Home - MASadvise.org

We have helped a lot of organizations over the past 30 years. Here are a few examples…

What we do

Helping Not-For-Profits Work Better, so they can Help More

Management Advisory Service (MAS) recruits and supports current and former business, public and not-for-profit sector executives and professionals to provide pro bono consulting services for charities and not-for-profit organizations who come to us for help.

We offer free consulting in the following areas: strategic planning, board governance, facilitation, human resources (including coaching and volunteer management), finance, fundraising, information management and marketing/communications and several others.

Since 1993, 300+ volunteers have helped more than 1,500 Canadian not-for-profit groups do more for their communities by providing free services worth more than $10M.

Our Successes

MAS has been around for more than 25 years now. Take a look at some of the impressive stats that we’ve been able to achieve for our clients.

Projects

0 K+

More than 3,000
not-for-profit projects

Clients

0 +

More than 1,400
not-for-profits helped

Hours

0 K+

59,000+ hours of pro
bono consulting

Value

$ 0 M

$6M in pro bono
consulting work

Volunteers

0 +

More than
300 volunteers

Assignments

0 +

Multiple projects for
more than 600 clients

Amazing Results

0 %

95% of clients report
increased capacity

Approval Rate

0 %

90% of clients
recommend MAS

Here’s How It Works

Not-For-Profit Organizations

Getting Started

If you haven’t reviewed our services yet, we recommend looking now. Then come back or when you get to the bottom of this page, click on the Get Pro Bono Help button.

All of the information you provide is kept confidential and is only used to help the MAS team get to know your organization and start matching our resources to your needs.

Review and Assessment

The MAS office will contact you to request more specifics about the help you need. We will use this information to match a suitable MAS Volunteer Consultant or team to your project.

Putting the Project Into Action

Your Volunteer Consultant will meet with you to formulate the goals and objectives for your project. Together you will set a timeline, tasks and deliverables.

After the Project is Complete

Once the project is complete, you and the Volunteer Consultant will each fill out a Project Close document outlining what has been achieved and any feedback on the experience you may have. If you are satisfied with the project’s outcome and the work of your Volunteer Consultant, and if you are financially able to do so, we ask that you consider a donation to MAS. While we are a charity ourselves, and our Volunteer Consultants donate both their expertise and their time, your financial support will help cover our operational expenses and increase our ability to help other organizations.

Volunteers

Finding Your Fit

If you haven’t reviewed our practice areas yet, we recommend looking now. Otherwise start the application process by clicking the Join our Volunteer Team button.

Starting the Application

We will ask you to provide your resume, to fill out an application form and a self-assessment form, and to sign our Code of Conduct.

Interview

We will then connect you with the Practice Lead in your selected area for an interview. Our goal is to ensure you have the confidence and skill to work fairly independently as a consultant and that we provide you with a good overview of how the project assignment process works and to answer any of your questions. Assuming you’re keen to move ahead there will be a second conversation with our Executive Director to answer your questions and provide some general orientation information.

Welcome to MAS

You will receive emails that summarize Requests for Service submitted by Not-For-Profit clients. You’ll be able to volunteer for any that interest you. The office will connect you to the client and you’ll proceed with them to assess their needs and establish your work plan. Your Practice Lead and our Executive Director are always available to help and there are many resources online that you can choose to use as you implement your project. Volunteer Consultants come together periodically for training and collegial sharing. Reporting into the MAS office is pretty minimal; a short monthly status report and one at the close of your project.

Meet Some of our Volunteer Consultants

Our volunteer consultants are experienced in the not-for-profit sector in a variety of disciplines, and look forward to helping you!

Surabhi Jain

Surabhi brings 20 years of experience in the social impact sector having worked in both the US and Canada. Her expertise is in program development, strategic planning, visioning, and business development.

Darlene Norris

A self-motivated development professional with 25+ years of experience working with high net-worth individuals, families, and Fortune 500 corporations. She provides strategic leadership in fundraising, marketing, and communications, with a proven track record in donor management and persuasive communication skills.

Naomi Abegunde

Naomi Abegunde is a seasoned healthcare leader with expertise in strategy and governance. As a board member at Unison Community Health Centre and Canadian Mental Health Association, York and South Simcoe, she excels in effective governance. As Manager of Scarborough Family Physicians Network, she led its non-profit incorporation, showcasing her ability to drive strategic initiatives.

