Services we offer
EdPro Consulting is proud to be located in Washington, DC serving clients across the District and across the nation.
At this moment, an increasing number of education nonprofits, their leaders and boards face difficult decisions about how to proceed when confronting challenging economic and political circumstances. Some nonprofits are well-positioned to weather these times, and even to grow through them. But many are not.
What struggling nonprofit organizations and charter schools need at this moment are more options and adaptive guidance in time to help them take proactive action. EdPro is pleased to work with nonprofit leaders and boards to explore possibilities which alleviate strain, continue their mission, and help their work continue to thrive. Strategic alliances with other like-minded orgs, formal mergers, or acquisitions are all potential opportunities for nonprofits. And, if an organization faces closing its doors, EdPro can support the people leading help it to do so with as much grace and dignity as possible, honoring the work they accomplished.
Nonprofit Mergers & Acquisitions
EdPro has worked with a variety of education organizations on strategic planning processes. From a small, single-site charter school in Brooklyn, NY to a large, national family philanthropy with a $200 million dollar annual budget.
In all planning engagements, EdPro prioritizes three key elements of work:
● Listening deeply before setting a direction for the plan
● Collaborating with stakeholders to craft a mission-aligned vision for the future that is both realistic and ambitious
● Crafting a “living document” so that the strategic plan is actionable and can adjust with the organization over time
Strategic Planning
EdPro has conducted original research on behalf of clients, and has participated as part of larger research initiatives with research partners and collaboratives. Jessica is trained as a qualitative researcher and regularly uses surveys, semi-structured interviews and focus groups in all aspects of her work at EdPro. She also spent time leading research in civic measurement, especially focused on youth civic engagement and understanding the landscape of civic opportunities. Whether you need help making sense of internal data, evaluating a program initiative, or better understanding the current policy environment, EdPro is eager to support your research needs.
Research & Evaluation
Authentic Youth Engagement
Centering students - their needs, but also their voices & their gifts - has been a theme of Jessica’s career in education. Throughout her career as a classroom teacher, she marveled at how much her adolescent students sought out her attention & approval, right alongside that of their peers. They desperately wanted to feel seen, cared for, and valued. This remains true in the mental health and social challenges faced by so many of our young people today. But, when young people know they matter - to their school and other organizations which which they engage - teens engage in ways that may surprise us.
We often stop at seeing adolescents as self-centered beings, but when they feel safe & secure, they are eager to turn their attention towards others. We all need to make space for young people - especially middle and high school students - to engage with their schools and communities. We need to do this in classrooms & schools, in out-of-school time programs, in faith communities, and at home.
EdPro Consulting works with schools, nonprofits, and government entities seeking to more deeply engage young people as active stakeholders. EdPro can help create formal structures for youth engagement, support leaders and boards in crafting authentic opportunities for youth engagement, or facilitate direct engagement with youth stakeholders. Read more about Jessica’s work and expertise in authentic youth engagement here, here, and here.