CASE STUDY
TLI Services
Project: Proposal Development, RFP Writing & Pipeline Management
About TLI Services
Transforming Lives Inc. (TLI Services) is committed to creating supportive spaces for students, families, and staff through the marriage of education and behavioral health. TLI builds exemplary alternative education and community-based programs for marginalized individuals and communities, offering the full continuum of evidence-based practices to support, enhance, or supplement school districts' and agencies' alternative education and community programs. As a restorative, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant organization, TLI operates on the foundational belief that human beings transform their behavior based on bonds and relationships.
Why TLI Services partnered with Consult with Malene
TLI Services was experiencing significant growth in demand for their transformational educational and behavioral health programs. At the same time, they faced a critical juncture with multiple high-stakes opportunities on the horizon: several existing contracts were up for renewal, and promising new markets were opening up that aligned perfectly with their mission. The timing was crucial—they needed to secure extensions of current funding while simultaneously positioning themselves to expand into new service areas. Recognizing that these pivotal moments required dedicated expertise and strategic focus, TLI partnered with us to ensure they could capitalize on this convergence of opportunity while maintaining their operational excellence.
The process
We launched our partnership with TLI by immediately focusing on pipeline development and opportunity identification. Partnering closely with TLI's Executive Director of Operations and their Business Manager, we understood that timing was critical for both contract extensions and new market entry and began by creating a comprehensive tracking system to capture and prioritize all relevant funding opportunities aligned with their strategic goals.
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Simultaneously, we immersed ourselves in gaining a deeper understanding of TLI's mission, vision, and organizational "why." Through collaborative sessions with their leadership team, we explored the heart of their work: their commitment to transforming lives through relationship-centered, trauma-informed approaches. This deeper understanding became the foundation for all our proposal strategies.
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Our systematic approach included:
Strategic Pipeline Creation
Mission-Driven Narrative Development
Market Positioning
Coordinated Proposal Management
We developed and populated a robust pipeline management system that identified both immediate opportunities for contract renewals and emerging prospects in new markets, ensuring no critical deadlines were missed.
Drawing from our deep dive into TLI's core purpose and values, we crafted compelling narratives that authentically communicated their unique approach to alternative education and community-based programming.
We strategically positioned TLI for expansion into new service areas while reinforcing their strength in existing markets, emphasizing their proven track record and relationship-centered methodology.
We orchestrated the development and submission of multiple proposals simultaneously, ensuring each received the attention needed while meeting all critical deadlines for both renewals and new opportunities.
The results
Through our strategic partnership, TLI Services achieved remarkable success in their funding pursuits. Over the course of our engagement, TLI applied for 8 RFPs and successfully secured 4 awards, totaling over $5.3 million in new funding. This represents a 50% success rate—significantly higher than typical industry standards for competitive grant awards.
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This funding success has positioned TLI to expand their impact, reaching more marginalized youth and families while maintaining their commitment to relationship-based, trauma-informed programming. The systematic pipeline management approach continues to serve TLI in identifying and pursuing additional funding opportunities, creating a sustainable framework for ongoing growth.
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Beyond the immediate financial impact, our work helped TLI articulate their unique approach more effectively, strengthening their competitive position for future funding opportunities and enhancing their ability to communicate their transformational work to stakeholders, funders, and the broader community.
What TLI Services says
Malene’s work exceeded expectations at every stage of our project. In terms of quality, her deliverables were outstanding—thorough, precise, and highly professional. Beyond that, she was exceptional in the way she collaborated: supportive, thoughtful, and consistently professional in her communication. Most importantly, she brought real value to our organization with her very solid work on the quality of deliverables, which made a significant difference for us. I would gladly recommend her to anyone seeking a skilled and reliable partner.
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Dr. Jonathan McAllister
Executive Director of Operations, TLI