Overview
Every IDD agency wants to grow—but growth without strategy is just chaos in disguise. In today’s landscape, where funding is tight and staffing is stretched thin, expanding services or reach requires more than ambition. It takes the right systems, clear leadership alignment, and a plan rooted in reality.
That’s why Giv and CFHS created the IDD Agency Growth Blueprint—a resource that brings together insights from field-tested experts like Stacy DiStefano and Judi London, grounded in real-world experience. Whether your agency is preparing to scale, exploring a merger, or simply trying to do more with what you have, this guide offers actionable direction.
Here are six takeaways from the eBook that can help your agency grow with intention—not overload.
Growth starts with aligned leadership
Before you launch a new program or expand to a new region, pause and ask: Is our leadership rowing in the same direction? Growth requires everyone—from board members to frontline supervisors—to understand the “why” behind the effort and buy into the direction you’re going.
As Stacy DiStefano puts it:
“If your board and leadership aren’t aligned, growth becomes chaos instead of progress.”
Without alignment, expansion turns into confusion. But when leadership is unified around clear priorities, decisions become easier, change is smoother, and teams are more likely to rally around the mission.
Improving operational systems
Many agencies still rely on spreadsheets, sticky notes, or one key staff member who “just knows” how everything works. As Stacy DiStefano puts it, “As you grow, those clever fixes become liabilities.”
Efficient, scalable operations like real-time documentation, integrated billing, and digital scheduling aren’t luxuries—they're foundational to growing without burnout. Agencies that invest early in systems gain back time, reduce errors, and unlock capacity they didn’t know they had.
Medicaid revenue is leaking
Billing errors. Missed service notes. Unsubmitted claims. These small issues lead to big losses, especially when Medicaid is your primary funding source.
Agencies that want to grow need to tighten documentation workflows, train staff on billing best practices, and adopt tools that catch mistakes early. A few percentage points of recovered reimbursement can make the difference between stability and constant scramble.
Data should drive your strategy
Collecting data for compliance is table stakes. Using data to steer agency decisions is what sets high-performing organizations apart.
From tracking service utilization and staffing trends to modeling reimbursement and capacity, data helps agencies identify gaps, plan responsibly, and measure progress. And as value-based care models gain traction, having clean, trustworthy data isn’t optional—it’s the foundation for funding.
Growth without staff support
As Judi London puts it: “In human services, the agencies that have the ‘people thing’ down are going to thrive.”
Retention, training, and leadership development aren’t extras—they’re prerequisites for scaling. Agencies that grow sustainably build systems for onboarding, coaching, advancement, and recognition. When staff feel prepared and valued, they stick around, and bring others with them.
Mergers as a growth strategy
For many nonprofits, the idea of merging feels intimidating. But today’s care landscape is evolving quickly, and strategic partnerships can help agencies expand their reach, share resources, and reduce overhead.
The key is finding alignment in mission and culture—not just funding or programs. Agencies that define what they’re looking for and approach M&A proactively often find opportunities for long-term stability and deeper impact.
Giv supports growth
Every insight in the Growth Blueprint points to the same truth: growth depends on systems that work. At Giv, we built our all-in-one platform to help IDD agencies operate with clarity, efficiency, and confidence.
Whether you're preparing to expand, improve billing accuracy, or reduce administrative strain on your staff, Giv offers the tools to get there—documentation, billing, scheduling, and compliance, all in one place. We believe growing should feel sustainable, and we’re here to help make it that way.
Download the full eBook or book a demo to see how Giv can support your agency’s next stage of growth.
