Pal Center

This client seeks to advance racial equity and/or primarily serves BIPOC communities.
Round
Fall-Winter 2024
Project Location
Redwood City, CA
Project Type
Full team
Project Focus
Cost Analysis,
Finance
Organization Type
Children, Youth & Families,
Human Services

Organization

Since 1995, Pal Center has served marginalized youth and families in partnership with the Redwood City and North Fair Oaks communities. Beginning with after school enrichment programs at four school sites, the organization has expanded, doubled its staff, and broadened its services to encompass comprehensive support for entire families. Pal Center is deeply committed to advancing racial equity through free mentorship, wellness, and education programs tailored to serve Hispanic and Latino families, who make up over 95% of its participants.

Issue

How can this successful and growing community service organization analyze its program costs and develop a process to mitigate anticipated financial gaps in upcoming years?

Situation

Recently, the state has reduced one of Pal Center’s primary funding sources, the after-school ELOP grant. Additionally, Redwood City announced a multi-million-dollar budget deficit that has limited its capacity to support some of Pal Center’s core programs.

Project Overview

Pal Center would like an ACT project team to support it in analyzing its program costs and developing a process to mitigate anticipated financial gaps in upcoming years. The organization needs to determine the sustainability threshold for each program - the point at which it becomes financially unviable to continue - by taking a comprehensive look at full costs. This analysis will enable it to make informed decisions about maintaining or discontinuing programs based on their financial performance and long-term sustainability.

Other

This is a Full Team project:

  • Scope: High-priority organizational challenge involving strategy or management
  • Team Size: 4-6 consultants, including 1-2 project leaders
  • Project Duration: 6 months
  • Estimated time Contribution: Team member: 3-4 hrs/week, Project leader: 5-6 hrs/week

Read more about the Full Team Project Consultant role and the Project Leader role.