The energy dips.

Decisions slow.

The work doesn’t stop but it starts to feel heavier.

It’s exhausting.

At coLAB, we’ve seen it across teams of every size. Leaders juggling too much. Staff balancing mission and burnout. Big goals, but limited bandwidth to get there. Sustainability isn’t about holding on tighter, it’s about building systems and leadership that make it possible to breathe again.

A Structural Shift, Not a Short-Term Trend

What started in the private sector as a cost-saving experiment has become a lasting shift in how organizations grow. As Forbes recently observed,

“The question is no longer whether the fractional model will last, it’s how businesses can best leverage this shift to drive growth and innovation.”
(Forbes, 2025)

That same principle applies across mission-driven systems. When used intentionally, fractional leadership helps nonprofits build continuity through transition, strengthen governance, and install systems that support scalable growth. It allows organizations to test new models, pilot strategic initiatives, or fill short-term gaps without losing momentum, all key drivers of long-term resilience.

Building What Lasts

Fractional work isn’t just a staffing trend, it’s a sustainability strategy. It enables organizations to adapt to changing conditions, attract high-level expertise, and maintain focus on their mission, even in lean times.

By pairing flexibility with strategy, organizations can invest in what truly matters: leadership that endures, systems that support growth, and impact that lasts.

Full-time hires can be costly and difficult to sustain, yet the need for specialized expertise remains constant. Fractional roles bridge that gap, offering access to seasoned leaders in areas like operations, marketing, or communications, without compromising capacity or stability.

As Harvard Business Review notes,

“Organizations looking to reinvent themselves often seek to acquire senior talent who can infuse new ideas, skills, and leadership… However, hiring and retaining senior talent is fraught with challenges.”
(Harvard Business Review, 2024)

Fractional leaders meet this challenge head-on. They bring perspective, mentorship, and decision-making experience at a fraction of the cost and commitment—strengthening internal capacity while keeping organizations agile and adaptive.

How We Integrate Fractional Work

Our approach to fractional work is rooted in the same belief that guides all of coLAB’s consulting and technology initiatives: strategy must be sustainable, actionable, and human-centered.

We help organizations identify which roles or functions benefit most from a fractional model while ensuring alignment with broader strategic goals. Whether it’s a fractional CEO, Operations Lead, or Strategic Communications partner, our goal is to strengthen internal rhythm and build capacity that lasts long after the engagement ends.

Let’s Build Sustainable Capacity, Together

Fractional work is more than a new way of hiring; it’s a new way of leading.
If your organization is ready to strengthen systems, align teams, and sustain momentum — without the long-term overhead of traditional hiring — we’d love to help you build what lasts.

At coLAB, we’re building more than just products, we’re building the foundations that power them. One of the most exciting (and challenging) parts of our journey has been starting fresh with our codebase. No shortcuts. No hand-me-downs. Just the opportunity to create something original, scalable, and truly our own.

To give you a look behind the scenes, Patrice Castellano, Director of Support Services, sat down with our Chief Technology Officer, Jakub Pilecki, to talk about what it’s like to write code from scratch, how he approaches problems big and small, and what keeps him motivated along the way.

Patrice: What’s the very first thing you do when starting a new coding project from scratch?

Jakub: I start by stepping back and looking at the big picture. That usually means reading documentation, meeting with people, brainstorming, and trying to get a feel for what’s really needed. Before I write a single line of code, I want to understand the ultimate goal and the broader context.

Patrice: How do you decide which programming language or tools to use?

Jakub: In general, I lean on a tech stack I know and trust, built around .NET. Some tools are just industry standards like Redis for caching, RabbitMQ for queues, PostgreSQL or MSSQL for databases, Docker for containerization. These are so common and reliable that you can grab them off the shelf.
But sometimes a particular problem calls for a different approach. For example, a lot of cutting-edge AI work is happening in Python, and .NET often follows by embedding or backporting those solutions. At that point, it’s a judgment call: introduce something “odd” to the usual stack, or solve it within what’s already standard. There’s no single right answer, it’s always case by case.

Patrice: When you’re looking at a huge project, how do you break it into smaller steps?

