactful projects. The learning gave us the courage to consider the problems long enough to determine a more effective roadmap.

Girls on the Run - S. Central WI

Client Mission:

We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

Advisory:

Strategy Development

What was the impact?

We worked with SSG on our organization’s first-ever strategic plan, and it was a terrific experience. Everyone was a bit apprehensive that we might be overwhelmed by the process. SSG made every step of the journey rewarding, and we came out a stronger organization thanks to their leadership.

What did you learn?

We are a stronger organization than we thought! However, through implementing our strategic plan, we could strengthen our internal governance processes and our program delivery impact, as well.

What’s next for you?

Working with SSG sharpened our focus and helped us improve internally, allowing us to meet our strategic goals and move forward with confidence.

Wispact

Mission:

Enhance the well-being of people of all ages with disabilities across Wisconsin through the management of special needs trusts by promoting more choice and opportunities.

Advisory:

Strategy Development

What was the impact?

SSG provided us with strategic guidance, at a time when a reset back to the organization’s vision and mission was needed. Through the identification of objectives, along with tactical, measurable goals, Wispact took on a proactive approach to its operational processes, which focused on efficiencies and expansion of services, rather than a reactive posture ‘putting out fires’.

Through SSG’s facilitation, a learning opportunity was created for both the board and staff to clearly define roles and authority guidelines. This allowed for a more efficient, working relationship between those entities, which improved both problem-solving and planning. Thus, a more proactive, cooperative, and efficient system was nurtured.

What did you learn?

First and foremost, we were reminded of the good works of Wispact. Discussions, in a ‘putting out fires posture’ tend to focus on areas where there may be perceived or actual shortcomings of the organization. SSG helped to define measures of success to illustrate the true, positive impact our organization has on the lives of individuals with disabilities, their families, and the elder law community providing them with long-term financial planning support. In addition, SSG’s process created an examination of the organization as framed by ‘Good, Better, Best’ mentality. Define what we do “Good’, how we can do those processes ‘Better’, and ensure we make “Better” into “Best” practices.

What’s next for you?

Wispact’s long-range strategic goals focus on greater operational efficiency, primarily through IT infrastructure, and the continued growth and impact maximizing of our Foundation. We have spent a lot of energy, and rightly so, on developing leadership options for the wonderful staff here at Wispact, in an effort to ensure that we are maximizing the human resources available to the organization. Over the next several years, we will be concentrating on creating infrastructure that will remove some of the manual input duties, required of our positions currently, by employing document, file and database management to allow our staff to maximizing their professional strengths. This creates an environment that will promote greater customer satisfaction, i.e. less paperwork and data entry will promote more opportunities for front-facing customer interaction, and offer up greater expansion of roles, which is a necessity when you are a growing organization within a growing industry.

“SSG helped us reimagine the work of our complex organization in a new, more meaningful way.”
— Mary Patoka, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus, CAP Services

“SSG prepared an amazing education experience on collective impact, systems thinking, and social entrepreneurship.”
— Mary Kessens, Chief Executive Officer, Aptiv (retd.)

“SSG guided our work with enthusiasm, insight, and creativity. Our connection with SSG was the definition of synergy.”
— Dr. Jackie Rowles, Culture Assessment Task Force Chair, AANA

At Sort Sol Group, we co-create process and outcomes with our clients to build capacity and increase mission impact.

Our Portfolio (by subsector)

Arts & Culture

Aging

Children & Families

Conservation

Disability

Economic Justice

Education

Food Security

Gender Justice

Health

Housing

Immigrant

Labor

LGBTQ+

Literacy

Mental Health

Muncipal

Philanthropy

Transit

Unified

Youth Engagement

Workforce

Endorsements

Aldo Leopold Nature Center

CenterLink

Society for American Archaeology

Apna Ghar

End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin

The Food Trust

Aptiv

Girls on the Run – S. Central WI

Wispact

“SSG helped us reimagine the work of our complex organization in a new, more meaningful way.”
— Mary Patoka, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus, CAP Services

“SSG prepared an amazing education experience on collective impact, systems thinking, and social entrepreneurship.”
— Mary Kessens, Chief Executive Officer, Aptiv (retd.)

“SSG guided our work with enthusiasm, insight, and creativity. Our connection with SSG was the definition of synergy.”
— Dr. Jackie Rowles, Culture Assessment Task Force Chair, AANA

At Sort Sol Group, we co-create process and outcomes with our clients to build capacity and increase mission impact.

Our Portfolio (by subsector)

Endorsements

“SSG helped us reimagine the work of our complex organization in a new, more meaningful way.” — Mary Patoka, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus, CAP Services

“SSG prepared an amazing education experience on collective impact, systems thinking, and social entrepreneurship.” — Mary Kessens, Chief Executive Officer, Aptiv (retd.)

“SSG guided our work with enthusiasm, insight, and creativity. Our connection with SSG was the definition of synergy.” — Dr. Jackie Rowles, Culture Assessment Task Force Chair, AANA

“SSG helped us reimagine the work of our complex organization in a new, more meaningful way.”
— Mary Patoka, Chief Executive Officer Emeritus, CAP Services

“SSG prepared an amazing education experience on collective impact, systems thinking, and social entrepreneurship.”
— Mary Kessens, Chief Executive Officer, Aptiv (retd.)

“SSG guided our work with enthusiasm, insight, and creativity. Our connection with SSG was the definition of synergy.”
— Dr. Jackie Rowles, Culture Assessment Task Force Chair, AANA