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South Texas Alliance for Orphans

A vision that began at one church 15 years ago has grown into an Alliance. South Texas Alliance for Orphans exists to serve and equip churches in fulfilling the biblical call to care for children and families impacted by the foster care system. The Alliance saw exponential growth in its early years, expanding from 10 to 30 church partners in just nine months and receiving a number of grants to fulfill their mission. Since their founding in 2016, they have partnered with 98 churches and 4,800+ people who are actively working together to fulfill the vision of ending the foster care crisis.

South Texas Alliance for Orphans completed a comprehensive strategic plan to guide their work, and then they reached out to the Cielo Strategy team to help them execute their plan. When Cielo Strategy Group met the Alliance, they were well known among their 30 partners and seeking to increase their presence across the broader community. With a small staff team, but a large volunteer and partner base, the Alliance was in a position where they needed outside help to improve organizational effectiveness so their staff could adequately equip their partners with the tools they needed.

Over the course of six months, Cielo Strategy Group used the Alliance’s strategic plan and worked hand-in-hand with staff to develop an operational plan with benchmarks and measurable objectives. We created a diversified annual fundraising plan, and a comprehensive internal communications plan, along with an external communications editorial calendar. We implemented strategies to convey the organization’s message more clearly to the broader community, including social media management, content writing, design, and email marketing.

We spearheaded writing, editing, and developing a church partner toolkit housed online with all the resources needed to ensure their partners were equipped to be successful.

Cielo Strategy Group developed the Alliance’s first end-of-year giving campaign, gathered impact stories, and project managed the development of a video telling the stories of their families.

We are inspired to watch the Alliance’s growth and success and are proud to have been part of their initial spark.

  • "We chose Cielo because of their extensive expertise and deep understanding of our donor base, and they delivered on every level. From the beginning, they took the time to listen to our unique needs and challenges, ensuring their recommendations were tailored to our organization’s goals and values. With their guidance, we refined our messaging and developed a clear and inspiring vision for the future. They were instrumental in helping us craft a strategic plan with actionable next steps that will drive meaningful progress. The Cielo team exemplifies professionalism, combining their vast knowledge with a personal, empathetic approach that made us feel genuinely supported at every step. We highly recommend them to any organization seeking a partner who listens, understands, and delivers exceptional results."

    HEATHER MCFARLAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Alamo Heights School Foundation
  • “As the Garden has grown and evolved, Cielo consultants have proven their ability to meet us exactly where we are in the moment. They are flexible, responsive, and creative in developing solutions that fit our unique needs. Cielo understands the delicate balance required when working with both staff and volunteer-driven initiatives. Their ‘listening first’ approach is refreshing. Time and again, Cielo has proven they don't just provide cookie-cutter consulting—they take the time to understand our mission, our community, and our specific challenges, then craft solutions that are both practical and innovative. You won’t find a better strategic partner."

    KATHERINE TRUMBLE, PRESIDENT & CEO
    San Antonio Botanical Garden
  • "Cielo Strategy Group was a joy to work with and has been a big help in channeling our energy in more productive ways. Our board has become more involved, and communication between staff leadership and the board has improved tremendously. The Cielo team has made an incredible impact on our art center!"

    LANZA TEAGUE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Kerrville Arts & Cultural Center
  • "The Cielo team has been a trusted partner strengthening our organization from the inside out. After facilitating our initial organizational assessment process, they identified key areas we needed to focus on that would move our mission forward. They didn’t just give us a report with recommendations, they jumped in and created the infrastructure we needed to help us operate more effectively – from basic Board governance documents and processes to a staff and volunteer handbook, to operational planning and goal-setting. They have coached me to become a better leader. As we celebrated our ten-year anniversary, we accepted a transformational gift to purchase our own land and build upon our vision. We could not have done this without “getting our house in order”, which is what Cielo Strategy Group did for us."

    DEBRA FRANCO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    South Texas Juvenile Diabetes Association
  • "The Cielo team has been instrumental in helping the Weslaco Museum rebuild for the future. As a new Executive Director, I am thankful for their unwavering commitment. They provided our organization with the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” – enabling us to focus on our vision and mission. They have helped the Weslaco Museum grow our member base, streamline our website, strengthen our board, and our overall vision for the future."

    CRYSTAL RODRIGUEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Weslaco Museum
  • "Cielo Strategy Group is part of our Clinic family. With our long-standing partnership, I have relied on their team as a steady support system – responding to our needs and flexing with us. They have elevated our storytelling and communications, guided us through annual fund development plans, designed and project-managed annual appeal mailings, coached us through grant proposals, facilitated Board sessions and a strategic planning process. They push us toward excellence and don’t settle for less."

    GLORIA Z. CANSECO, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
    San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic