About Us

We’re an invested thought partner to your nonprofit organization

We balance head and heart to help you achieve alignment between your mission and business strategies.

It’s become increasingly challenging to lead and operate a nonprofit.

The rate of change, complexity, and sense of scarcity we’re experiencing is higher than ever before, making it difficult to chart and stay on the path towards our long-term goals and vision.

We believe we’re stronger when we work together,

that true collaboration rooted in authenticity and trust is the way forward for nonprofits to create an abundance of opportunity, navigate complexities, weather change, and advance our missions.

Our Story

Mission + Strategy was founded on a shared vision, a spirit of partnership, and a dedication to making a difference. For over 15 years, we have led and engaged in successful collaborations within the social impact sector - starting with our own.

  • 1. The Founding of Mission + Strategy

    Mission + Strategy Consulting was founded by Jean Butzen, who had a profound experience with collaboration as President and CEO of Lakefront Supportive Housing during its merger with Mercy Housing. Witnessing firsthand how strategic restructuring could grow nonprofit impact, she established Mission + Strategy Consulting in 2006 to strengthen nonprofits through mergers, partnerships, and restructuring.

    Through her retirement in 2023, she guided 75 successful engagements, leaving an indelible mark on the nonprofit sector. Jean's leadership and her devotion to collaboration, innovation, and client-centered advocacy made Mission + Strategy the largest provider of nonprofit collaboration services in the Midwest, changing the field and rewriting what was possible for nonprofits if they worked together.

  • 2. The Formation of The Alliance

    Just three years after Jean launched Mission + Strategy, two pioneering nonprofits, Glenkirk and Search, Inc., recognized the potential of joining forces. Glenkirk, serving people with disabilities since 1954, and Search, Inc., since 1968, formed what was then known as Keystone Alliance, now known as The Alliance, to streamline their financial, IT, and HR operations. This back-office consolidation not only resulted in efficiencies and cost savings but also created a deeply collaborative support system that provides strategic thought partnership and capacity-building resources that still exist today.

    This alliance was more than a partnership; it was a transformation. It sparked a new way of thinking about nonprofit collaboration, showing how working together can make organizations stronger. With this belief deeply ingrained in their minds and hearts, they embraced a commitment to collaboration, curiosity, and openness to new ideas.

  • 3. Forging a Powerful Partnership

    In 2022, after participating in a panel discussion together, Greg Petersen, CEO of The Alliance, invited Jean to connect casually over coffee. Through open, honest conversation and listening, they uncovered a natural opportunity. Jean, approaching retirement, felt strongly about the continuing need to support collaborations in the social impact field and believed that nonprofits are stronger together. She wanted Mission + Strategy’s work to continue and flourish. Greg recognized the value of her expertise and saw a great synergy between their organizations with complementary services. He saw that partnering with Jean might be a way to build on The Alliance's founding vision to impact the wider nonprofit sector.

    Both organizations brought deep experience in the nonprofit space, common values, and a commitment to integrity and relationships. Their discussions evolved into a partnership, ultimately coming together to offer nonprofits a larger, more robust breadth of solutions in a single source to better serve them and their missions. This partnership preserved Mission + Strategy's legacy and allowed The Alliance to make a positive impact on the wider nonprofit sector.

  • 4. Our Collaborative Future

    Today, we are Mission + Strategy and The Alliance. Together, we are a collaborative marketplace where nonprofits, including our founding organizations Glenkirk and Search, and our Mission + Strategy clients, mutually benefit. This inherent network of collaboration enhances our individual capacities and strengthens the sector as a whole. We ignite community transformation through collaboration. Together, we become a vital force in creating more resilient and equitable communities. With deep nonprofit roots and experience, we are a nonprofit for nonprofits, embodying the spirit of partnership and collaboration in all we do to help organizations balance their mission with effective business strategy.

Our Core Strengths

The Mission + Strategy Difference

  • As a nonprofit ourselves, we intimately understand the unique challenges, changes, and regulations you face on a daily basis. We’ve endured the eras of the midwest nonprofit landscape, and with decades of multi-faceted experience amongst our organization, have the lived and learned experience to help anticipate and navigate threats while identifying and seizing opportunities.

  • Asking not what we can do for you, but what we can do with you, we take your mission and community under our care as if they were our own. Without judgment or prescription, we meet you where you’re at, come alongside you, and adapt our approach to best fit your needs and culture. We go beyond consultation to acting as a true extension of your team, keeping your identity front and center always.

  • Truly seeing and honoring the people within your organization and in the community you serve, we are deeply committed to relationships and human connection. We understand how complex your work can be on a daily basis and in periods of transition, and we’re dedicated to providing heart-centered support every step of the way. One of our greatest strengths is being able to hold difficult conversations with great compassion.

  • We’re committed to ensuring every engagement is of the highest quality and tailored to meet your specific needs. We prioritize your goals over deliverables, taking the time upfront to truly understand your objectives and then pivoting the action plan if the project isn’t meeting them. With the belief that the process is just as important as the end result, we employ whatever methods are best suited for your needs.

  • Our team members as well as our organization itself have firsthand experience in multiple forms of collaboration. We blend this experience with tried-and-true business strategies to achieve impactful outcomes. By leveraging outside corporate strategies and unbiased principles that work across organizations, we ensure top quality process and most effective results. 

Our Mission

To ignite community transformation through collaboration.

Our Vision

We inspire collaboration to shape a better quality of life for all. We envision a future where nonprofits drive significant ecomonic growth and social impact, together becoming a vital force to create more resilient and equitable communities.

Our Values

Integrity

We value honesty and always act with the welfare of others in mind. We build trust by listening and honoring our commitments.

Teamwork

We believe in the power of teamwork, leveraging our diverse skills and perspectives in a supportive environment to achieve more.

Innovation

We foster innovation through collaboration and curiosity. We embrace change, explore new ideas, take calculated risks, and develop novel solutions.

Engagement

We encourage everyone to actively participate, take responsibility, and contribute to our shared success.

Relationships

We prioritize relationships, striving to create inspiring experiences that promote growth, exceed expectations, and forge lasting connections.

Together, we are stronger.

Ready to strike a balance between your mission and business strategies?