Ajay Rao

Ajay is a seasoned finance executive with extensive experience in strategic planning, execution, and financial management, including Family Office/Wealth Management. Ajay's expertise lies in driving organizational growth, optimizing financial operations, and providing strategic insights that lead to informed decision-making.

Denise Strong

Denise has 25 years experience in the not for profit sector working for a variety or organizations in a number of roles ranging from team manager to Director of Information Systems. In these roles, she worked on Strategic Plans, Operational Roadmaps/Annual Workplans, Internal Consulting, Monitoring and Evaluation, and staff management and development.

Patrick Madden

After a 30 year career with the Ontario Public Service, Patrick began consulting here in Canada as well as in Africa and the Middle East. His areas of specialty include institutional development, planning, evaluation, policy development, performance measurement and results-based budgeting.

Steve Kuwahara

Steve has 30 years of commercial banking and corporate finance experience, with a combination of business, financial and legal knowledge. Prior to retiring in December 2023, Steve was the head of CIBC’s Public Sector and Not-for-Profit Group, an industry specialty team that provides banking services to a broad range of charities and not-for-profit organizations

Rakesh Vig

Results-Oriented Business Development Entrepreneur - Drives Revenue Growth / Develops Partners / Penetrates New Markets / Structure Business Value and Competitive Differentiation. Took early retirement from IBM to escalate spiritual knowledge and volunteer skills/time on various projects across cultures and countries….(besides Golfing and Travel).

Abiagom Dibia

Abiagom, with a background in Applied Physics, is an analytical problem-solver with multi-disciplinary experience in business development, finance, HR, strategy, management consulting, project management, non-profit & international trade with African markets focus. He values strong client relationships.

Brian Flett

Brian has a background in IT Consulting, Operations Management, and Software Product Management. His focus is on helping non-profits better leverage technology to help drive toward their mission.

Sue Simington

For over 30 years, Sue has designed and consulted on significant organizational change in strategy, leadership development, culture and organization design working with top leaders of corporations in Canada and abroad. Education: Bachelors of Commerce, Master’s in Applied Behavioural Science.

Brian Traquair

Brian is a retired software industry executive with years of volunteer leadership experience in charities and not-for-profits. He joined MAS in 2017, heads the Finance and IT practice, and also does strategy, governance and coaching assignments.

Mercedes Blackwood

Following a 15+ career in media and communications with Bell Media and Rogers Television, Mercedes Blackwood founded Black Coffee Communications Inc. in 2016 to help clients and organizations to develop meaningful connections with audiences via strategic communications and content strategy.

Mark Ellwood

Mark Ellwood is an expert facilitator, specializing in strategic planning, team building, and board governance. He builds team cohesion and creates defined action plans using his innovative group engagement techniques, based on decades of experience.

Vida Vaitonis, RN, BSCN, MED

Having served for over 30 years in senior executive positions in Ontario’s health care system, Vida’s lived experience brings an approach that is as pragmatic as possible in governance training and strategic planning while ensuring Boards’ meet their legal and fiduciary responsibilities.

Tom Vandeloo

Tom spent over thirty years in the consulting industry and has over ten years of governance experience.

Sue Pulfer

After a career in business and technology consulting, Sue joined MAS in 2013. As an expert in strategic planning, Sue has advised and guided many organizations with missions focused on everything from serving the homeless, providing programs for marginalized communities, youth, the environment and much more.

Thomas Plant, MBA, MPA

Thomas has graduate degrees in Business Administration (MBA) and Public Administration (MPA) as well as over 20+ years' experience in municipal government specializing in strategic planning, business planning and continuous improvement. He has been a volunteer with MAS for over 15 years.

Bobby Siu

Since 1989, Bobby Siu has been a management consultant with extensive experience in the non-profit, business and government sectors. He won awards for community volunteering.

Sandra Cruickshanks

Sandra has experience in several sectors including healthcare, government agencies, telecommunications and consulting. Her professional and volunteer background has given Sandra an excellent understanding of the ‎not-for profit sector, regional issues and cultural differences that exist in Ontario.

