Altra
Collective
Strategic Thinking. Human Approach.
Altra Collective provides consulting services for mission-driven organizations.
Altra Collective is a social impact consulting firm.
We serve mission-driven organizations as they take on big challenges and innovative ideas. Our work is grounded in a commitment to equity, relationships, and the public good.
Altra is the Italian word for "other." Altra reflects the belief that in consulting, as in life, there is no one way to be of service. And that technical knowledge and empathy are best paired in the service of others.
Big ideas, real outcomes.
At Altra Collective, strategy meets humanity.
Whatever challenge you are taking on, we are here to help you take the first step with confidence.
See some of the outcomes we have achieved for clients.
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Created a community-driven action plan for downtown recovery post-pandemic. (Seattle Office of Economic Development)
Created public accountability on the City’s special initiatives and executive orders. (Seattle Office of Economic Development, Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment)
Achieved funding to bolster WA’s statewide economy by connecting jobseekers with local, quality jobs through career pathways. (Washington Student Achievement Council)
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Helped keep families and children in South King County stably housed. (King County Housing Authority)
Helped WA’s largest employers foster a WA economy where everyone can prosper. (Washington Employers)
Connected employers directly with educational institutions for real-time knowledge sharing. (Presidents Forum)
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Facilitated opportunities for small nonprofits in Atlanta to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and improve. (United Way of Greater Atlanta)
Generated clear educational pathways, through data, to guide students to high-quality jobs. (Educate Texas)
Curated international connections among grantees responsible for bringing fortified foods to market. (Gates Foundation)
Key Service Areas
Community and Data Informed Strategy
Altra Collective helps organizations gain actionable insights from experts and data to make complex challenges more approachable and create informed strategies. We achieve this through rigorous quantitative and qualitative research and diverse engagement approaches with experts within organizations, across sectors, and within the community.
Coordination and Facilitation
Altra Collective navigates challenging conversations and dynamics within organizations and across sectors as they look to collaborate effectively to serve the public interest. We do this through cultural assessments, facilitated conversations and workgroups, and structured workshops.
Altra Collective provides strategic insights and adds implementation capacity to create better organizational outcomes. We do this by analyzing systems and understanding what is best for organizations based on their unique capacity and needs.
Organizational Process and Systems Improvement
Cat Tarvin (they/she), Owner & Principal
Altra Collective is led by Cat Tarvin, who brings over 10 years of experience in the social impact and consulting field. They founded Altra Collective to better serve mission-driven clients in the public, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors with a personal touch. Throughout their career, Cat has led more than 25 projects for 15+ organizations, helping teams clarify strategy, strengthen collaboration, and turn ideas into measurable outcomes.
Cat brings extensive expertise in cross-sector collaboration, strategic planning, and quantitative and qualitative research and analysis, with a focus on projects that center community voice, racial equity, and aim to make real change.
With a background in public administration and years of consulting experience across local government, philanthropy, and nonprofits, Cat is known for facilitating inclusive processes and synthesizing diverse perspectives into actionable strategies. They excel at creating systems that keep complex projects moving forward while ensuring clients remain informed and engaged at every stage.
Past Clients