Jakub: First I identify the key points. Then I think about the pipelines needed to solve each smaller problem — almost like moves in a game, getting from input to output. The goal is to keep things simple, organized, and direct.

Patrice: What keeps you motivated when progress feels slow?

Jakub: Addressing customer pain points with something we built is a huge motivator. In the end, it comes down to promises made and the responsibility to deliver. For me, not succeeding just isn’t an option.

Patrice: How do you make sure your code is easy for other developers to understand?

Jakub: Conventions are huge. If everyone knows the “why” and the “how” behind certain choices, it keeps things consistent. Clear naming, modular code, and comments where needed are also key.
What also really helps is the trust within our team. Many of us have worked together for a decade or more, from college days to different startups. We operate in what I call “fire and forget” mode — we agree on priorities, distribute tasks, and everyone knows what to do. There’s constant communication, of course, but no hand-holding. That trust is powerful.

Patrice: How do you explain your technical work to people who aren’t developers?

Jakub: Lots of drawing. I even bought a tablet just so I could sketch things out on a virtual whiteboard during meetings. A simple diagram usually makes more sense than a long explanation.

Patrice: What’s the most rewarding part of coding from scratch?

Jakub:

For me, the reward isn’t just in starting from scratch, it’s in solving problems elegantly.

When I’m deep into something interesting, I get what I call an “itch.” Finishing the solution and putting those last touches on it scratches that itch. It’s a great feeling.

Patrice: Can you share a time when you had to scrap your first idea and start over?

Jakub: It happens all the time, especially in R&D. You go in with one idea, then refine, adjust, sometimes even start fresh once you learn more.
For example, with Verve’s reporting service, we initially used Apache Superset, a third-party tool. Over time, we realized we needed something built in-house to compliment our product development. So we  built our own reporting-as-code system. Now we have an in-house tool that’s easier for us to use, works across multiple data sources, and runs asynchronously. It’s stronger because we weren’t afraid to reset and rebuild.

Patrice: What advice would you give someone writing code from scratch for the first time?

Jakub: Don’t overthink it. Understand the big picture and the key building blocks, but don’t try to nail every detail right away. Break the problem down, and solve it step by step. Keep your code elegant and flexible. And remember: design patterns are there to help you, not to lock you in.

Patrice: How do you balance writing “perfect” code versus just getting something working?

Jakub: That’s one of the hardest lessons. When I started coding 25 years ago, I wanted to do everything myself, perfectly and completely. Great for learning — not great for business.
There’s no shame in using third-party libraries or boilerplate. In fact, that’s what separates a seasoned developer from a junior. The trick is not to overengineer. Don’t plan for 10,000 scenarios that may never happen. Write your code so that if one of those scenarios does show up, you can add it easily. I’ve seen startups fail because they polished their product for months, only to find customers wanted something else entirely.

Patrice: In your opinion, what makes good code stand the test of time?

Jakub: Stability is big — I love seeing servers with months of uninterrupted uptime. Flexibility is another — if a stakeholder asks for a feature and you can add it quickly, that’s a sign of a solid codebase.
At the same time, experience changes how you see things. I look back at code I was proud of years ago and see ways I’d do it differently today. That’s part of the journey, evolving along with the technology.

Talking with Jakub makes it clear that writing code from scratch isn’t just a technical exercise — it’s a creative process rooted in vision, discipline, and trust. Starting from zero gives us the freedom to build systems that reflect who we are today and where we’re headed tomorrow. At coLAB, that’s exactly the point: no shortcuts, just fresh foundations designed to evolve, scale, and stand the test of time.

Looking ahead,

Patrice Castellano, Director of Support Services

When it comes to blending strategy, product ownership, and the human side of tech, few do it with as much creativity and energy as Bree Gillespie, Vice President of Client Engagement. Bree has helped countless organizations turn big-picture visions into real-world results, always keeping things approachable, inclusive, and fun.

For this conversation, Bree sat down with her colleague Patrice Castellano, Director of Support Services, to talk leadership, women in tech, and what it really takes to make strategy stick. Their candid Q&A touches on everything from bold ideas and product ownership to coffee, playlists (PRINCE!), and the future of women in leadership.

