STRENGTH, STABILITY AND SHARED VALUES
A Stronger Future for Mission-Driven Senior Living Communities.
Affiliation with Kendal empowers stand-alone not-for-profit communities to strengthen operations, protect and expand mission, enhance governance, and amplify impact — all while retaining local identity, culture, and control.
Looking Ahead with Purpose and Partnership
For independent mission-driven communities, growth doesn’t have to mean giving up local control, culture, and authenticity – it means gaining strength, shared insight, and collective impact.
Affiliation with Kendal connects your community to a nationally recognized nonprofit system offering best in class strategic expertise, operational support and efficiency, and a respected brand rooted in the universal Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship.
Together, we build resilience through trusted relationships and innovative services to ensure your mission continues to thrive and expand, supporting and enhancing the experience of residents and members for generations to come.
Start the Conversation
Connect with Kendal to explore how affiliation can strengthen your community’s mission and future.
Why Communities Explore the Power of Affiliation
Today’s nonprofit senior living organizations face more complexity than ever, and they are not alone. Many CEOs and Boards are seeking a trusted partner and advocate who can help them:
- Plan confidently for long-term sustainability
- Strengthen financial and operational resilience
- Address leadership succession needs and planning
- Improve IT and cybersecurity readiness
- Reduce risk in capital projects
- Keep pace and lead amidst rapidly changing consumer expectations
- Expand services and impact without expanding bureaucracy
Affiliation with Kendal is about getting stronger, with a partner who deeply respects what makes your community uniquely special; our team leverages your team, expanding your capabilities
“The collaboration between Kendal at Oberlin and TKC, as well as with the other Affiliates is a part of our secret sauce that helps us, that rises above just being a single-site organization.“
Ann O’Malley, CFO
Kendal at Oberlin
What Sets Kendal Apart
Kendal affiliation is built on partnership, not hierarchy.
We stand apart by offering:
- Autonomy with strength: each affiliate is able to maintain its full local governance, culture, and identity
- Mission driven alignment: shared values guide every decision, not shareholder returns
- System-wide expertise: access to a deep bench of multidisciplinary teams spanning finance, operations, development, human resources, marketing, technology, and strategic growth
- Proven results: Kendal communities consistently outperform nonprofit benchmarks for occupancy, financial stability and ratings, and resident and member satisfaction.
The Kendal System is far more than an affiliation; it is a collective of like-minded leaders building the future of senior living and aging services, together. Joining the network means becoming part of a nationally respected nonprofit collaborative grounded in universal Quaker values: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship.
This is authentic collaboration built on trust, not hierarchy.
VALUES AT A GLANCE
What Kendal Affiliation Offers
Kendal is not a traditional management company or corporate operator. Affiliates remain independently governed organizations while gaining the strength, expertise, and partnership of a national nonprofit system of leaders.
Explore a Conversation That Fits Your Goals
Kendal offers introductory presentations on key topics in nonprofit aging services—designed for boards, leadership teams, or exploratory groups. These sessions are a way to learn more about Kendal, share perspectives, and explore areas of alignment—no commitment involved.
- Trends in nonprofit senior living and aging services
- Navigating CEO transitions and leadership planning
- Understanding affiliation and partnership models
- Strategic planning for long-term sustainability
- Campus-based growth strategies
- Leveraging the power of storytelling in public relations and sales strategy
The Kendal Difference
The Kendal System represents more than a business model; it’s a commitment to connection, deep relationships, and shared purpose in senior living. With 10 thriving Affiliates across the United States, and more communities currently in development, the Kendal System represents one of the most enduring nonprofit senior living networks in the country – defined by stable and visionary leadership, strong balance sheets, and foundational resident and member engagement.
