Strategic Planning Engagement for LISC Detroit

LISC Detroit is a community-development financial institution that supports under-resourced borrowers with flexible lending products and invests in projects that create jobs, improve neighborhood safety, expand educational opportunity, and help families thrive economically. When it was time to develop a new three-year strategic plan, Jacqueline Burau, Director of Program Impact and Operations, turned to a trusted partner. Having previously engaged JFM Consulting Group (JFMCG) to manage a customer survey, conduct program evaluations, and support other initiatives, LISC Detroit invited JFM onto the shortlist for this critical planning effort.

The organization needed a consultant with deep knowledge of Detroit housing and neighborhoods and a breadth of skills across organization, communication, and facilitation. At the same time, LISC Detroit was navigating leadership transition with a new executive director and a mix of recent and tenured staff. The planning partner had to meet staff where they were, build trust, and ask the right questions to move the team and the process forward.

JFM Consulting Group led with organization, communication, and engagement. The team facilitated meaningful participation from the board, staff, and external stakeholders through structured meetings and collaborative working sessions. They translated complex data into accessible presentations, asked difficult yet necessary programmatic and goal-oriented questions, and provided consistent guidance across the entire planning process.

In addition to delivering a comprehensive three-year strategic plan, JFM created a practical template of milestones and key actions so the strategy translated into execution.

The value of JFM’s approach extended beyond the delivery of the plan. The team offered ongoing check-ins with LISC Detroit to assess progress and reinforce accountability.

“The JFM team brought a unique combination of energy, subject matter expertise, professionalism, and community focus to this project. Even through leadership changes, the plan remained actionable, keeping staff and board aligned around shared goals.”