below you will find general answers to several common questions. if you’d like to pose a question of a general nature that is not answered below, please use the form at the bottom of the page. if you have questions specific to your organization, please propose a time for a first-30 conversation.
1. why would someone invest in collabyrinth‘s equity problem-solving?
clients tell us that, with our help (we’re just repeating what we’ve been told), they get where they are trying to go faster and with greater assurance than if they were on their own. we create accelerated solutions environments, that’s what we do. so if time and risk reduction are both money (or some other form of gain), an upfront investment in our help can save/make you loads on the back end.
2. who would benefit from collabyrinth consulting?
almost any social enterprise, non-profit, school, faith-based or locally-focused community of goodwill—that is, any group of people bound together by more than self interest. shoe makers, marketing agencies, universities, foundations, public health programs, art festivals, retreat centers, seminaries, grade schools, churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, newspapers, governmental agencies, NGOs, b corps . . . the list goes on and on.
the only exceptions we can think of are those unable to admit that most of the complex and persistent impediments to to equity are problems of our own making. or those who would rather talk, think, or feel better, rather than DO better.
3. can you offer any sense of budget for collabyrinth‘s services?
absolutely! but not in a way that won’t typically cloud your sense of the possible. most prospective clients become so quickly cost conscious that they never develop a clear sense of what the true problem is and the full extent of the price they’re already paying for it, let alone what they are trying to accomplish and what it might actually take to do that. until you know these four things, you have no way of judging value.
so let’s at least take 30 minutes to talk about these essential aspects of what you are facing, before you make decisions as to whether we can help you address it.
nonetheless, here is a broad sense of budget that might prove helpful as you consider responses to the challenges you face. the following relates to small to mid-sized for-purpose organizations. there are potential discounts available for faith, civic, and justice oriented organizations and communities with very limited budgets. rates scale proportionally for large organizations, government entities, and for-profit businesses with more substantial budgets.
up to $10k
1-2 day events (involving 1-2 facilitators and 12 or less participants) that require limited prep or follow-up. discrete, short-term projects for clients with whom there is ongoing relationship that may warrant a “collaborative partner” discount.
such events or projects may include presentation, moderation, training, or design of a customized equity tool. services may also include advisory engagements (coaching, insight, resilience) that are booked in 3-month increments or greater.
$10k to $25k
1-2 day small-scale events (24 participants or less) that require no more than a 3 person facilitation team, or roughly the same number of event hours, with the same number of participants, spread out across time. agreed upon fee includes planning and prep time.
such events or projects may include accountability circles (12 sessions), small 2-day equity design forums (larger 1-day events), or small-scale intelligence gathering/analysis. may also include coordination of projects that involve multiple consultants.
$25 to $40k
2-3 day mid-sized events (25-42 participants) that require no more than 4 facilitators, or roughly the same number of event hours, with the same number of participants, spread out across time. agreed upon fee includes planning and prep time.
such events or projects may include mid-sized design forums, intelligence gathering/analysis, or an organizational equity audit and intervention map. may also include coordination of larger projects that involve multiple consultants.
$40k and above
our design, advisory, facilitation, and strategy services continue to scale to accommodate larger groups or more complex projects.
fixed rate offerings
the UnLearn InEquity experiential course is currently $400 per subscription while in beta.
4. what is the big difference between ordinary facilitation and collaborative design forums?
ordinary facilitators operate as disinterested 3rd-parties–traffic cops, if you will–employing a set of tactics meant to move you efficiently and effectively through an ordinary meeting. the problem is that ordinary meetings suck!
design sessions, on the other hand, are creative, customized events, designed to achieve your particular desired results, while exciting participants about the unfolding possibilities. the design facilitator remains a fully engaged stakeholder in the process the entire time.
for more information, enjoy this downloadable article “The Difference Between Facilitated Meetings and Design Sessions”.