For over 60 years, Clements Centre Society has been a cornerstone of inclusive support services in the Cowichan Region on Vancouver Island, serving children, youth, and adults with developmental needs. As a mission-driven nonprofit with more than 150 staff, a $15 million annual budget, and a real estate portfolio of nine properties, Clements plays a vital role in the community.
But like many nonprofits with deep roots and growing operational complexity, Clements faced mounting challenges: workforce strain, underinvestment in systems, real estate management burdens, and a need for renewed strategic clarity.
Over the past four years, Scale Collaborative has had the privilege of partnering with Clements Centre Society on a series of interconnected projects, each designed to build capacity, sharpen strategy, and support long-term sustainability. Through this partnership, we’ve seen how strategic investment in people, process, and planning helps nonprofits grow their impact and resilience.
2021: Building the Foundation for Sustainable Social Enterprise
In 2021, Clements Centre Society joined the Central and North Island cohort of our Thriving Non-Profits program, with a particular emphasis on exploring social enterprise as a key revenue strategy. As part of this work, the leadership team focused on The Mindful Mouthful, Clements’ social enterprise bakery that provides meaningful employment for adults with developmental disabilities in a supportive, community-based environment.
Through structured learning and peer collaboration, the team gained practical tools for financial scenario planning and deepened their understanding of how to align mission and money.
Building on this momentum, and with support from an Innoweave grant, Clements partnered with us again that year to conduct a focused operational and financial review of The Mindful Mouthful.
Our consulting team conducted a full operational and financial assessment. We identified areas where minor operational adjustments could yield real efficiencies, such as optimizing staff scheduling and upgrading equipment. To support Clements’ ongoing decision-making, we developed a scenario planning tool that mapped financial and production projections under various pricing and volume scenarios.
Most importantly, we emphasized that sustainability should never come at the expense of the bakery’s core purpose. By retaining the program’s community and developmental focus while strengthening its business model, Clements could move toward breakeven while staying true to its mission.
2022–2023: Organizational Review – Preparing for Growth and Leadership Transition
In 2022, Clements’ CEO began preparing for retirement and engaged Scale to conduct a comprehensive organizational review. We examined a decade of financial data, interviewed frontline leaders and board members, analyzed Clements’ real estate holdings, and mapped both the strengths and the vulnerabilities of the growing organization.
We found a passionate team, a strong reputation, and significant real estate assets, but also operational fragility. The reporting structure placed too much pressure on senior leadership, with gaps in mid-level management. Property management was spread thin, creating inefficiencies and risks. Real estate was underleveraged as a financial and strategic asset.
Our recommendations focused on strengthening the organizational structure and management capacity. We proposed new leadership roles—a Chief Operating Officer, Manager of Facilities and Fleet, Manager of IT, and more—to help future-proof the organization. We also explored how Clements could unlock capital to fund these investments through restructured service contracts.
The result was a clear roadmap for operational renewal, and a foundation for Clements to expand its services with confidence.
2024–2025: Strategic Planning – Charting a Bold Five-Year Path
Building on that momentum, Clements invited Scale back in late last year to lead a five-year strategic planning process.
We began with a comprehensive discovery phase, interviewing internal and external stakeholders, analyzing financial trends, and developing an expanded SWOT and PESTLE analysis. These insights were synthesized into a detailed Context and Environmental Scan, which framed the strategic opportunities and pressures ahead.
From there, we facilitated a full-day strategy workshop with senior leadership and Board representatives. The session helped clarify core priorities: governance renewal, financial diversification, and strategic use of Clements’ real estate assets. We also explored how to align services and capital planning with shifting community needs and demographic trends.
The draft strategic plan was then refined through a second facilitated session with the full Board and senior leadership team, before being finalized in April 2025. The final plan includes five strategic goals, each with detailed objectives, and introduces practical frameworks for governance, stakeholder engagement, and real estate decision-making.
By providing clear, practical tools, these frameworks strengthen decision-making today while preparing the organization to pursue long-term initiatives, including the planned development of the Clements Campus, which will house a new Child Development Centre.
2025: Returning to the Mindful Mouthful – From Insight to Implementation
Early this year, Scale returned to The Mindful Mouthful to conduct a follow-up review and assess progress since our initial work in 2021.
The enterprise has made meaningful changes: new equipment eased production bottlenecks, and a new wholesale partnership is showing promising traction. As the operation evolves, there are further opportunities to clarify roles, streamline workflows, and enhance internal understanding of how the bakery interacts with other Clements programs both operationally and financially.
Our team observed a production shift in the bakery, analyzed labour hours and output, and reviewed the cost structure. We offered clear, implementable recommendations: refining workflows, exploring additional equipment investments, and developing an internal cost framework to better understand the true financial picture of the enterprise.
Importantly, we highlighted that the Mindful Mouthful, while not profitable in a traditional sense, is a highly effective vehicle for fulfilling Clements’ day program mandates. With the right internal reporting and pricing strategies, the bakery can continue to balance mission and sustainability as part of a broader employment services ecosystem.
A Partnership Rooted in Trust, Impact, and Shared Purpose
Across each of these projects, Scale’s approach has remained grounded in Clements’ realities, never losing sight of their purpose or the people they serve.
As CEO Dominic Rockall shared:
“Scale has been a tremendous support for our organization and our social enterprise. They bring a strong business lens without losing sight of our social purpose, offering solutions that improve revenue while strengthening operations. Their guidance has directly enhanced our capacity to achieve our mission.”
This trust-based partnership has helped Clements clarify its priorities, invest in leadership, and move forward with confidence, while continuing to serve as a trusted anchor for families in the Cowichan Region.
Supporting Your Organization’s Next Chapter
Clements Centre Society’s journey shows what’s possible when nonprofits invest in their own resilience, from social enterprise reviews and organizational restructuring to strategic planning and financial modeling.
At Scale Collaborative, we believe nonprofits should thrive, not just survive. Our coaching and consulting team brings business acumen, sector knowledge, and deep respect for mission to every engagement.
