Business strategy and growth planning
Clarify your market position, growth priorities, and the decisions that will move the business forward. Connect your goals to a practical plan with defined responsibilities, resources, and milestones.
All services
Dr. Desiree M. DolyExecutive Director, LISV
Learning, Innovation & Strategic Ventures
Business strategy, venture development, and learning
Explore a new idea, find your next growth opportunity, or shape a learning initiative. We help you turn your goals into a practical plan.
Expertise that connects.
Dr. Desiree M. DolyExecutive Director, LISVWhat we can help with
A new business, a growth opportunity, and a learning initiative each need a clear direction and a practical plan. Actif's Learning, Innovation & Strategic Ventures division helps founders and organizations evaluate opportunities, sharpen their positioning, and plan their next steps. Our work spans business consulting and venture development, alongside education, EdTech, nonprofit support, and grant strategy. We work with businesses, schools, nonprofits, families, and individuals on the decisions and initiatives that matter to them.
Strategic ventures and new initiatives
Evaluate a new business, service, or organizational initiative through market research, feasibility analysis, positioning, and launch planning. Examine the audience, demand assumptions, and the people and resources needed before committing to a wider rollout.
Education programs and learning design
Develop education programs, curriculum, tutoring support, and learning experiences around the learner and the setting. Define the audience, goals, how learning will take place, and how progress will be reviewed.
College and admissions planning
Help students and families organize multi-year planning, school fit, application strategy, and essay mentorship. Work starts with the student's interests, current stage, and application timeline.
Nonprofit organization consulting
Support organizational development, board governance, operational strategy, formation planning, and compliance coordination. Identify decision-makers, responsibilities, and any specialist input the work requires.
Grant strategy and writing
Assess funding fit, develop a clear program narrative, and organize proposals around the funder's requirements. Connect the proposed work to a realistic budget, supporting evidence, and a practical plan for running the program.
Education technology strategy
Assess learning platforms, implementation needs, and training. LISV can coordinate with Actif's IT and Frontier divisions when a program also needs technical setup, integration, or custom software.
Education & professional learning
Learning support that fits the people you serve
Every school and learning community has different strengths, challenges, and priorities. We work with educators and leaders to understand what needs attention, shape support around their needs, and build a practical plan together. The focus is on stronger teaching, a shared direction, and a clear way to follow progress.
Personalized learning support
Adapt support to the learner, teaching team, and setting, with clear goals and regular opportunities to reflect and adjust.
Professional learning and instructional support
Help educators connect new ideas with everyday practice through focused learning, collaboration, and follow-through.
School leadership and team development
Help leaders build the routines, shared understanding, and staff skills needed to sustain improvement.
Collaborative planning and progress review
Bring the relevant people together, agree on what to try, and decide how to assess what is changing.
Client Feedback
What Our Clients Say
“Working with Dr. Doly was the best partnership our district has experienced.”
School District Feedback
Education Consulting · Dr. Desiree M. Doly
“With Dr. Doly’s support, our school saw significant progress in a short period of time.”
School Feedback
Personalized Education Support · Dr. Desiree M. Doly
Education feedback reflects Dr. Doly’s consulting work and has been edited for clarity.
Working together
How the work starts
- 01Describe the business, venture, learner, program, or organization and the outcome you are working toward.
- 02Agree on the scope, milestones, responsibilities, budget, and the information needed from founders, leadership, staff, or students.
- 03Develop and review the work together, then define implementation steps and how progress will be assessed.
Explore a little further
What affects pricing
Scope depends on the business or program goals, depth of research, existing materials, stakeholders, review cycles, and deadlines. A venture feasibility assessment, growth strategy, tutoring engagement, and grant proposal need different estimates. See the pricing page for current LISV rates and engagement options; the proposal explains the work included and how revisions will be handled.
See current pricingBefore we talk
Bring your goals, current stage, timeline, and a summary of the resources already available. A founder can describe the business idea, target customer, or growth challenge; a nonprofit can identify the program and funding opportunity; a family can describe the student's learning or admissions needs. Keep confidential business information, student records, and other sensitive details out of the initial contact form.
Common questions
How do you tailor support to a school or learning team?
We start with your priorities, the people involved, and the support already in place. Together, we define a focused goal, choose practical next steps, and agree on how to review progress. The approach is shaped around your setting and can evolve as the work develops.
What does LISV stand for?
Learning, Innovation & Strategic Ventures. It is Actif's division for business strategy, venture development, education services, EdTech, nonprofit consulting, and grant strategy and writing.
Do you work with businesses and founders?
Yes. LISV supports for-profit businesses and founders with market research, feasibility analysis, positioning, growth strategy, and launch planning. We define the decisions, work, and responsibilities for each engagement.
Do you work directly with students and families?
Yes. Services include customized learning support, tutoring, and college or admissions planning. We discuss the student's goals, current stage, and timing before defining the engagement.
Can you help a nonprofit prepare for a grant application?
Yes. We can review the program, funding fit, narrative, budget coordination, and supporting materials. The work should reflect the actual program and the requirements of the specific opportunity.
Does grant writing guarantee an award?
No. The funder makes the award decision. Actif's scope can cover research, planning, writing, and proposal preparation; the work and responsibilities are agreed before work begins.
Can you help with a venture or program's technology and finances too?
Yes. LISV can coordinate with Actif's other divisions when the agreed scope calls for technical implementation, automation, accounting, or budgeting. Each part of the engagement has defined responsibilities.
How are project timelines determined?
We work backward from your application deadline, academic calendar, or intended launch date, considering the research and review required. Contact us early so availability and a realistic scope can be confirmed.
How does a consulting engagement work?
We begin with your goals and the decisions ahead, bring together the relevant expertise, and agree on a clear scope and working plan. An engagement may include research, advisory sessions, workshops, or support putting the plan into practice.
Tell us what needs to work better
Start with a conversation about your needs, location, and priorities.
Get started