What Collaborative Communications does

Collaborative Communications (legal entity: Collaborative Communications Group, Inc.) is a privately held professional services firm founded in 2000 by Kris Kurtenbach and headquartered in Washington, DC. The firm specializes exclusively in communications and consulting for the education sector, serving mission-driven clients including national nonprofits, education-focused foundations, K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, community-based organizations, and state and federal government agencies. It operates with a team of approximately 20 specialists, structured around three partners (Kris Kurtenbach as Founding Partner, Terri Ferinde and Katherine Hunt as Partners) and a roster of vice presidents, directors, and senior associates across editorial, creative, digital, and events functions.

The firm offers an integrated suite of seven core services rather than a software or technology product: Strategic Planning; Messaging and Thought Leadership; Media and Engagement; Digital Solutions; Design and Data Visualization; Research and Reporting; and Events Management. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is built on the team's domain expertise, creative and editorial talent, and accumulated case-study work. The firm has produced 500+ unique convenings involving 50,000+ participants and 1,000+ speakers across in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats, and has supported flagship projects such as the Illinois Report Card (since 2016), the League of Innovative Schools annual convening (since 2021), Girls Build Solutions (2022–2024), and statewide campaigns such as Education Forward Arizona's "Everything to Gain."

Revenue is generated through fee-based, project-based professional services engagements. Client acquisition is relationship-driven — anchored in the firm's 25+ year specialization in education, an established network across nonprofit, foundation, and government clients, referral growth from long-standing partnerships, and an events practice that doubles as a pipeline generator. The firm does not publicly disclose pricing; new engagements begin with a free 30-minute discovery call followed by custom proposals. The company is founder-owned, has not raised external capital, and shows no evidence of private equity or venture backing. Geographic reach is national across all 50 U.S. states, with client engagements spanning state education agencies, statewide networks, national nonprofits, and individual school districts.

Name

Collaborative Communications

Legal name

Collaborative Communications Group, Inc.

Website

https://collaborativecommunications.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Collaborative Communications is a Washington, DC-based communications and consulting firm specializing in the education sector. Founded in 2000, it delivers integrated strategy, design, digital, events, media, and research services to nonprofits, foundations, school districts, and government agencies nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Communications Consulting

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Other Services Related to Advertising (54189)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Meeting & Conference Planning & Coordination (HSACADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Workplace & Collaboration Consulting (BPAHAEAH)

Keywords

• Education communications consulting
• Strategic communications services
• Event management services
• Nonprofit public relations
• Thought leadership consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Consulting: Collaborative Communications generates revenue by providing fee-based communications and consulting services to mission-driven organizations in the education sector. Engagements span strategic planning, brand development, media relations, event management, design, digital solutions, and research and reporting. Revenue is project-based and relationship-driven, with engagements ranging from campaign execution to long-term strategic partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Collaborative Communications provides fee-based communications and consulting services to mission-driven organizations in the education sector. Its core offerings span Strategic Planning, Design and Data Visualization, Digital Solutions, Media and Engagement, Messaging and Thought Leadership, Research and Reporting, and Events Management for in-person, hybrid, and virtual gatherings. Services are delivered through direct, project-based engagements tailored to each client's scope and needs.

Product overview

Collaborative Communications is a leading communications and consulting firm specializing in education that offers an integrated suite of professional services rather than a software product. Their core offerings include Design and Data Visualization, Digital Solutions, Events Management, Media and Engagement, Messaging and Thought Leadership, Research and Reporting, and Strategic Planning. These services are delivered to clients across education, philanthropy, nonprofit, and government sectors. The company also partners with Fors Marsh on the Safer Homes, Stronger Starts initiative for opioid response communications work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Planning Strategic planning and operational model development services that help mission-driven education and nonprofit organizations assess their trajectory and develop roadmaps for sustained impact.
• Design and Data Visualization Award-winning creative design and data visualization services that express organizational ideas and perspectives, including complex data visualization tools and simple fact sheets for education and mission-driven clients.
• Digital Solutions Digital platform strategies and content solutions tailored for education, learning, and youth development stakeholders to build relationships and extend organizational reach.
• Media and Engagement Comprehensive media strategy and audience engagement services including earned media, digital campaigns, thought leadership positioning, and multi-channel communications strategies for mission-driven clients.
• Messaging and Thought Leadership Strategic message frameworks and high-profile communications that position mission-driven organizations as thought leaders and amplify their voice.
• Research and Reporting Research, editorial, and analytical services that distill complex information into actionable insights for knowledge products and organizational decision-making.
• Events Management Full-service event management for in-person, hybrid, and virtual gatherings, including event visioning, audience-centered design, project management, budget development, and strategic advising for mission-driven organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.2 million in earned media value generated for Education Forward Arizona's Everything to Gain campaign
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Fors MarshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Collaborative Communications and Fors Marsh partnered to produce the 'Safer Homes, Stronger Starts' white paper on opioid response communications in California. Collaborative brings strategic communications expertise and experience with education and family-serving systems; Fors Marsh brings applied behavioral research, message testing, and evaluation expertise. The partnership supports cross-sector efforts to align education and public health messaging.
• Digital Promise (League of Innovative Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Communications has partnered with Digital Promise since December 2021 to deliver the League of Innovative Schools' annual spring convening. Collaborative leads full-cycle event planning and execution, including logistics, content design, and onsite delivery for national network of forward-thinking school districts.
• Education Forward Arizona and Helios Education FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Communications serves as strategic partner to Education Forward Arizona for the 'Everything to Gain' statewide postsecondary attainment campaign, which is based on the landmark Billions To Gain report published with Helios Education Foundation. Services include polling, message development, multi-channel campaign execution, and legislative engagement.
• Early Learning Nation Collective / Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Communications partnered with the Early Learning Nation (ELN) Collective, led by CSSP, to develop foundational communications and marketing tools including visual identity, digital platform, and language framework to support the initiative's public launch and ongoing stakeholder engagement.
• Charles Stewart Mott FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Communications serves as convenor of statewide afterschool networks for the Mott Foundation and provides overall communications advisory. The Mott Foundation also funds the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, a national K-12 youth entrepreneurship competition in which Collaborative has been active in promoting and supporting (per news coverage).
• Northern Illinois University / Illinois Interactive Report Cards (IIRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2016, Collaborative Communications has partnered with the IIRC office at Northern Illinois University (ISBE's technical and design partner) to enhance design and usability of the Illinois Report Card, contributing strategic content development, editorial expertise, and user-centered visual design.
• STEM Next Opportunity Fund (Girls Build Solutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Communications designed and produced Girls Build Solutions, the signature event of the Million Girls Moonshot initiative. The three-year engagement (Chicago 2022, Atlanta 2023, San Diego 2024) convened 900+ participants focused on youth-powered, cross-sector STEM engagement.
• National Summer Learning AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Communications serves as a strategic consultant to the National Summer Learning Association, curating content for national conferences and supporting systems-level strategy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXniAvxcqDLdo9yJ6UwUwYw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/collaborative-communications-group
• Xx.com/collaborative_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Collaborative Communications