About Us
Sustainable Business Solutions for Economic Growth
Sustainable Business Solutions for Economic Growth
Forward Planning is a management consultancy firm that specializes in strategic planning, client management, event production, and economic development. We provide a holistic approach to community building through providing strategic development services to nonprofits, small businesses, elected officials, and entrepreneurs. Our vision is to strategically position our clients for long-term success that results in both economic development for the communities they serve and economic growth for them as well.
Forward Planning has been servicing Chicagoland communities, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and corporations since 2014. We are a full service comprehensive consultancy management firm that specializes in strategic planning and execution services that assist businesses and brands to foster economic growth. We build legacies for clients through events, branding, marketing, public relations and content development. After seven years in business, we are one of the top black woman owned consultancy firms in Chicago.
We service notable clients at the city, county and state level in the areas of government, small business, higher education and nonprofit organizations. Our firm has produced events with more than 20,000 people in attendance with the goal of generating positive foot traffic to South Side communities, and raised more than $1M for our clients through fundraising efforts that benefited numerous underserved communities. With more than seven years of moving Chicago forward, the consulting and management company is excited about many more years to come of working with our annual selective clients who are creating economic development within the communities they serve.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Allyson Renee Scrutchens
Allyson Renee Scrutchens is a Serial Entrepreneur, Author, Filmmaker, Creative Producer and Community Developer
Allyson Scrutchens is a trailblazer for economic development, and empowering others by providing access to information, resources and opportunities. Growing up on the south side of Chicago, the need and dedication to making a difference in society became extremely pertinent. Allyson received a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Illinois at Chicago and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW) from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
She is the CEO of Forward Planning and The Forward Planner, Founder of Forward Change NFP, and Author of “How to Be an Entrepreneur 101.” Allyson volunteers frequently with many local non-profit and political organizations. She became a Filmmaker and Executive Producer of the short film “#WhereIsBeauty” starring Goapele in 2016. She has always had a genuine passion for giving back and empowering others through knowledge. Therefore, Allyson is also a national mentor where she supports and advises more than twenty young women across the country as Instructor of the SHE CEO program through Save A Girl, Save A World. In 2018, she was featured in a SunTrust Bank national commercial featuring three Entrepreneurs sharing financial literacy advice, and has been booked in major cities across the nation for speaking engagements. Allyson is a prosperous Business Owner, Author, Filmmaker, Creative Producer and Community Developer based in Chicago, IL.