Patrice: Let’s start light. What’s one word your team would use to describe your leadership style?

Bree: Ha, maybe not so light! But I’d say “direct.” I’ve learned that honesty and clarity go a long way, especially for women in leadership roles where it’s easy to second guess. I also think “growth mindset” is part of my style, it’s not one word, but it matters in both sports and leadership.

Patrice: You’ve worn many hats including strategist, product owner, and consultant. How do you know when to zoom out to the big picture and when to dive into details?

Bree: It’s really about the process. You have to evaluate where you are and what will have the biggest impact. Sometimes that means big picture visioning, sometimes it means narrowing in on details. I think of it as convergent and divergent thinking, a funnel that expands and contracts depending on the stage of the work.

Patrice: Strategic planning can sound a little stiff. What’s your favorite way to make strategy feel alive and fun?

Bree:

I think of strategy as creative problem solving. At its heart, that’s exciting. When you keep people at the center, making sure it’s interactive, human, and focused on real change, it becomes inspiring instead of overwhelming. Strategy should be about making lives better, not just creating a list of tasks.

Patrice: Product ownership is a balancing act with features, bugs, deadlines, and big ideas. What’s your secret sauce for keeping it all moving without losing the human side?

Bree: Teamwork. None of it happens without a strong team. I see myself as one cog in a bigger wheel, and when it comes to the human side, I always try to see through the lens of real world impact, how the product actually helps organizations and the people doing the hard, important work in their communities.

Patrice: As a woman in tech, what’s been the most surprising or funniest moment you’ve had breaking into the space?

Bree: Honestly, just learning with open eyes. Tech is one of those areas where you never “arrive,” there’s always more to learn. Staying humble and open has been the biggest key to success.

Patrice: If you could rewrite the rules of leadership for the next generation of women, what would you toss out and what would you keep?

Bree: Toss out doubt. Take up space, speak up, and don’t be afraid to push. Everyone deserves a seat at the table, and we can set the example by showing up fully every day.

Patrice: What’s the boldest idea you’ve ever pitched in a strategy session or product meeting? Did it land or flop?

Bree: Oh, plenty of flops! That’s the nature of innovation, you have to be willing to let go of a lot of ideas, even ones you love. Every so often, one sticks. Recently I pitched a product extension idea, how to add more value for clients through tech that makes life easier for end users. That’s the kind of impact that lasts.

Patrice: Everyone talks about innovation, but what does it actually look like in your daily work?

Bree: For me, it’s constant rethinking, what can be better, what’s next, how do we improve? It’s fun to chase the big idea, but a lot of innovation comes from revisiting the plan, iterating, and making sure the small details line up so the big impact can happen.

Patrice: Coffee, playlists, post-its… What’s your non-negotiable tool when you’re deep in planning mode?

Bree: A homemade latte with honey from my Aunt Dot’s bee farm. Nothing else compares.

Patrice: Last one, what advice would you give young women who want to lead in tech or strategy but don’t see many role models who look like them?

Bree: If the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor. (Thanks, Prince!) Don’t stop until you get what you want and deserve.

Interviewing Bree reminded me that leadership isn’t just about strategy or great products, it’s about staying human, curious, and open to possibility. Bree embodies all of that and more. My hope is that readers leave with the reminder that women in leadership are shaping the future of tech and strategy in ways that are both bold and approachable.

Until next time,

Patrice Castellano, Director of Support Services

There’s this moment that happens again and again when someone asks, “So, what do you do?” And I pause because the answer is, “I’m in tech… but not in the way most people think.” I often find myself navigating the explanation behind that because while my work lives in the world of platforms, data systems, and digital infrastructure, it doesn’t always match the image people have in mind when they hear “tech.”

I don’t write code. I’m not the person building infrastructure from scratch or running servers. But I am helping build something else entirely: systems that hold complexity, platforms that connect people and purpose, and teams that move forward because someone is thinking five steps ahead.

And that is tech.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that being a woman in tech doesn’t always mean fitting the mold. It can mean being the one who understands the process behind the product, who translates between stakeholders and software, and who builds not just for functionality, but for impact, equity, and longevity. Strategy isn’t a soft skill in this context. It’s a technical one.

