WANDA has had the privilege of collaborating with Stanford University’s Alumni Consulting Team (Stanford ACT) on three pivotal strategic initiatives. Stanford ACT’s mission is to drive enduring community impact by mobilizing teams of Graduate School of Business (GSB) alumni who leverage their expertise and passion to strengthen social benefit organizations. ACT volunteers, comprised of Stanford GSB alumni at various career stages, offer pro bono consulting in diverse areas including general management, strategy, business analysis, financial management, earned revenue, marketing, and technology, among others.
For our first project with ACT, WANDA sought input on our partnership strategy. The ACT team conducted interviews with representatives from various nonprofits to establish a consensus on an effective partnership model. This model was benchmarked against mission-aligned organizations to assess scalability, capacity, and budget considerations.
In our second collaboration, ACT played a crucial role in refining WANDA’s marketing messaging, particularly as the organization experienced growth and expansion. A two-time ACT team member joined our Board of Directors, providing invaluable strategic insights.These projects have left a long-lasting and multifaceted impact on our organization. We are excited to announce our forthcoming third engagement with ACT, which will center on developing a geographic partnership model. This model will play a vital role in supporting our expansion efforts, allowing us to reach even more diverse communities in the Bay Area. This project’s dream team includes Linda Lazor, Dima El Machnouk, and Sylvia Kuyel.