The Client
A rapidly-scaling national nonprofit dedicated to engaging young people in civic leadership.
The Challenge
As the organization scaled its organization and team, its leadership recognized the need to establish foundational HR systems and practices. Its simultaneous challenges included:
- ⚠️ No formal HR infrastructure to support a growing, multi-state organization
- ⚠️ An internal departure that created a gap in day-to-day HR management
- ⚠️ Limited in-house experience with building scalable people operations
- ⚠️ A commitment to offer benefits to employees for the first time
How we helped
The organization needed both hands-on execution and long-term strategic guidance to build durable systems while sustaining momentum.
To address these needs, Delve Consulting partnered with the organization during this critical growth phase, delivering a blend of strategic advisory, infrastructure implementation, and embedded HR leadership.
Results
- ✅ Launched the organization’s first HR system, enabling compliant payroll, onboarding, and multi-state operations
- ✅ Designed and implemented the organization’s first employee benefits program
- ✅ Created a scalable team guide to anchor culture, policy, and performance practices
- ✅ Sustained HR operations through a leadership transition with no disruption
- ✅ Strengthened organizational clarity and alignment through two strategic retreats
Why It Matters
For founder-led nonprofits in periods of rapid growth, HR systems can quickly become a limiting factor. Delve helped this organization move from reactive to intentional, building the people infrastructure and leadership practices needed to support a high-performing team.
With both executional muscle and strategic depth, Delve ensured the organization could grow with clarity, alignment, and operational integrity.
"Delve has been a really important partner in our work in building a non-profit workplace that is fully compliant and supportive of employees’ professional development. Delve helps us make sure that nothing is missed, and that our HR work is meeting our team’s needs. I would highly recommend using their support to build out your HR work as your organization grows."
The Details
1. Strategic Reset
In January 2024, Delve facilitated a 2-day executive retreat led by Blair Brennan Slaughter, PhD, to help the leadership team re-center on values, priorities, and collaborative practices. The retreat created space to explore leadership philosophy, align on strategic focus areas, and strengthen decision-making as a unified team.
2. Systems Implementation
Delve led the rollout of the organization’s first PEO platform, introducing compliant payroll, onboarding, and benefits administration across multiple states. The organization’s inaugural benefits offering was designed to meet both compliance requirements and employee needs.
3. People Infrastructure
To support scaling culture and clarity, Delve developed the organization’s first team guide, codifying policies, values, and expectations in a scalable format. The guide now serves as a core reference for onboarding, performance, and communication.
4. Embedded HR Leadership
Delve provided day-to-day HR leadership during a critical internal transition, ensuring continuity across the people functions. As an ongoing partner, Delve advised on performance management, compliance, and team operations while refining internal workflows to match organizational strategy.
5. Strategic Planning
In December 2024, Delve Consultant Tim Lavery facilitated a 2.5-day all-staff retreat designed to support the organization through its next stage of growth. The retreat focused on deepening role clarity, strengthening cross-functional collaboration, and aligning the full team around long-term organizational goals. It provided space for reflection, connection, and forward-looking planning at both the individual and team levels.
