Updates from the CEO · Read Albert Roberson’s latest update →

Help

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers on engagements, payments, training, OnePointe, confidentiality, and how we work. Can't find what you need? Get in touch.

Engagements & working with FC

How quickly can you start an investigation?

It depends on scope and conflicts, but we're built for speed, for most matters we can be in intake within days of a signed engagement letter. If you're facing a deadline, tell us up front and we'll move accordingly.

Do you work with institutions outside the U.S.?

Our practice is centered on U.S. federal civil rights frameworks, Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, ADA/504, and Clery, so our engagements are with U.S. institutions. We don't currently process EU or UK personal data in the regular course of business. If you have a cross-border question, get in touch.

What does an interim coordinator engagement cost?

Fractional and interim leadership is scoped per institution, coverage during a leave, capacity during a surge, or a standing partnership. Most engagements use a fee cap or fixed-fee structure; we don't bill on contingency. Reach out for an estimate.

Can you help with active OCR investigations?

Yes. We support institutions through open OCR matters, including resolution-agreement negotiation and the operational work an active matter requires. Where privilege matters, we often recommend engaging us through your general counsel.

Can I get an estimate before signing a contract?

Yes. We'll give you a scope and an estimate before any engagement letter is signed, and there's no cost to have that conversation.

Do you offer pro-bono engagements?

We reserve limited capacity for pro-bono and advisory work. Reach out and tell us about your situation, we can't promise availability, but we'll consider it.

Do you take on fractional leadership engagements on a permanent basis?

We provide interim, fractional, and standing coordination, including long-term partnerships for institutions that can't justify a full-time role. A fractional partnership can run indefinitely; most engagement letters include a 30-day mutual termination provision so neither side is locked in.

What happens if my OCR letter has a 30-day response deadline?

Tell us immediately. We're set up to move quickly on deadline-driven matters and will prioritize accordingly once an engagement letter is in place.

Can FC step in mid-investigation if our current investigator becomes unavailable?

Yes. We regularly take over matters in progress, reviewing the file, preserving the record, and carrying the investigation through to a defensible written report.

Do you require institutions to commit to a minimum engagement length?

No blanket minimum. Most engagement letters include a 30-day mutual termination provision.

Payments, billing & refunds

What payment methods do you accept?

Program registrations are billed through Stripe, our payment processor (major cards, plus wallet options where available). Institutional engagements are invoiced.

Do you offer refunds?

For cohort programs: a full refund up to 14 days before the start date, or 50% up to 7 days before. Within 7 days it's non-refundable but can be applied as a credit toward a future cohort in the same calendar year. Workshops are fully refundable up to 48 hours before the start. If we cancel, all registrants receive a full refund.

Do you provide invoices for institutional accounting or purchasing offices?

Yes. Engagements are invoiced monthly in arrears, net 30, and we can provide the documentation your purchasing or accounting office needs.

Are payments secure?

Yes. Payments run through Stripe; we never see or store full card numbers.

Can we pay in installments?

Engagements are billed monthly against the engagement letter. For program tuition, reach out, we can often accommodate institutional purchasing processes.

Does FC accept purchase orders (POs)?

Yes, for institutional engagements and group registrations. Email billing@fractionalcoordinator.com to set it up.

Do you offer net-30 or net-60 payment terms?

Engagement invoices are due net 30. Past-due invoices accrue interest at 9% per year (0.75% per month) or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is lower.

Is tuition reimbursement available through my employer?

Many employers reimburse professional development. We provide registration confirmations and attendance documentation you can submit to your employer's PD or tuition-reimbursement program.

Training & certifications

Are your certifications recognized?

Our certificates confirm completion of the program, not external accreditation. SHRM Recertification Provider status and state bar CLE accreditation are pursued and may not be in place when you register; we provide attendance documentation for self-submission. Our Certification Notice covers this in detail.

Is there a deadline to complete a certification?

Cohort and retreat programs run on set dates, and any completion requirements, an assessment or a follow-up reflection, for example, have their own windows described on each program page.

What if I need to reschedule or transfer?

You can transfer your seat to another person at the same institution at no charge before the program begins, email training@fractionalcoordinator.com. Rescheduling follows the cancellation and credit policy in our Terms of Use.

Do you offer custom training for our team?

Yes, custom institutional training tailored to your frameworks and context. Reach out to scope it.

Are there group rates?

Yes. A group rate applies automatically at checkout for 5 or more registrants from the same institution.

Do you offer continuing-education credits (SHRM, state bar CLE, HRCI)?

