Since our founding in 1999 we have been fortunate to work with a wide range of Not-for-Profit organizations. We build long-term mutually beneficial relationships with our clients that allow us the privilege of working with them on multiple projects over the years and developing a trusted-advisor relationship.
We have outlined below a few of the organizations and types of work that we have undertaken.
Fraternal Society
Our client is a not-for-profit, member-owned, federally incorporated insurance company. We worked with the client to conduct a board governance review. The review consisted of in-depth telephone interviews with each of the Board members, completion of an anonymous on-line governance self-assessment survey and an objective review and assessment of governance materials and processes. We developed a comprehensive report outlining the strengths, areas for improvement and key recommendations for the Board and then supported the Board through the implementation of those recommendations.
Healthcare Charity
Our client is a leading not-for-profit health organization working nationwide to improve the quality of life for Canadians affected by the disease. Our client helps support the search for the cause and cure and has offices throughout Canada. We conducted a one-day strategic planning session that finalized the vision, mission, established strategic priorities, measurable objectives and an action plan outlining the tasks, responsibilities and timelines.
Group of Associations
Our client is a group of associations that have a common public policy issue. ABARIS Consulting was engaged to work with the group of associations to clarify each association's position and mandate regarding the issue, clarify and reach consensus of the role each would take in addressing the public policy issue and establish an action plan to move their mandate forward.
Healthcare Association
Our client is a not-for-profit organization focused on health education and is dedicated to supporting schools and communities through quality program supports, partnerships and advocacy. We conducted training to help staff learn the tools and develop the skills needed to facilitate effective meetings. We worked with the staff to understand the various states of group development and how proper preparation can accelerate the group through the early stages, the psychosocial barriers to effective group dynamics and what you can do about them, how to help groups attain high IQ decisions, facilitative interventions for handling group problems and facilitative techniques for group decision-making.
Special Interest Foundation
Our client is the Foundation for a Long-Term Care Home. The purpose of the Foundation is to providing funding to support non-government funded programs that are viewed as essential to the Home's residents. We worked with the Board to establish the Foundations strategic direction, educate and coach them on how their role as a Board member fits within the fund development process and an action plan to deliver upon their intended strategy.
Recreational Membership Association
Our client is an all-inclusive, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people in Ontario. We worked with our client to undertake an assessment of their current situation using our proprietary organizational assessment tool. Using this analysis as a baseline, we facilitated a two-day strategy session in which the client established their vision, mission, strategic priorities, objectives and action plan that outlined the key tasks, responsibilities and timelines. We documented the process and provided our proprietary one-page strategic summary called a Strategic Profile. We also provided the board tools and process to measure progress against the strategic plan and enable the Board to maintain a strategic focus.
Industry Association
Our client is a national, not-for-profit association dedicated to serving the interests of companies that market and advertise their products and services in Canada. ABARIS Consulting was engaged to help build a high performance team and establish the strategic direction for the association. We facilitated a two-day session that addressed the description of a high performing team, identified and addressed barriers to effective team work, measuring and communicating performance, establishing and aligning priorities and building an action plan.
Volunteer Association
Our client is a Volunteer Association with over 160 staff and 100 volunteers that provide support for its Hospital Corporation and volunteers within a framework of patient care. The volunteer association achieves this by managing and operating the various retail businesses across the hospital sites. We were engaged by the Volunteer Association to establish a long-term strategic direction that the staff could use to frame the development of their annual operating plans. We facilitated two one-day sessions with the management team, board and key stakeholders with a focus on decision-making. The sessions enabled analysis of the current situation through use of a SWOT and Force Field analysis. This information helped the group establish their vision, mission and organizational competencies. We then established the Volunteer Association's unique selling proposition (USP) to further support their focus by using the USP as a marketing tag line. Using the balanced scorecard as a framework the group established organizational goals. The vision, mission, USP, competencies and goals provided the framework needed for staff to develop their annual operating plans. To enable the Board to meet their fiduciary responsibilities without interfering in operations, we established a process and framework for reporting progress to the Board.
National Industry Association
Our client is a national industry association serving the commercial real estate. We worked with our client to establish an organizational scorecard tied to their strategic and business plans. The scorecard was developed collaboratively with management, the Board, and guided with member input. Facilitated sessions were held with the Board and management to ensure understanding and enable effective use of the scorecard in governing and managing the association. Facilitated sessions were held with members to introduce the scorecard and build acceptance and understanding of the tool.
Heritage Foundation
Our client is a charitable, non-profit fundraising organization focused on the preservation, advancement and integration of cultural heritage in Canadian society.
Education & Youth Organization
Our client is a not-for-profit organization that delivers business and economic programs to local and area youth. Conduct an on-line member survey to understand needs and program gaps. Collected and analyzed over 360 responses, provided a detailed report with associated recommendations and facilitated a team meeting to further understanding of the recommendations and establish an action plan to move forward.
Nonprofit Credit Council
Our client is a Credit Counseling Agency that operates as a registered non-profit charitable organization that actively coaches people in their community to achieve financial fitness. We conducted a one-day strategic planning session with the Board and staff. The session confirmed the vision and mission, established strategic objectives, priorities and a basic Gantt chart to facilitate implementation.
Industry Association
Our client is a Toronto based association that represents key decisions makers from some of the most influential real estate corporations in Canada. We worked with our client to effectively deploy their strategy through the development and integration of a business plan.
National Industry Association
Our client engaged us to address significant governance issues between the National body and provincial associations. The issue could potentially have resulted in the dissolution of the association. We conducted interviews with key stakeholders, undertook and nationwide survey and identified the key underlying challenges. Facilitating several sessions with the national and provincial associations we established clear roles and responsibilities, agreed on accountabilities, embedded processes and communication to enhance transparency and instituted an annual governance review to sustain and cement the change.
Health Alliance
Our client is the foundation for a health alliance comprised of three hospital corporations, 300-beds and 1300 staff, physicians and volunteers. We worked with their Board and senior management to develop their strategic planning process. We undertook stakeholder consultations through an on-line survey to inform the strategy development process. Facilitated a two-day strategy session with Board, management and key stakeholders during which time we revitalized the vision, assessed the implications of environmental change on the health alliance, established strategic priorities, measurable objectives and action plan for implementation with associated milestones and associated leadership.
National Arts & Culture Organization
Our client is a national umbrella organization that links the Provincial Chapters and provides assistance to older, disabled or needy members and associates of Canada's Performing Arts Community. Working with a group of about 50 participants we established a three-year strategy focused on building the organizational infrastructure to establish and sustain on-going revenue streams.
Healthcare Association
Our client is a not-for-profit organization focused on health education and is dedicated to supporting schools and communities through quality program supports, partnerships and advocacy. We conducted training to help staff learn the tools and develop the skills needed to facilitate effective meetings. We worked with the staff to understand the various states of group development and how proper preparation can accelerate the group through the early stages, the psychosocial barriers to effective group dynamics and what you can do about them, how to help groups attain high IQ decisions, facilitative interventions for handling group problems and facilitative techniques for group decision-making.
Special Interest Foundation
Our client is the Foundation for a Long-Term Care Home. The purpose of the Foundation is to providing funding to support non-government funded programs that are viewed as essential to the Home's residents. We worked with the Board to establish the Foundations strategic direction, educate and coach them on how their role as a Board member fits within the fund development process and an action plan to deliver upon their intended strategy.