Services « 4th Sector Solutions

C-Level Support

4th Sector Solutions understands the essential role that strong leadership plays in an organization’s ability to become sustainable and its ability to grow and expand. It is for this reason that 4th Sector Solutions provides direct support to the executive leadership of an organization. Our support is customized to the meet the needs of each client we serve. It can take many forms — ranging from strategic guidance to serving in a position on an interim basis. Below is a list of the services 4th Sector can provide:

Part-time and interim CEO, CFO, COO, CIO, and CDO services.
Executive coaching.
Strategic plan development and implementation.
Board training and development.
Development and fundraising support.
EMO/CMO engagement or disengagement.
Management of consultants.

Expansion and Replication

Small and mid-sized programs seek ways to grow. Highly effective programs are encouraged to replicate themselves in new communities with similar demographics. And sometimes there is a desire to create new revenue streams by expanding the audience for existing academic or extracurricular programs, professional development, or other proven capabilities . Yet many times education organizations have their hands full trying to maintain its current state of operations, and lack the staff and the expertise to successfully expand its presence. 4th Sector Solutions is prepared to assist in the following ways:

Legislative evaluation for market expansion.
Identification of strategies for program replication.
Internal capabilities development for program replication.
Financial modeling for expansion and replication.
Management of school expansion.
Real estate and master planning leadership.
Support for charter renewal and accreditation applications.

Finance and Accounting

You’re not an MBA, CPA, investment banker, auditor or finance expert, but your stakeholders think you should be. And they – the board, the state regulatory agencies, the philanthropic donors, and the IRS — expect to receive financial reports that demonstrate a professional level of stewardship for the organization’s monetary resources. 4th Sector Solutions has experienced professionals in finance and accounting with the formal education background and the specific industry expertise who can meet the needs of your organization. Our services include:

Planning, budgeting, forecasting & financial modeling.
Financial management (e.g., payroll processing, A/P, billing and A/R, purchasing and inventory).
Creation of financial policies.
Management and financial reporting.
Grants accounting.
Audit management.

Organization Capacity Building

The ability to perform is defined by the talent that is available to you. The ability to perform consistently well is a function of the systems that have been successfully implemented to support the talent within your organization. Whether your organization has systems that need to be implemented or isn’t even sure what systems it needs, 4th Sector Solutions can provide guidance that will help your team to figure out the best strategies for your organization. And we can provide the technical assistance to make them work for you. Some examples of our capacities in this area include:

Operational systems development.
High performance operations dashboard development.
Staffing audit and identification of needed positions.
Culture building.

Real Estate & Program Management

To successfully aid an organization with its real estate needs, a consultant must understand the fundamentals of real estate and finance as well as the fundamentals of the clients’ industry and the community in which they intend to operate. Brokers, architects, environmental regulations, contractors, site maintenance, lease/purchase negotiation, and local government regulations only compound the complexity of the situation. Having been involved in over 100 school real estate and construction projects, 4th Sector Solutions is uniquely qualified to aid educational organizations in their quest for a facility that will support educational goals. Our capabilities include:

Leadership of site identification or master planning process.
Design and construction program management
Purchase or lease negotiation.
Manage outside contractors.
Direct facility management and custodial vendors.
Implement green cleaning programs.
Maintain facilities and equipment database.
Manage long term capital plan.

Technology

Technology is an important part of your infrastructure that has the potential to greatly increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your organization. It is also a complicated field that requires a great deal of expert knowledge. And when it comes to education, it can be very difficult to find people who truly understand the power of academic computing capabilities and how to exploit them with limited financial resources. 4th Sector Solutions has partnered with some of the most experienced education technology professionals in the nation, who are prepared to support your organization from the classroom to the boardroom.

Technology Services: Strategic

Evaluation and implementation of “best of breed” academic computing and back office applications, including formative assessment systems.
Medium and long-term technology planning.

Technology Services: Tactical

Network operations and maintenance.
Web site and email hosting.
E-rate applications.