Who We Are:
Founding Organizations
Glenkirk and Search360, two trusted nonprofit providers supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) across the Chicago metropolitan area, formed Keystone Alliance in 2009. Both organizations share a long history of expanding opportunity and inclusion. Today, they serve over 600 individuals annually through residential, day, employment, and behavioral health services designed to support lives of meaning, connection, and choice.
Glenkirk
Lifetime Supports
Founded in 1954, Glenkirk provides services that empower individuals to fully participate in community life. Serving more than 200 individuals annually across the north and northwest suburbs of Cook and Lake Counties, Glenkirk offers residential living, medical and behavioral health supports, respite care and day and employment services. Every program is designed around the unique strengths and goals of the individual, with a focus on dignity and independence.
Search360
Opportunities to Grow
Founded in 1968, Search360 supports nearly 400 individuals across Chicago and the northern suburbs of Cook County. Its work is grounded in creating opportunities for people to live in homes of their choosing, learn through community engagement, and grow through employment. Through personalized residential, medical and behavioral health supports, day services, and community education and advocacy, Search360 helps people build lives defined by belonging and purpose.
The Origin of Keystone Alliance
Keystone Alliance was created to protect what was already working while preparing for the future. In 2009, as Glenkirk and Search360 navigated a rapidly evolving funding landscape and leadership transitions, they faced a pivotal question: how to adapt without losing their unique identities.
Rather than pursuing a traditional merger, they chose a different path. They created Keystone Alliance to:
Preserve Independent Identities
Maintaining their names, histories, and deep community trust.
Share Essential Systems
Consolidating finance, IT, and administrative functions to increase strategic capacity.
Build Scale and Resilience
Moving from isolated operations to a collaborative model capable of navigating increased operational complexity and a changing sector.
Model of Shared Strength
Independence with Shared Governance
Keystone Alliance operates as a federated partnership. Glenkirk and Search360 remain independent nonprofits with their own boards and community presence, while Keystone serves as the parent organization providing governance and strategic alignment.
connected Leadership
Our model is built on collaboration, not centralization. Each organization is led by its own CEO, who works alongside the Keystone CEO in a collaborative executive group. This co-leadership approach ensures:
Diverse Perspectives: Decision-making is informed by active providers in the field.
Shared Accountability: Strategic insight is shared across all organizations to solve complex challenges.
Mission Focus: By consolidating back-office functions, Keystone allows Glenkirk and Search360 to focus their energy on the people and communities they support.
Building for the Future
The goal of this collaborative ecosystem is not efficiency for its own sake; it is sustainability and resilience. By building on what works and sharing what we know, we ensure that Keystone and its founding organizations can continue to serve their communities for decades to come.
Kim Berenberg,
CEO of Glenkirk
“When we began exploring partnership, our priority was to protect what mattered most, the relationships we had built and the trust our community placed in us. Keystone made that possible. It allowed us to strengthen our foundation while staying true to who we are.”
331%
growth in net assets since co-founding Keystone Alliance
38→141
days cash on hand, before Keystone vs. today
Cory Gumm,
CEO of Search360
“The decision to form Keystone came from a shared recognition that we could do more together than we could alone. By combining strengths and thinking differently about how organizations work together, we created new opportunities for innovation, growth, and impact.”
16
years of unbroken growth since co-founding Keystone Alliance
60%
reduction in long-term debt since 2009
Want to Learn More?
If you need support to help strengthen and sustain your mission or are interested in exploring collaboration, let’s talk.