Book Reviews

"It was among the best retreats I've ever attended for any organization. This book is a must-read for the President and CFO of any not-for-profit organization." (more)

"A year ago, I gave Proctor's book "Linking Mission To Money" to the chair of finance and administration of the board of Available Light Theatre Company. He is a great reader and he took the book to heart and mind. Following a major theme in Proctor's book, our finance chair (now president of the board) polled the board and the company (of actors), forcing us to rank all our productions by whether they were on strategy, to determine their contribution to mission. Then, he graphed the results against the box office receipts. It produced a mesmerizing and enlightening graph, placed in front of everyone for a vigorous discussion about why we do what we do -- and what we must expect to earn (or lose) when we do it. Our annual retreat focused on this (including another real-time Proctor-style analysis of the season to come) -- and was the best retreat for our company ever. It was among the best retreats I've ever attended for any organization. This book is a must-read for the President and CFO of any not-for-profit organization." (less)

"Just the section on "Building a Mission-Focused Budget" would be worth the investment in Linking Mission to Money, the best resource for board member I've read in a long time. Principled, informed, mission-focused governance is well served by this indispensable handbook for social sector, nonprofit boards. Thank you, Allen Proctor."

"Linking Mission to Money is the book we have been waiting for. It takes nonprofit finance and lays it out in a way that is smart, strategic and straightforward. No one should serve on a nonprofit board without it."

"Proctor's demystifying book is important, and he argues powerfully that while budgets, projections, and fiscal prudence are essential, we must never forget the higher aspirations in our institutions."

"Perfect fit into this training program for mid-career managers at distinguished New York City arts organizations…Just the right practical attention to budgets as a tool in identifying priorities and serving mission."

"Stewardship of financial resources is a key board responsibility. Allen Proctor shows, clearly and simply, how to exercise that responsibility. He provides and excellent set of tools for evaluating financial performance without jargon or unnecessary complexity."

"The transition to being a not for profit board member is fraught with uncertainty regarding roles and responsibilities. Allen Proctor has provided the new and experience board member with a treasure trove of insights..." (more)

"The transition to being a not for profit board member is fraught with uncertainty regarding roles and responsibilities. Allen Proctor has provided the new and experience board member with a treasure trove of insights on overseeing the financial processes of non profit institutions. A must read for anyone interested in improving governance in the not for profit sector!" (less)

"Linking Mission to Money is an indispensible guide on how to make budgets and other financial tools work for non-profit organizations. Allen Proctor has done a wonderful job of describing how to link budget decisions to organizational goals." (more)

"Linking Mission to Money is an indispensible guide on how to make budgets and other financial tools work for non-profit organizations. Allen Proctor has done a wonderful job of describing how to link budget decisions to organizational goals. It is easy to understand, accurate, and complete. Although intended for board members of non-profit organizations, the information this handbook provides will be useful to anyone who is interested in helping non-profit organizations make effective use of the resources available to them." (less)

"Proctor provides trustees with advice for participating in the financial managements of a nonprofit group without becoming overwhelmed by financial statements and other minutiae."

"The book offers tips on how to review an organization's priorities, how to better match the budget to those priorities, how to make sure the money is spent properly, and how to prepare for bad financial times."

"This is an excellent reference book. [Allen Proctor] is a national figure in the area of nonprofit governance and taught at Harvard University as well as Columbia University. The book provides a balance between the conceptual and the practical while not drowning in numbers. That is an impressive accomplishment for a book about finance."

Praise from across the globe! Check out the More Than Just Money review from The Neue Zürcher Zeitung, one of Switzerland's oldest publications.

"Das Motto der Nonprofits: Gutes tun statt Gewinn maximieren - (wie) funktioniert das?"

"Economist and consultant Allen J. Proctor offers clear strategies for operating a modern nonprofit organization. He invites nonprofits to take a deeper, more 'provocative' look at their fundamental structures and systems, and he provides specific, concrete methods for improving them...getAbstract recommends this professional, managerial analysis of how to keep your nonprofit fiscally sound while achieving its altruistic goals."

"His book provides fresh perspective on a needed shift in the management and operation of nonprofits...Readers will be pleased with the book's ability to address the major issues faced by nonprofits in less than 250 pages. The book is well suited to its intended audience."

"This is a book that everyone involved with nonprofit organizations will find both useful and inspiring. More Than Just Money provides invaluable information, practical steps and provocative lessons to increase the probability of success for your organization."

"This is a critical read, not just for non-profit executives, but for every C-suite executive in the for-profit sector."

"...basic and inspirational for all of us in the nonprofit world...A primer to help boards and staffs adapt to the new climate of perpetual change. Brilliant!"

"Board members and nonprofit managers and their staff should read this book...the insights are profound."

"County and City government sponsors prefer to contract with successful and sustainable nonprofits to meet critical community needs. Proctor is spot-on..."

"More Than Just Money is a valuable gift to all who care about improving the performance of our indispensable nonprofit organizations."

"From his emphasis on the need for partnership between boards and management, to aligning spending with mission, to motivating the modern donor, [Allen] conveys unusual breadth of knowledge and insight."

"In this valuable book, Allen's expertise is blended with his passion for a healthy nonprofit sector- one of the clearest roadmaps for improvement you will find anywhere."

"More Than Just Money clearly delineates what strategic changes boards , nonprofit leadership and the funder community must make for the nonprofit sector to excel in meeting the community needs of the future."

"Allen J. Proctor's More Than Just Money is an incredibly valuable, succinct and accessible "how to" for nonprofit board executives, philanthropists, development professionals and community leaders..." (more)

"Allen J. Proctor's More Than Just Money is an incredibly valuable, succinct and accessible "how to" for nonprofit board executives, philanthropists, development professionals and community leaders. It illuminates ways to effectively guide the important work of community service through charitable organizations. His ability to break down myriad complex issues and challenges faced by today's nonprofits and present sound and practical guidance in a commonsense approach will make More Than Just Money an invaluable resource for years to come." (less)