We pursue SHRM and state bar CLE recognition and provide hour-by-hour attendance documentation for self-submission. Availability varies by program and may not be in place at registration.

What's the difference between a certification, a bootcamp, and a workshop?

Certifications include an assessment and a credential; bootcamps are intensive multi-day cohorts; workshops are focused, shorter sessions on a specific framework or skill. Our retreats are the most immersive multi-day format.

Can I retake a certification if I don't pass the assessment?

Yes, contact training@fractionalcoordinator.com to arrange a retake.

Do you offer scholarships or sliding-scale tuition?

We consider a limited number of scholarship and sliding-scale requests, especially from under-resourced institutions. Get in touch and tell us about your situation.

How long do certifications remain valid?

We recommend annual refreshers to keep pace with regulatory change. We retain your training records for ten years to support credential-verification requests.

Knowledge Hub & membership

What does a Knowledge Hub membership include?

The Knowledge Hub is our members' working library, regulatory intelligence, decision-making frameworks, tools and templates, and case studies. Membership tiers and details are listed on the Knowledge Hub Membership.

Can my institution buy a team membership?

Yes. Institutional and team memberships are available; contact us for team pricing.

How do I renew my membership?

Memberships renew from your account, and you'll get a reminder before the renewal date.

I forgot my password or can't log in.

Use the password-reset link on the sign-in page. If you're still stuck, email us and we'll help you regain access.

Can I try the Knowledge Hub before subscribing?

Reach out and we'll walk you through what's included before you commit.

What's included in priority office hours for institutional members?

Institutional members get scheduled time with our team for questions on live matters, program design, and regulatory developments.

Are membership fees tax-deductible?

Membership and professional-development fees are often deductible as a business expense, check with your tax advisor.

Can membership transfer if I change institutions?

Individual memberships stay with you; institutional seats stay with the institution. Contact us to update your record.

OnePointe

What is OnePointe?

OnePointe is our AI-powered case-management platform for civil rights compliance, built for the intake-to-resolution workflow at universities and PK-12 districts. It's a separate product; learn more at onepointe.ai ↗.

Is OnePointe the same as the FC Client Portal?

No. OnePointe is our case-management software product; the FC Client Portal is where engagement clients access their own materials. They're separate systems.

How do I see a OnePointe demo?

Request a demo at onepointe.ai ↗, or get in touch and we'll connect you.

How is OnePointe priced?

Pricing is available on the OnePointe site and scales with your institution. See onepointe.ai ↗.

Where is OnePointe data stored?

OnePointe's application database and authentication run on Supabase, in U.S. data centers. Supabase is SOC 2 Type II compliant.

Can OnePointe integrate with our SIS, HRIS, or LMS?

Integration options are covered on onepointe.ai ↗, reach out to discuss the systems you use.

Can we use OnePointe without engaging FC for fractional or training services?

Yes. OnePointe is available as standalone software; you don't have to engage FC's services to use it.

Confidentiality & records

Is what I tell FC confidential?

Yes. Information shared in an engagement is confidential. We don't disclose client identities, matter specifics, or anything that could identify a complainant, respondent, or witness, except with your written consent, as required by legal process, or as necessary to defend FC. The same expectation applies to case discussions in training.

How long do you retain engagement records?

Investigation files are retained per your engagement letter, typically seven years from the close of the matter, unless you request earlier return or destruction. After the retention window, files are securely destroyed and a destruction certificate is issued.

Whose records are these, ours or FC's?

Investigation files are confidential institutional records, and privileged work product where the engagement establishes privilege. We hold them on your behalf under the engagement letter.

Will you cooperate with an OCR investigation about a matter you worked on?

We respond to legal process and support institutions through OCR matters. Disclosure otherwise requires your written consent.

Do you sign NDAs?

Yes. NDAs are commonly part of engagement onboarding and are executed electronically via DocuSign.

If we engage you for an investigation, who at FC has access to our records?

Access is restricted to authorized FC personnel working your matter, and it's audited. Active investigation files are held on FC-managed private infrastructure in U.S. data centers.

Can records from one engagement be discoverable in litigation against my institution?

Discoverability depends on privilege and the facts. Engagement letters specify whether work product is intended to be privileged, and engaging us through your general counsel helps preserve privilege. This isn't legal advice, consult your counsel.

Do you ever publish anonymized case studies based on real engagements?

Not without your written permission. Investigation files are never anonymized and republished as case studies without the institution's written consent.

Privacy, security & data

Where is FC data stored?

On U.S.-based infrastructure. Application data runs on Supabase (U.S.); active investigation files and privileged work product are held on FC-managed private servers in U.S. data centers. Our Privacy Policy lists every subprocessor.

