Institutional Design: From Summer Camp to Leadership Academy
How early consulting helped define the goals for a grassroots girls’ program to become an academy
Executive Summary
CDMA Business Model® consulted with Camp DIVA on the goals and structure for moving from a camp model to an academy model. The engagement focused on converting a mission-driven summer program into an institutional format with defined goals that could be measured, repeated, and grown.This brief documents how education consulting helps an organization build the structure behind its mission.
The Challenge
Grassroots youth programs often begin with strong mission and strong relationships, but without the institutional structure that lets a program outgrow its first season. Goals stay informal, outcomes stay anecdotal, and growth depends on the founder rather than on a model.
The Solution
CDMA Business Model® worked with program leadership to define goals for the transition from camp to academy establishing what the program intended to produce for participants and how that would be organized over time.
Capacity Milestone
Prior to CDMA Business Model®, CAMP Diva operated over the summer. It included various opportunities and workshops to inspire participants. As time progressed, we deployed out proprietary 4E Cycle Empower Enrich Engage Explore® to support with Camp Diva planning for transitional integration within an umbrella nonprofit.
Conclusion
Education consulting gives mission-driven organizations the structure to grow without losing what makes them work. The goal is not to change the mission.It is to build the institution around it.
