Knowledge Alliance (KA) is thrilled to announce the winners of our Breaking Boundaries Grant  Competition: Crocus and Creative Research Solutions! We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these two phenomenal minority- and women-owned organizations to our association.

The Breaking Boundaries grant holds immense significance for Knowledge Alliance (KA) as it actualizes our guiding values. By actively seeking out and welcoming diversity within our organization, the grant aligns with KA’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity within the education knowledge firm community. This initiative not only enriches our membership by bringing in unique perspectives but also strengthens our collective ability to address the complex challenges in education through a more comprehensive and inclusive approach.

Founded in 2021, Crocus, LLC, is a Latina-owned and DC-based data services organization known for guiding social impact in education with technology. Inspired by the resilience of the crocus flower, Crocus prepares its clients to persist and flourish in every environment. Crocus has completed more than 200 major projects in 32 states, which include implementation of enterprise education data solutions in higher education, school districts, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Ana Quintana, President and CEO, notes that, “Crocus will benefit from the collective strength of the Alliance and hopes to provide some weight and voice to KA’s advocacy work, particularly given Crocus’ designation as a small, women-owned, minority and disadvantaged business currently working on federal, state, and local contracts and our hands-on expertise in implementations with our clients”.

Founded in 2009, Creative Research Solutions (CRS) is an award-winning, culturally responsive, and equitable research and evaluation firm. Over the course of its tenure, CRS has won several local, national, and international awards for its work. CRS engages in a variety of evaluation research projects, in addition to diversity, equity and inclusion consulting, strategic planning, and organizational development. Dr. Osa Maiyanne Adaján, Co-Founder and President, is excited about working with the KA membership to actualize more equitable and community-centered approaches to evaluation. Dr. Adaján notes, “we are excited about collaborating with key KA partners to forward education equity and expand      the federal government’s implementation of education equity-focused policy and contracting.”

Through their Breaking Boundaries grants, Crocus and Creative Research Solutions will receive support to fully participate in KA activities, access resources to enhance their research capabilities, and engage in networking opportunities with like-minded organizations.

We’re excited about the collaborations that lie ahead and the positive impact we’ll create together. Please join us in welcoming Crocus and Creative Research Solutions to Knowledge Alliance!

Stay tuned for updates on our new members and their contributions to our community.