What We Do
Heliotrope is a Seattle-based consulting firm established in 1994
We work from a strengths-based perspective. We develop effective solutions with our clients for our community.
Heliotrope is committed to maximizing the potential of your project.
Our clients consider us highly analytical, timely, and productive. We can help you with:
- Formation and effectiveness of collaborations
- Strategic planning
- System analysis and design
- Qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, and synthesis
- Research
- Philanthropic investment exploration and selection
- Facilitation of meetings
- Grant writing
Heliotrope works with diverse communities and across sectors
We have guided projects and collaborations that have included individual community members, grassroots organizations, judges, philanthropists, business people, academics, educators, leaders in immigrant and refugee communities, faith community leaders, elected officials, executive directors and program managers of non-profit organizations, local government staff at all levels, leaders in higher education, and many other caring and dedicated people.
Heliotrope seeds positive change in local human and community development projects
We focus on work with children, youth, families and communities, in roles such as:
- Advising funders on how to build resiliency in families during the recession.
- Guiding local and national non-profits as they constructed strategic plans.
- Managing an early learning home visiting program for a group of King County business leaders, which is designed to determine whether a national model will be effective with Seattle’s diverse immigrant and refugee populations.
- Creating comprehensive human services plans for city governments.
- Producing the most sophisticated and exhaustive state-level supply and demand study of afterschool and youth development programs in the nation.
- Designing an innovative theory of action to reduce juvenile delinquency and school dropout that requires coordinated action among schools, community organizations, policymakers, researchers, and funders.
- Developing a three-year business plan which generated a $900,000 grant for the Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) Child Care Initiative in Washington and helped other states further their own FFN care initiatives.
- Preparing a plan to reduce hunger in King County that addresses both government-funded food programs and community-based food banks and meal programs.
Heliotrope helps clients develop equitable opportunities
Heliotrope is committed to building our cultural competence. We challenge ourselves to explore ways to combat racism, xenophobia, and discrimination.
We are well-versed in the disproportionately bad outcomes for children and families of color, English language learners, and families with low-incomes. These families and communities often face tremendous barriers within the education system, child welfare, health and the criminal justice system.
To contend with these disparities by combining effective strategies that respect cultural, linguistic, and historical heritage with new research and information.
Heliotrope guides local projects and influences change on the national level
Heliotrope has developed innovative strategies and created tools benefiting of national initiatives.
Through involvement in groundbreaking projects in Washington State, Heliotrope has contributed to national efforts to increase developmental assets in children and youth; to develop domestic violence coordinated response systems; to improve the quality and availability of afterschool programs; to increase services and supports for family, friend, and neighbor caregivers; to reduce juvenile crime; and to expand early learning investment.
Heliotrope boldly takes the extra step
Heliotrope pushes beyond the presenting issue to propose fundamental shifts in how we think about and address community needs and build community strengths. We consider the full range of solutions, from program improvement to policy change, to ensure meaningful long-term results.
