Pro Bono Week 2019: Celebrating Deloitte

In 2013, New Profit and Deloitte Consulting LLP launched a collaboration to do something rare and valuable in the social sector: provide nonprofits and other social impact organizations with the caliber of strategic support that Fortune 500 companies can access. With Deloitte’s pro bono support, we have been providing that catalytic support to help dozens of organizations scale their impact ever since.

This Pro Bono Week, we will be highlighting this groundbreaking collaboration by sharing stories from Deloitte professionals about the work they have done in support of New Profit and our grantees. To kick things off, we are sharing a special message from New Profit Founder and CEO Vanessa Kirsch on the impact Deloitte’s passionate people have had on her and our network.

Kavita Venkateswar, Senior Consultant, Deloitte Consulting LLP, on Valor Collegiate Academies

We caught up with Kavita Venkateswar, a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting LLP, to discuss her pro bono project with New Profit grantee Valor Collegiate Academies and why she does this work. Here is what she had to say:

Valor Collegiate Academies, a member of New Profit’s Personalized Learning cohort, is a network of free, public college preparatory schools in South Nashville that serve a diverse population and offers a rigorous curriculum in which students of all previous preparation levels will find success. Want to learn more about Valor? We asked Valor Founder and CEO Todd Dickson some key questions about their work; check out what he had to say here:

What is your big, bold vision for the future that Valor is actively working to achieve?

“Our work is about bringing comprehensive human development to the forefront of education. We believe that helping scholars (and adults) grow as whole human beings is essential to meet the challenges of our time.”

If nothing was standing in your way what kind of world would you and your organization create?

“One day we will live in a world where every child is given an excellent educational experience that develops their body, mind, heart, and spirit in a setting where they can reach across lines of difference to see the common humanity of all people.”

Can you share a bit about Valor’s impact stats?

“Valor scholars are the highest performing in the State of TN, and among the highest in the country. They routinely score in the top 5% of the State in both absolute achievement AND growth, something less than 1% of the schools in the State achieve. Valor is the only school in the State with a low-income student population greater than 25% to achieve this status. Valor low-income scholars have inverted the achievement gap every year since opening in 2014 – outperforming non-disadvantaged peers in both Nashville and the State of TN.”

Heena Khoja, Consultant, Monitor Institute by Deloitte, Deloitte LLP, on Transcend Education

Heena Khoja, Consultant with the Monitor Institute by Deloitte at Deloitte LLP, joined us in the New Profit studio to discuss her pro bono project with New Profit grantee Transcend Education and why this work is important to her. Here is what she had to say:

Transcend Education, a member of New Profit’s Personalized Learning cohort, is a national nonprofit dedicated to accelerating innovation in the core design of “school.” They partner with school operators across the district, charter and independent sectors through the R&D journey of redesigning school models focused on more personalized approaches to educations, offer R&D capacity support, and quickly replicate their successes. We asked the Transcend team some key questions about their work; check out what they had to say here:

What is your big, bold vision for the future that Transcend is actively working to achieve?

“In a fast-changing world, most American children attend schools that look and operate much like they did 100 years ago. Transcend supports communities to create and spread extraordinary, equitable learning environments. We believe all learners – from every community, and particularly those marginalized by the traditional design of school – need both rigorous academic preparation and a broader set of mindsets, habits, skills, and competencies. It’s time to reimagine school, and it’s possible to do so with students, teachers, families, school and system leaders, and community members.”

If nothing was standing in your way what kind of world would you and your organization create?

“One day, we will live in a world where all young people learn in ways that enable them to thrive in and transform the world. Schools will be joyful, rigorous, engaging, and deeply grounded in the communities around them; students will pursue their purpose, nurture their whole and unique selves, and drive their own learning; and race, gender, class, and other socio-cultural factors will no longer predict what young people and communities can achieve.”

Can you share a bit about Transcend’s impact stats?

• Partnered with 100+ district, charter, and private schools in urban, rural, and suburban communities across 20 states to reimagine school
• Helped build and spread innovative new models of school that now reach over 20,000 students
• Engaged 50+ expert researchers to create and share 20+ knowledge products, which have been downloaded by over 1000 schools and other organizations, with some gaining global recognition
• Built a strong, diverse, and passionate team and network (comprising both the 400+ members of our Yellow Hats League talent community and a broader set of organizations and individuals committed to reimagining school)

Simone Egwu, Senior Consultant at the Monitor Institute by Deloitte, Deloitte LLP, and Rajib Guha, Manager at the Monitor Institute by Deloitte, Deloitte LLP, on New Profit’s Inclusive Impact Initiative

Simone Egwu, Senior Consultant with the Monitor Institute by Deloitte at Deloitte LLP, joined us in the New Profit studio to discuss her pro bono project with New Profit’s Inclusive Impact Initiative and why this work is important to her. Here is what she had to say:

We also caught up with Rajib Guha, Manager with the Monitor Institute by Deloitte at Deloitte LLP, to discuss his work with New Profit’s Inclusive Impact Initiative and why this work is important to him. Here is what he had to say:

Inclusive Impact is a comprehensive, systems-change approach to address the systems, structures, and behaviors that contribute to an inequitable social sector. Inclusive Impact has four levers:

• Shift and increase the flow of capital and capacity-building support to Black and Latinx social entrepreneurs
• Develop philanthropic leaders of color to leverage their capabilities and insights
• Build capacity of organizations and sector networks to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive
• Expand diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI)-related data collection and analysis

Led by New Profit Managing Partner Tulaine Montgomery, this initiative aims to develop a multi-racial and multi-ethnic network of philanthropists, practitioners, institutional funders, and social impact stakeholders who are committed to equity and catalyzing resources to ensure the success of organizations led by Black and Latinx leaders that are driving impact and opportunity for all.

Please join us in thanking Deloitte for all their pro bono support over the past 6 years and stay tuned here for daily updates to learn more about this innovative collaboration.

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