And yet, so many women I admire hesitate to claim space in this world because their work doesn’t fit the stereotypical version of a “tech leader.” We downplay the value of systems thinking, of facilitation, of implementation planning because we’ve been taught to see those things as invisible labor, not innovation.

Here’s what I want to say instead:

Strategy is execution.
Translation is technology.
Leadership is technical.

When we give ourselves permission to be strategic, we unlock a different kind of power not just for ourselves, but for the teams and communities we serve. We make room for nuance, we hold space for conflict, and we design with intention. That work may be quiet, complex, and unglamorous but it’s the backbone of every successful tech-driven initiative I’ve seen.

And I want more women to feel like they belong here not in spite of their approach, but because of it.

So if you’re someone who’s built your role at the intersection of systems, people, and possibility: you’re not “just” anything. You’re in tech. You’re strategic. And your work deserves to be seen.

At coLAB, when we partner with organizations, we begin by helping them assess their readiness for strategic planning. Here are some of the signals we look for to determine if it’s the right moment to embark on the journey. In each of these phases, we make pointed recommendations to ensure your team is set up for a successful strategic planning process, one that results in a meaningful and well-crafted plan you can act on with confidence.

Board Curiosity?

Do board members express confusion about where the organization is headed? Do conversations keep circling back to questions like: What’s our long-term direction? How do we prioritize among so many competing needs?

How coLAB helps: We listen for these pain points in board conversations and use facilitated dialogue to clarify where the uncertainty lies. Our team then designs a readiness framework that pinpoints whether the board needs deeper alignment before entering into full strategic planning.

Can You Show Impact?

Funders and donors increasingly want to see measurable outcomes, not just compelling stories. If your organization struggles to show how programs create real impact or if your team lacks the tools to track it, fundraising and credibility may be at risk.

How coLAB helps: We begin by assessing your current data systems, reporting practices, and evaluation culture. From there, we recommend tools and approaches to strengthen outcome tracking, ensuring you’re ready to link strategy to measurable impact.

Is Leadership Aligned on the Path Forward?

When executive teams aren’t aligned on the future, energy gets scattered. Some leaders may pursue funding opportunities that don’t quite fit. Others may push initiatives that compete for limited resources. A strategic plan creates shared clarity, ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction.

How coLAB helps: We use structured interviews and alignment sessions to uncover where leadership perspectives converge, and where they diverge. This assessment allows us to build a roadmap that creates consensus, so planning starts from a place of unity.

Do Staff Have the Capacity to Succeed?

Does your board ask staff to deliver on new priorities without the time, people, or resources to succeed? Do your staff feel like they’re constantly reacting instead of proactively shaping their work? Strategic planning can bridge these gaps, aligning ambitions with capacity.

How coLAB helps: We engage staff at all levels to understand real capacity constraints and resource challenges. This input ensures the planning process is grounded in reality and positions the organization to set achievable goals.

Are Your Community’s Needs Outpacing the Resources You Have?

Sometimes the community’s needs don’t match what the organization currently has to offer. Other times, an organization simply doesn’t have a clear picture of the community’s most urgent priorities. In both cases, strategic planning provides the space to step back, gather input, and chart a sustainable path forward.

How coLAB helps: We conduct stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and community assessments to provide a clearer picture of needs. This gives leaders the confidence that their strategy is not only aspirational but also responsive to the community they serve.

Is Your Executive Director or CEO Prepared to Lead This Strategic Change?

Finally, much depends on the executive leader. If the Executive Director or CEO  is open to reflection, committed to honest conversations, and eager to build alignment, strategic planning can become a transformative process, not just for them, but for the entire organization.

How coLAB helps: We work closely with the executive leader as a thought partner, providing coaching and guidance through the readiness phase. This ensures the leader is equipped to champion the process and sustain momentum once the plan is in motion.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Strategic planning is more than a retreat or a document, it’s a chance to create clarity, strengthen alignment, and unlock your nonprofit’s potential. If any of these signals sound familiar, it may be the right time to begin.

