Financial Sustainability & RCM Budget Modeling
OUR APPROACH:
For each of our clients, we develop a customized long-range financial model that accounts for changes in net tuition revenue and institutional expenses. For any of our forecasts and models, we identify how changes in demand and demographics, budget models, enrollment strategy and aid leveraging, and benefits offerings could affect institutional priorities and sustainability. In many cases, we work with institutions looking to simultaneously reduce expenses and improve enrollments and net tuition revenues.
Your Financial Strategy Starts with the Right Diagnosis
For institutions navigating uncertainty or preparing for larger-scale planning efforts, Kennedy & Company offers financial assessments that deliver fast, actionable insight. Focused on the most immediate drivers of cost and revenue—such as enrollment strategy, staffing levels, and academic offerings—our reviews surface areas for improvement without requiring a long-term engagement. We combine benchmarking, internal data analysis, and stakeholder input to identify high-impact opportunities that can inform near-term decision-making.
Financial Sustainability
Our work in this area includes:
Financial Sustainability Analysis- Revenue Optimization & Net Tuition Revenue Modeling
- Tuition Pricing & Structural Alternatives
- Cost Analysis & Management
- Budgeting Methodology Assessment & Strategy
- Institutional Resource Assessment & Strategy
- Tuition Price Assessment & Tuition Resets
- Academic Portfolio Reviews & Assessments
.png)
Connect with Us
College of Charleston
College of Charleston engaged Kennedy & Company to support its transition to a Responsibility Center Management Model (RCM). The institution had long considered the transition to a decentralized budget model and was compelled to begin the transition due to plateauing enrollments (particularly amongst non-resident students), declining state support, and a fixed cost base. In 2020, the College’s executive leadership team committed to beginning the transition to RCM based on their positive experience with the philosophy at previous institutions.
"We wanted a net price calculator that was easy to use and could be deployed by our one-stop staff to help students understand the financial ramifications of their choices. Kennedy and Company’s tool does just that while also helping us remain compliant with federal aid regulations. Our staff have really enjoyed having this additional tool for their counseling toolbox."
Colleges “definitely will be concerned and do have a right to be, but it’s a great opportunity to review the current contract they’re operating,” Snow said. She suggested potentially negotiating a contract for a shorter time frame, as well as including an exit clause or a set of terms that could end an agreement without breaking the contract. She also believes more universities may want to see an increase in transparency, particular in marketing materials. “When you’re an institution, it’s on your behalf, but you don’t see the day to day of what they’re spending and how they’re spending it,” she said. “You can be in the dark of how you’re being marketed. And in the beginning, it didn’t matter as long as the enrollment came, but now it behooves them.
1st Aid Net Price Calculator is a user-friendly tool that keeps up with the academic offerings and dynamic tuition and fee structure at our university. It provides an estimate and meaningful information to prospective students and families, blending in the financial aid award philosophy. The Kennedy & Company implementation team was easy to work with and they structured a project implementation plan that met our needs. The NPC displays on both the financial aid and admissions web page, and it continues to meet our expectations.
We engaged Kennedy & Company to audit our set of touchpoints with prospective students, analyzing how customer data flows through different systems and detailing interactions at each step. In addition to a detailed analysis of our data ecosystem, the team developed a rigorous implementation plan to help different departments optimize their activities. Kennedy & Company was very thoughtful and comprehensive in their work, so that we gained visibility and are making meaningful progress on multiple interconnected issues.
Kennedy recognized that no one knows us as well as we do. They valued our experience and knowledge, and worked with us as an integrated team. Kennedy’s collaborative approach ensured that the end-product was well-suited to our culture, our values and priorities, and our competitive environment.
“Our collaboration with Kennedy & Company has been nothing short of transformative. Through their expert guidance and strategic implementation of Salesforce Education Cloud, Spartanburg Community College has elevated its marketing, communication, and student engagement efforts to an entirely new level. The result is a sophisticated, data-driven CRM ecosystem that not only enhances operational efficiency but also empowers our teams to support student success in more meaningful and measurable ways. Kennedy & Company has proven to be an invaluable partner in our digital evolution.”
“Kennedy & Company was helpful and responsive from our initial contact with them in creating an appropriate scope of work that fit our needs, all the way through to developing the Slate Reader and Application for our over 140 graduate programs with several hundred users. Even with a decentralized admission model and with so many users involved, we were focused on creating a single solution that would be malleable for all. They helped us create a solution that fit the needs of many and were diligent and tireless in responding to our trouble-shooting questions and quest for continuous improvement. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them and look forward to continued work on other projects.”
“Kennedy and Company’s expertise in strategic planning has been transformative for the College of Engineering. Their productive conversations brought clarity to our vision and enabled us to identify common themes that will shape the future of the College. With their guidance and ongoing support, we have crafted a clear, actionable 10-year roadmap that perfectly aligns with our goals and with Villanova’s mission, confidently positioning us for continued innovation and growth.”
“I am sincerely grateful for our partnership with Kennedy & Company. Their team has played many instrumental roles helping Palmetto College plan and execute on our growth strategies. Palmetto College is a complex organization that includes four two-year institutions located throughout the state, as well as an online degree completion programs. Kennedy & Company has helped us both transform our enrollment plans and strategies, and also translated them into actionable tasks for our teams within the Salesforce CRM. This effort has improved our adoption of the CRM and enabled our teams to better engage students throughout their time with us.”
“Kennedy and Company quickly established themselves as a critical companion when it comes to both thought partnership and modeling the implications of complex challenges/solutions. With such a broad range of support their team can provide, they have helped Mason tackle some of its most important questions facing the institution as we both develop offerings for new markets and improve student outcomes.”
