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San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic Program Expansion Plan

Founded in 1979, San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic began as a Christian ministry of First Presbyterian Church when congregation leaders recognized an urgent need for charitable dental care for low-income adults in San Antonio. In 1986, First Baptist Church joined the ministry and offered space for expansion, growing the Clinic’s capacity from two (2) to eight (8) dental chairs. In 2009, Haven for Hope founders invited SA Christian Dental Clinic to move onto its campus and the clinic expanded to 16 chairs.

Cielo Strategy Group has partnered with San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic on a number of projects over the years.  Initially, we were asked to help increase the Clinic’s digital presence and educate the community on the importance of their mission. We then moved into assisting them with a variety of fundraising strategies ranging from year end appeals to a major gifts campaign.

With a long-term partnership, our team gets to know every aspect of the organization. We have become part of the San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic family. Our work is tailored to their needs and we make ourselves available to coach and mentor, design and implement tactics, strategize and facilitate generative conversations centered around organizational sustainability.

One recent generative conversation occurred while facilitating their three-year strategic planning process. The planning process for this strategic plan was a partnership between the Board of Directors and senior staff and included input from both internal and external stakeholders.  A reoccurring theme centered around “Where we live is important” and the topic of place became a significant discussion point throughout the planning session. Ultimately, the board landed on four strategic priorities recognizing that financial sustainability and brand and identity are critical before the question of place or property could be answered.  However, as facilitators, we worked very hard to make sure everyone’s voice was heard throughout the planning process and to make sure that all points of view were considered as the board wrestled with the possibility of what’s next for the San Antonio Christian Dental Clinice.

Our work with San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic has changed and evolved to meet the needs of the organization, and it is a pleasure to engage in a long-term relationship with a nonprofit where we can see and measure effectiveness and impact over time.

Back to Our Clients

  • The Cielo Strategy Group team brings a passion for strengthening nonprofits to their work, and it is evident in their every detail – from their outstanding customer service, to their impeccable follow-through, to the way they engage with residents, board and staff – I just can’t say enough good things. They are professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely dedicated to creating a sustainable organization. I am forever grateful to them.

    SANDRA WHITLEY, FOUNDER/FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Thrive Youth Center

  • The Bay City ISD School Board and staff could not have been more enthusiastic about the marketing plan that Cielo Strategy Group developed for us. We are extremely excited to see what we can do with the tools you've given us. Thank you so much for making my job easier."

    GRANT MCGALLIARD, CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
    Bay City ISD

  • Thank you so much, Cielo Strategy Group for creating capacity within our organization now and for the future. You guided us, coached us, encouraged us, and taught us how to execute ideas that had always felt like far-off dreams. You didn’t come in and point out our weaknesses – you celebrated our strengths, and then, you met us where we were and gave us actionable steps to strengthen our board governance, fundraising, communications, storytelling, and operations. We are stronger because of you!

    MINKA MISANGYI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    Girls on the Run Bexar County

  • 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
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