Ronald S Purcell, BComm, MBA

Ronald S Purcell combines his senior marketing and general management experience with an extensive educational and training background to provide his clients with strategic planning and marketing insights and solutions.

Rob Karpati

Rob has been a long-term Finance leader in multi-national Corporate environments, focused on strategic transformation and process optimization. Rob believes that win/win multi-stakeholder balanced approaches are the basis for collaboration and long-term value.

Marla Allan

An executive Human Resources career in multiple industries, in US and Canada, shaped Marla’s strategic human centred perspective with a metrics driven focus. Passionate about lifelong learning and collaborating with talented leaders, she is active in NFP work, board positions and volunteering to provide leadership coaching and manager development.

Ludo Pasquereau

Welcome and thank you for your interest in coaching! My name is Ludo. As a bilingual and certified business coach, I empower my busy clients to increase their influence and performance (individual and team) in Sales, Projects and Transformations.

Paddy Bowen

Paddy Bowen is an experienced non-profit sector consultant and former executive director. Her work with grass-roots social service organizations has focused on improving volunteer programming, management and leadership as a means to achieving mission.

Denise de Souza

Denise De Souza is an experienced management and operational consultant focused on the transformation of people and processes. With certifications in Human Resources, Coaching, and Project Management, she has worked in supply chain, marketing & sales, manufacturing, technology, customer experience, and human resources across a variety of sectors including consumer packaged goods, healthcare and Seniors housing leading large multi-faceted and small independent organizational change.

Mark Sklar

Mark joined MAS in 2016, having worked in leadership roles in large and small companies, private and public, profit and not for profit sectors. and brings a pragmatic and results focussed approach to all MAS projects.

Pierre Moatti

Pierre’s strong background in I.T., has spanned over thirty-five years, managing projects and large teams. His main focus, has always been about people. Developing and mentoring has always been a priority throughout his career.

Darlene Frampton

Darlene Frampton is a recently retired marketing and fundraising executive with extensive experience in the non-profit sector. Darlene has also taught sponsorship marketing at George Brown College.

Steve Moysey, CPA, BComm

Retired Chief Financial Officer & Vice President Finance and Board Director with global supplier of logistics and supply chain technology. Steve is a Chartered Professional Accountant, a board member with several charitable organizations, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Laura Graham-Prentice

Laura Graham-Prentice consults in the areas of Strategic Planning and Marketing Communications. She has over 30 years experience working for leading brands and Canadian charities.

Jim Brown, BComm/MBA

Jim Brown is a recently retired IT executive who managed both IT related and business functions globally in the financial sector. Jim joined MAS in the Spring of 2019. Jim also currently volunteers with a number of non-profit organizations in the GTA area.

Jawad Kassab LLB, MBA, MDiv

Jawad Kassab is a mission-driven, fiscally responsible, strategic thinker committed to social justice and healthy communities. He has spent his career ensuring access to justice for refugees, transforming business operations, building productive relationships, and improving governance in the legal, health and social services sectors.

Glen Loo

Glen Loo has helped several hundred organizations and communities with their strategic and business planning. He assists stakeholders establish common purpose and collaborative actions.

Peter Goldthorpe

Peter joined MAS in 2000. He worked over 30 years as a lobbyist and in senior management for the Province of Ontario.

Laraine Naft

Laraine transferred the skills she acquired throughout her Social Work career in the community non-profit sector to her work at MAS. Educating herself about Canada’s history with Indigenous Peoples will allow her to offer support in this area as well.

Gary Furlong

Gary Furlong has experience in labour relations, mediation, ADR and conflict resolution. Gary is a Chartered Mediator (C. Med.) and specializes difficult workplace disputes. Gary teaches at the Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre, and is a principal at Agree Inc.

Dorothy Aaron

Dorothy Aaron (M.Ed., Organizational Development) has a background in marketing and research. Since joining MAS in 2011, she has facilitated team building and strategic/action planning for Boards and staffs, focus groups with members/clients/volunteers, and designed research to aid in rebranding.

Cindy R. Dunn, MBA

Cindy spent most of her career with TD Bank and Canada Trust, in Marketing, Retail Banking and HR roles Graduate of Rotman MBA, Ivey HBA, ICD Not-For-Profit Governance Essentials Programs.

