COMMUNITY + CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

CTK Jesuit College Prep is a Cristo Rey model high school serving students with limited economic means on Chicago’s West Side. Through its Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) students work one day a week for a corporate partner, gaining work experience and exposure to career options. CWSP partnerships provide $2.5 million in revenue to the School, making a safe and high quality college prep education possible for CTK students.

In our post-pandemic work environment, with less people in offices to supervise and mentor students, JK Lenner was engaged to redesign the School’s corporate partner outreach and sales capabilities, build the partner pipeline for the coming school year and establish a sustainable strategy to secure this vital revenue stream for longer term. Partnering with senior staff, Board leaders and donors, JK Lenner constructed a campaign that fostered and opened new relationships with more 200 area companies and reduced the number of unplaced students for the 24-25 school year by 36%.

The Dallas market has been a national leader for the All Stars Project in forging strategic partnerships between the business and public sectors, educational institutions, and the philanthropic community to develop effective approaches to youth and workforce development. 

JK Lenner was engaged for two consecutive years to lead a team in raising $500,000 over two months for its Annual Fall Benefit, in partnership with prominent event honorees, corporate and civic leaders. In year one, the event exceeded fundraising goals and secured a new $100,000 gift. These fundraising projects were followed by an additional engagement to establish new corporate partnerships, after the organization was selected by the Mayor of Dallas to lead the city’s summer youth employment program. 

Lincoln Park Conservancy (LPC) is the non-profit champion of Lincoln Park, Chicago’s largest and most visited park. Through its private-public partnership with the Chicago Park District, LPC sponsors community programming, oversees historic conservation and ecological restoration, and mobilizes hundreds of volunteers to care for the park and provide educational experiences to its visitors.

JK Lenner Consulting was engaged by the LPC Board as Interim Executive Director, following the departure of its executive director of six years. Key responsibilities included: 

• Board Leadership and Engagement
• Fiscal Management
• Staff Leadership
• Human Resources

JK Lenner improved and enhanced existing systems, nurtured staff and partner relationships and led a successful transition to LPC's new Executive Director. In the following year, JK Lenner was re-engaged to oversee and redesign the organization’s Annual Fund. In the first quarter of work, significantly growing fundraising results. 

Catholic Charities is one of the largest human services providers in the Midwest, serving more than 375,000 people each year regardless of faith, gender, race, or ethnicity. More than 6,000 volunteers support its programs, contributing 200,000 hours annually.

JK Lenner Consulting was engaged to design and conduct an assessment of Charities’ volunteer program and to develop robust strategic recommendations. The assessment involved conversations with more than 75 stakeholders, focus groups, benchmarking with peer organizations, and a review of current research. JK Lenner also provided managerial, operational and strategic coaching to the current staff as the volunteer department underwent strategic re-envisioning. 

The All Stars Project of the San Francisco Bay Area plays a leadership role in advancing three significant areas for the national organization: virtual youth programs; research and evaluation; and partnership programming with high-performing local nonprofits.

Coming out of the pandemic, JK Lenner Consulting was engaged to conceptualize a first-time Golf Classic and Cocktail Fundraiser, partnering with the local Board and a new staff team. The engagement involved direct fundraising, designing the event program, and staff training. The event exceeded its $200,000 fundraising goal, and recommendations for future events were provided to the organization.