Case Study: Building Sustainable, Scalable Systems at Digi-Bridge
The Challenge: Scaling with Intention Amid Rapid Growth
When Digi-Bridge partnered with Mission Mappers for a program audit, their afterschool STEAM programs were earning strong praise from schools and families. At the same time the team recognized the importance of strengthening systems and refreshing curriculum to keep pace with demand and prepare for the next stage of growth.
“Externally, people loved what we were doing and wanted more. Internally, we knew we needed refreshed systems, curriculum updates and clear pathways to scale sustainably,” shared Director of Programs Kaylee Plaza.
With a small but mighty team of 10 managing more than 30 school partnerships, Digi-Bridge needed not just a programmatic lift but operational scaffolding to support long-term growth.
The Engagement: From Program Design to Process Innovation
Originally brought in to support the development of a 6th to 8th-grade program, Mission Mappers’ scope quickly expanded. Working collaboratively, we shifted from a narrow focus to a full school program assessment, resulting in the development of key tools, workflows and documentation that now serve as the backbone of Digi-Bridge's program operations.
Key areas of collaboration included:
• A comprehensive set of operational goals tied to measurable outcomes
• Development of role clarity documents, including a transition to an accountability model
• Creation of the School Partnership Agreement, streamlining expectations with administrators and teachers
• Design of hiring timelines and a recruitment rubric to support retention and staffing success
• Support in building a Google Classroom hub to promote cross-school community, resource sharing and celebration
“You helped us zoom out and build what we needed to efficiently sustain, not just relaunch, our programming,” said Kaylee. “Now I’ve got a toolkit I can come back to each year.”
The Results: Measurable Growth and Meaningful Impact
Since the engagement, Digi-Bridge has seen tangible success across multiple aspects of its programming:
Program Expansion: Launched a K-2 grade curriculum and piloted a 6th to 8th-grade community-based program, both already generating waitlists from school partners.
School Relationships: New and returning schools exceeded attendance targets, with rebuilt schools seeing 300%+ growth in participation.
Hiring Success: More than 80% of facilitators wanted to return and were rehired thanks to a more intentional, thoughtful hiring process.
Stronger Onboarding: Improved communication and expectations with school administrators helped secure buy-in and set up every site for success.
Culture of Collaboration: A new shared digital space created visibility, celebration and connection across more than 100 part-time facilitators.
The Lasting Impact: A Flexible Foundation for the Future
Perhaps most notably, Mission Mappers’ collaborative work with the program and operations teams enabled a shift in how Digi-Bridge sees its own operations.
“You gave us the confidence to ask, ‘Why does it have to be done this way?’ That opened the door to new thinking and helped us plan out the next three years,” said Kaylee.
Digi-Bridge is now rolling out staggered programming, giving schools more choice in start dates, curriculum and student focus areas. This flexibility is directly rooted in the tools and systems developed during our collaboration.
“People think we’re a much bigger organization than we are. That’s because now, with the right systems, we’re able to act like a bigger team.”
Kaylee’s Advice to Others
“When you're so deep in the weeds, you miss things. Christine brought questions we hadn’t thought to ask and helped us shape ideas we didn’t know we had. Her outside perspective and thought partnership were invaluable.”
Ready to Reimagine Your Operations?
Whether you're preparing to scale, realign or rebuild, Mission Mappers helps purpose-driven organizations create smart, human-centered systems that last. Reach out to start the conversation.