Gail Whitbeck

Gail Whitbeck is an accountant with decades of experience in systems in Canada and overseas with excursions in warehouse management and journalism. She loves bringing groups to new insights and ways forward.

Eli Clarke

At McMaster University, Eli Clarke builds meaningful relationships to create opportunities for donors to provide access to education to create a more just and equitable world. Prior to McMaster, Eli worked at the UofT and the MS Society of Canada.

David Saffran

David joined MAS in 2015. He provides consulting on strategic planning, focus groups, surveys and facilitation. Prior to joining MAS he was SVP at Ipsos, a consulting firm. He has a BA from McGill and an MBA from York University.

Barbara Wiktorowicz

Barbara Wiktorowicz brings over 25 years experience in senior executive and Board roles with community health and social services. Most recently, she was Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Accreditation supporting quality improvement in governance, management and service delivery.

Allan G. Reitzes

Following a 30 year career in Jewish communal service, established Allan Reitzes Consulting serving non-profit organizations in North America and Israel. Allan joined MAS in August 2015 in the Strategic Planning, Governance and Fundraising Practices.

Successful Projects

Client Projects

Here are a few successful projects we are proud to have supported.

Energizing Board Members

A small agency that
serves seniors.

Learn more »

Clearer Messaging for Better Fundraising

A small charity.

Learn more »

Making Solid Strategic Decisions

A medium-sized social
service agency.

Learn more »

Aligning HR Programs with Key Objectives

A medium sized agency.

Learn more »

donate today

Help build a strong not-for-profit community

MAS is an organization that relies on volunteers and donations to support our work. Donate today and help us to do more.

Some of our satisfied clients

Amazing Support

Thank you for the amazing support that you provided us during the past year for our Strategic Planning and Performance Management System.

Kristin Griffith
Executive Director, Harmony Hall

Absolutely Amazing

The ArtHeart Board has approved the strategic plan and is in the process of setting up committees and actually doing the items within the plan — so it's underway. You were absolutely amazing in guiding us through the process.

Seanna Connell
Co-Chair, ArtHeart Community Art Centre

Fantastic Job

MAS has done a fantastic job of facilitating working sessions that have resulted in real agreement and results. I would highly recommend MAS to any agency seeking support for this type of work.

Anne Babcock
COO at WoodGreen

Pro Bono Consulting for Not-For-Profit Organizations Across Canada

Helping Not-For-Profits Work Better, so they can Help More

Our Successes

Here’s How It Works

Not-For-Profit Organizations

Getting Started

Review and Assessment

Putting the Project Into Action

After the Project is Complete

Volunteers

Finding Your Fit

Starting the Application

Interview

Welcome to MAS

Meet Some of our Volunteer Consultants

Surabhi Jain

Darlene Norris

Naomi Abegunde

Ajay Rao

Denise Strong

Patrick Madden

Steve Kuwahara

Rakesh Vig

Abiagom Dibia

Brian Flett

Sue Simington

Brian Traquair

Mercedes Blackwood

Mark Ellwood

Vida Vaitonis, RN, BSCN, MED

Tom Vandeloo

Sue Pulfer

Thomas Plant, MBA, MPA

Bobby Siu

Sandra Cruickshanks

Ronald S Purcell, BComm, MBA

Rob Karpati

Marla Allan

Ludo Pasquereau

Paddy Bowen

Denise de Souza

Mark Sklar

Pierre Moatti

Darlene Frampton

Steve Moysey, CPA, BComm

Laura Graham-Prentice

Jim Brown, BComm/MBA

Jawad Kassab LLB, MBA, MDiv

Glen Loo

Peter Goldthorpe

Laraine Naft

Gary Furlong

Dorothy Aaron

Cindy R. Dunn, MBA

Gail Whitbeck

Eli Clarke

David Saffran

Barbara Wiktorowicz

Allan G. Reitzes

Client Projects

Energizing Board Members

Clearer Messaging for Better Fundraising

Making Solid Strategic Decisions

Aligning HR Programs with Key Objectives

Help build a strong not-for-profit community

Some of our satisfied clients

Amazing Support

Absolutely Amazing

Fantastic Job

Join our mailing list to learn more about how we help not-for-profits!

About

SERVICES

Resources