Is FC FERPA-compliant?

In PK-12 and higher-ed engagements, the institution is the data controller and FC processes student information only on its behalf, as needed to perform the engagement, consistent with FERPA's school-official framework. Specifics are set in the engagement letter.

What about GDPR or international data protection?

We don't currently process EU or UK personal data in the regular course of business and haven't designated an Article 27 representative. If an engagement requires substantial EU processing, we'll designate one and disclose it. See our Privacy Policy.

Do you use my data to train AI models?

No. We do not use personal information from investigation files to train artificial-intelligence systems.

What is your breach notification process?

If we become aware of a breach affecting personal information, we notify affected individuals and applicable regulators in accordance with applicable law.

Does FC sell, rent, or share data with third parties?

No. We don't sell personal information, and we don't share it with third parties for their own marketing.

Can I request a copy of all data FC holds about me or my institution?

Yes, email privacy@fractionalcoordinator.com. We respond within 30 days, with a possible 30-day extension for complex requests. Records in active engagement files can't be unilaterally deleted without the engaging institution's consent.

For higher education

Do you work with community colleges?

Yes, community colleges, four-year institutions, and university systems.

Can we engage FC alongside our outside counsel?

Yes, and we often do. Where privilege matters, we frequently work through or alongside your counsel.

Do you handle Title IX matters involving athletics?

Yes, including the operational realities specific to intercollegiate athletics.

How do you handle matters that cross multiple federal frameworks?

We assess jurisdiction up front and run the matter under the right framework or frameworks, one of the most common and most-missed issues in the field. Our playbooks address these intersections directly.

Can FC help us prepare for an OCR compliance review?

Yes, proactive compliance review, documentation, and audit readiness are core to our work.

What if our institution has unionized staff, do you work within collective bargaining frameworks?

Yes. We coordinate our process with applicable collective-bargaining and employment obligations.

For PK-12

Do you work with public school districts, charter schools, and private schools?

Yes, public districts, charter schools, and private schools.

How do you handle mandatory reporting questions in PK-12 settings?

We build mandatory-reporting obligations into intake and process design, coordinated with your counsel and state requirements.

Can FC train school board members?

Yes, governance-level training for boards is available.

Do you handle matters involving students with IEPs or 504 plans?

Yes. Our ADA/504 work covers the accommodation and grievance processes that intersect with IEPs and 504 plans.

Can you support districts during state department of education investigations?

Yes, we support state-level investigations as well as federal OCR matters.

For practitioners

I'm a Title IX coordinator at my institution, should I take your certification?

If you want a credential that proves competence, not just attendance, and a working reference for the role, yes. Our certifications include an assessment and are built for practicing coordinators.

I'm transitioning into civil rights work from another field, where do I start?

Start with a foundational certification or a framework workshop, plus the relevant playbook. Reach out and we'll point you to the right entry point.

Can I get continuing-education credit through my employer's professional-development budget?

Often, yes, we provide the documentation to submit. See the training FAQs above on CE credit.

I'm in the early years of my career, is the Fellows program right for me?

The Fellows program is designed for early-career practitioners. Reach out and we'll help you figure out whether it's the right fit.

Do you connect practitioners for peer mentorship outside of formal programs?

Yes, our community, including Coffee Talks, connects practitioners for off-the-record peer exchange.

Can I contribute writing or speaking to FC publications?

We welcome practitioner contributions to Insights and guests on the Blueroom Podcast. Get in touch.

Other / how we work

Are you a law firm?

No. Fractional Coordinator is a civil rights compliance firm, not a law firm. Our work is informed by law and often coordinated with attorneys, but it isn't a substitute for legal advice.

Do you take positions in litigation?

We're not litigation counsel. We conduct neutral investigations and provide compliance support; we don't advocate for a party in litigation, and we don't bill on contingency.

What don't you do?

We don't give legal advice, guarantee outcomes, take contingency work, or serve as a party's litigator. We commit to the quality of our process, not to a specific result.

How is FC different from other firms in this space?

We're practitioners who've done this work inside institutions. We pair investigations with fractional leadership, certified training, and software (OnePointe), with a consistent standard: outcomes that hold up under audit.

I have a question that's not here.

Reach out at hello@fractionalcoordinator.com or through our contact page, we're happy to help.

Do you sign Business Associate Agreements (BAA) for HIPAA-covered information?

Where an engagement requires it, yes. Several of our subprocessors, including Google Workspace and Zoom, are HIPAA-eligible under separate BAAs. Talk to us about your requirements.

Still have a question?

Ask us directly →