At coLAB, we specialize in helping nonprofits assess their readiness and guide them through people-centered, data-informed planning processes that set them up for long-term impact.

When I first stepped into the nonprofit sector right out of college, I witnessed both the beauty and the burden of mission-driven work. Organizations were doing incredible things, but often under intense pressure: scarce resources, boards with good intentions but little clarity, leaders stretched thin, and communities whose needs were greater than any single organization could meet.

I started my career at CASA, advocating for children and families, and quickly realized that passion alone wasn’t enough. Nonprofits needed structure. They needed strategy. They needed boards and leaders with tools, systems, and clear direction to match their commitment. That realization set me on a journey that has defined my career.

Building the Foundation

My early experiences inspired me to pursue a Master’s in Nonprofit Management at Regis University, in Denver, Colorado. That program opened the world to me, through coursework, fieldwork with nonprofits and NGOs across the United States and a capstone project in South Africa where I saw firsthand how vision and systems could transform entire communities.

After graduate school, I applied my learning with a national consulting firm, OP3. I had the privilege of working on large-scale campaigns, national fundraising strategies, corporate partnerships, and volunteer engagement initiatives that became models of excellence. I loved the energy, the creativity, and the scale,but when I moved back to Lancaster to raise my family, I knew I wanted to bring that same impact closer to home.

The Birth of coLAB

In 2014, I launched coLAB 1.0 with a simple conviction: our community deserves strong, sustainable nonprofits that have the clarity and confidence to lead lasting change. Since then, along with an incredible team, I’ve worked alongside organizations of every size, helping them pause, think differently, and design strategies that not only fulfill their mission but also build resilience and long-term impact.

Along the way, I’ve been inspired by mentors and thought leaders like Hildy Gottlieb, whose visioning frameworks I still use today, and colleagues across the country and beyond who model collaboration, courage, and innovation.

Why Strategic Planning?

At its heart, strategic planning is about slowing down so you can move forward with purpose.

Too often, nonprofits are caught in the whirlwind of daily demands,program delivery, fundraising events, staffing needs. The urgent overtakes the important. But when an organization takes the time to step back, reimagine its future, and design the systems to get there, something powerful happens:

• Leaders are empowered. Boards and staff gain clarity on where they’re going and how to get there.
• Resources align. Fundraising and staffing strategies flow from clear goals, making organizations more attractive to donors, employees, and partners.
• Impact deepens. With systems to measure outcomes and demonstrate success, organizations can build credibility, accelerate results, and tell a more powerful story.
• Communities benefit. When nonprofits thrive, the ripple effects strengthen the very communities they serve.

Nonprofits exist to solve problems bigger than any one of us. Strategic planning gives them the tools to do that well,not just for today, but for the long haul.

A recent example is our work with the Lancaster Conservancy, where strategic planning brought together staff, board members, and community stakeholders to look five years (and beyond!) at the role of the Conservancy’s preserves and education programs, among many other critical components of their work in both York and Lancaster County. By aligning priorities, clarifying staffing structures, and building a roadmap for organizational sustainability, the Conservancy not only strengthened its capacity but also positioned itself to expand its impact on conservation and education across the region. This is the power of strategy in action, when vision meets structure, organizations unlock new potential to serve their communities.

Why I Love It

For me, this isn’t just work, it’s a calling. Strategic planning allows me to blend everything I care about: empowering people, building systems that last, and creating space for bold visions that feel possible. Every planning process is a chance to listen deeply, to lift up voices that aren’t always heard, and to help organizations see that they can achieve more than they imagined.

And I don’t do it alone. The incredible coLAB team brings together expertise in strategy, data, implementation, and community engagement,and their brilliance, heart, and commitment inspire me daily. Strategic planning is not a solo endeavor; it requires a multidisciplinary team to create the greatest impact. My business partners and colleagues at coLAB are the reason this work is possible.

That same spirit of collaboration is what led us to develop VERVE, our software platform designed to make sustainability and strategic planning more accessible and equitable for nonprofits everywhere. We know that many organizations struggle with cost and capacity when it comes to planning, and VERVE is our way of putting affordable, practical tools directly into their hands,so every nonprofit, no matter its size or resources, can thrive.

