Partner School: Innovation Academy SRQ
Service Type: Back Office Accounting, Payroll/HR, Charter Ace and Grants Management
Innovation Academy SRQ is a public charter school guided by its commitment to “Every Student, Every Family, Every Day.” With more than 25 years of history, the school serves students from VPK through fifth grade and takes a holistic approach to education, emphasizing academic achievement, health and well-being, and community engagement.
As an International Baccalaureate candidate school at the time of the September 2025 interview, Innovation Academy SRQ was expanding its educational offerings while continuing to strengthen its operations to better serve students and families.
Following a leadership transition, Innovation Academy SRQ identified an opportunity to strengthen its financial operations and improve administrative efficiency. Previously, the school relied on a single in-house staff member to manage accounting, grants administration and financial reporting. While this arrangement had supported the school for years, it had become increasingly costly and placed significant responsibility on one position.
The school also relied heavily on manual processes, including paper checks that required daily signatures, mailing and administrative oversight. As new leadership evaluated existing operations, it became clear that financial records, reporting procedures and payment workflows would benefit from greater structure and modernization.
School leadership and the board sought a cost-effective partner with experience in charter school financial management who could streamline these essential functions, strengthen financial oversight and allow administrators to dedicate more time to students and educational programs.
In 2023, Innovation Academy SRQ partnered with Building Hope to modernize its financial and operational systems. Rather than relying on a single in-house employee, the school gained access to specialized support across several essential services.
Together, these services provided a more efficient and cost-effective approach to financial management, giving the school access to specialized expertise without the expense of maintaining an equivalent in-house position.
For Head of School Fayth Jenkins, Building Hope's support has made a meaningful difference in the school's daily operations.
“I don't have to worry about the financing at all. It saves me so much time.”
— Fayth Jenkins, Head of School
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