THE KENDAL ADVANTAGE
Comprehensive Affiliate Services & Support
Affiliates gain strength without losing identity, a partnership that combines the independence of local governance with the advantages of a national nonprofit system powered by value-based services and field-leading subject matter experts:
Strategic Governance and Support
- Strategic planning and organizational development
- Board education, training, best practices, and facilitation
- Leadership development and executive search
- Campus growth, capital planning, and expansion strategy
Operational & Financial Strength
- Financial benchmarking, analysis, and forecasting
- Group purchasing programs
- HR guidance, compensation review, and workforce planning
- IT infrastructures, cybersecurity, and 24/7 helpdesk
- Facilities, culinary, and health services advisory
Brand and Marketing
- National brand integration with local distinction
- Marketing strategy, digital presence, and lead generation
- Sales enablement tools and consultation
- Storytelling, PR, and communications support
- Marketing support for repositioning and redevelopment initiatives
Growth & Development
- Market feasibility studies, right-sizing, and site selection
- Strategic planning for campus expansion and redevelopment
- Zoning, licensing, entitlements, and jurisdictional navigation
- Design management, budget reviews, and stakeholder engagement
- Project leadership from planning through construction and occupancy
This comprehensive support enables affiliates to focus on what matters most: delivering high-quality services and fostering a meaningful community life for their residents and members.
“We have the best of both worlds. We are a single site in Ohio, but we’re connected to the expanse of the Kendal System. We have a network of like-minded groups. We share in group purchases and other resources — IT, marketing, PR, things that single-sites wouldn’t really have the resources to pursue.“
Seth Vilensky, CEO
Kendal at Oberlin
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Kendal different from a management company or Management Services Organization (MSO)?
Kendal is neither a third-party vendor nor a centralized operator. While MSOs may offer outsourced services, Kendal provides deeper support that includes leadership team development and access to best practices, shared governance tools for strong boards, connection to a magnetic brand, the benefits of group purchasing, and peer collaboration and learning across the System.
Affiliates maintain their boards, leadership, and identities. Kendal offers consultation and system-wide support, never directive oversight.
Do affiliates keep their local identity and name?
Yes. Affiliates can retain their community name and integrate the Kendal logotype and “A Kendal Affiliate” designation into their brand. This approach strengthens brand recognition while honoring the culture and history of each organization.
What services and infrastructure are shared?
Affiliates benefit from financial savings through shared purchasing, protection from cybersecurity threats, shared IT systems support, marketing, sales and public relations direct support, development and growth consultation, and leadership team guidance and training resources. Kendal delivers these services as a partner—not as a manager.
Is affiliation only for communities in crisis?
Most affiliations begin from a place of strength. Communities ready to grow, navigate leadership transitions, and feeling limitations as a stand-alone entity, or those looking to build a long-term strategy, are often the best candidates for affiliation.
What types of organizations are a good fit?
Mission-driven, not-for-profit senior living or aging services organizations with local governance, strong community ties, and a desire for strategic collaboration are ideal partners. Affiliation is built around shared purpose—not one-size-fits-all solutions.
How long does the affiliation process take?
Timelines vary based on the organization’s goals, structure, and planning needs. There is an initial period of exploration, and the affiliation process is customized for each organization.
Is Kendal ready to support new affiliations?
The Kendal System remains one of the strongest organizations of non-profit senior-living communities and aging services organizations in the nation, and Kendal is optimally positioned to support growth in the number of Affiliates as well as the individual needs of each Affiliate. After years of planning and strategic change, Kendal and the Kendal System are poised to support new affiliations and partnerships with central resources and a talented team that will ensure a smooth transition into affiliation while offering immediate benefits.
Is now the right time to explore this?
If you’re planning ahead, evaluating growth, looking for shared savings or experiencing leadership transitions—yes. If you envision that being part of a strong network has intrinsic value – yes. And, even if formal affiliation is months or years away, a conversation can clarify options and offer you time to explore the benefits.
Start a Conversation.
Each exploration begins with a conversation tailored to your context. Kendal is prepared to listen, answer questions, and help leadership teams understand whether affiliation could support their goals.
Contact Us to Learn More.