Strategic Staffing for Sustainable Schools: Aligning People, Roles, and Resources

Staff from any of DCSC’s active member schools or school networks are eligible to join any group at no cost.

CoP Theory of action:

  • Connect as leaders across DCSC’s intentionally integrated member schools, so that practitioners can share experiences and build relationships.
  • Grow expertise in how they iterate upon best practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion to support all students.
  • Bring justice to education through developing tools for the field that disrupt the persisting status quo of racial and social inequality in schools.
Our Faciliators
Cecilia Paz Aguilar
Stronger Consulting
Jonathan Grajeda
Stronger Consulting

Overview

This Community of Practice is for CMO and charter school leaders who want to move beyond “chasing grants” toward building durable, values‑aligned funding models that match their growth plans. Together, we will connect organizational strategy to fundraising, strengthen equity‑centered cases for support, and build practical multi‑year revenue plans tailored to diverse‑by‑design charter networks. Participants will diagnose where their current funding model is fragile or misaligned with strategy, explore a mix of revenue streams (public funds, philanthropy, earned and partner revenue), and leave with a draft sustainability roadmap they can refine with their teams.

Ideal Participant Profile: This CoP is designed for leaders of diverse‑by‑design CMOs and charter schools who:

  • Hold responsibility for organizational strategy, finance, or development (e.g., CEO, Executive Director, COO, CAO, Chief of Staff, Chief Advancement/Development Officer).
  • Are navigating questions about long‑term sustainability (multi‑year budgeting, facilities, growth, or right‑sizing).
  • Are ready to bring real scenarios and dilemmas into a confidential peer space and to both give and receive feedback.

Dates and Times: Coming soon!

  • October 1, 2-3:30pm ET (Kickoff with all CoP)
  • October  pm ET
  • October  pm ET
  • November pm ET
  • November  pm ET
  • December  pm ET
  • December  pm ET
  • January  pm ET
  • February 3, 2pm PT – In-person Las Vegas NV

Facilitator Bios

Cecilia Paz Aguilar is Client Relationships Advisor at Stronger Consulting and the Founder of Rozas Rising LLC, a strategy and partnerships firm focused on turning ideas into action through connection, clarity, and execution.

A former middle and high school educator, school leader, and two time charter school founder, Cecilia brings more than 20 years of experience across education, business, and social impact. She combines her lived experience, in the trenches learnings, and formal education with an MBA trained strategic lens and what her brother calls a PhD in fellowships.

Still building, still becoming.

Jonathan Grajeda is a seasoned nonprofit professional with over 15 years of experience and more than a decade in fundraising. He has supported national and global organizations—including UNICEF, KABOOM!, U.S. Soccer Foundation, and Hire Heroes USA—through roles in business development, fundraising strategy, and philanthropic advising. Jonathan has helped secure over $30 million in grant awards and led successful proposals to agencies like the DOE, DOI, OJP, and EPA. His expertise spans major donor cultivation, corporate and foundation giving, and public grants, as well as advising high-net-worth individuals and family offices on philanthropic strategy. He holds a PhD in Inclusive Public Policy, an MBA in Nonprofit Management, and a BA in Liberal Arts. Fluent in Spanish, Jonathan has worked internationally and serves as an advisor to the grant platform Temelio. In his free time, he enjoys soccer, coaching, and family life.

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