I believe that when leaders take time to imagine the future, align around it, and chart a clear path forward, our communities are stronger, more equitable, and more resilient. That’s why I do this work, and why, after more than a decade of coLAB, I still love it.

With purpose + possibility, 

Kate

The sustainability assessment gives you the “what,” a snapshot of where your organization stands today across key dimensions of long-term viability. But strategy asks the bigger question: Where are we going, and how will we get there?

Moving from assessment to strategic planning involves essential shifts…..

From Observation to Prioritization

Not every insight becomes a goal. Use the report to identify a handful of key areas that matter most now, whether that’s shoring up leadership alignment, rethinking funding stability, or addressing workforce sustainability.

From Metrics to Meaning

A score is a starting point, not a story. To truly understand what the assessment is revealing, organizations must go beyond the numbers and connect the data to real-world context.

This means:

• Bringing in lived experience: Invite staff, clients, or partners to reflect on what the scores represent in practice. Does a “moderate” score on internal communication reflect information overload, unclear roles, or something else entirely?
• Layering in additional data: Use complementary sources like HR metrics, financial trends, program outcomes, survey results to validate or challenge what the assessment is signaling.
• Understanding nuance: A high score might still mask internal strain. A lower score could reflect growing pains during a period of innovation. Metrics tell you what’s happening and conversation helps you understand why.

When data is paired with experience, reflection, and dialogue, it moves from static evaluation to meaningful insight. And that’s what strategic planning depends on: shared understanding, not just shared documents.

From Reflection to Action

The assessment should shape (not dictate) your strategic plan. Think of it as your organizational health check. The strategy is the fitness plan that follows.

So—What Comes Next?

Wherever you are, coLAB is here to support that next step, whether it’s clarifying priorities, convening stakeholders, or designing a plan that reflects where you are and where you’re ready to go.

• Maybe your organization has just completed a sustainability assessment and is wondering how to act on it.
• Maybe you’re looking to debrief the findings, host a board discussion, or engage staff in interpreting what the results mean.
• Maybe you’ve outgrown your current strategy, or maybe you never had one, and need a facilitated process to chart the next chapter.
• Or maybe you’re just sensing that it’s time for a conversation about what’s next.

Ready to get started?
Begin with a single conversation, a focused domain, and the courage to ask, “What do we want to grow next and what will it take to sustain it?”

This Grab-and-Go Conversation Framework is designed for high-level leaders who want to spark engagement, surface strategic questions, and guide thoughtful dialogue using one focused section of the report.

Step 1: Select a High-Leverage Domain

Choose one area from the report, such as Strategic Direction, Financial Sustainability, or Organizational Leadership that aligns with your committee’s scope or a timely board priority.

Step 2: Reference the Data Snapshot

Use a single visual or rating summary to ground the conversation. No need to recap the entire report, just orient the group with a brief highlight:

“This section shows that our current capacity for data-driven decision-making is rated as emerging. Let’s explore what that means for upcoming initiatives.”

Step 3: Pose a Framing Question

Lead with a strategic prompt that invites reflection and perspective:

• Where are we seeing progress in this domain?
• What risks might we face if this area doesn’t improve?
• What would stronger performance here enable us to do?

Step 4: Facilitate Insight, Not Oversight

Encourage thoughtful input without turning the session into a problem-solving exercise. Your role is to elevate strategic signals, not to operationalize solutions on the spot.

Step 5: Close with a Forward Path

Capture two or three key insights, questions, or recommendations to elevate into future board agendas, planning sessions, or leadership briefings.

Why It Works:

• Low prep, high value: Leverages existing data without heavy analysis.
• Keeps strategy top of mind: Positions board members as strategic guides, not tactical managers.
• Builds shared language: Creates continuity across meetings and committees.

Pro tip: Rotate this approach quarterly across board committees to build fluency with the report and deepen alignment around what long-term sustainability actually requires. This process can be facilitated by the coLAB team, offering expert guidance, neutral framing, and tailored prompts to help your board move from insight to action with confidence and clarity.