Testimonials & Reviews

"I serve on the Board of an important community non-profit organization. The organization was in an unstable economic position and couldn’t see a way to stability. We engaged Allen to review programs, operations, and funding sources to help determine the options to move the organization to financial stability.

Over a short period, Allen was able to understand the workings of the organization, gain the trust of the staff and Board, and come up with a path to future stability. The organization is now moving towards sound footing. "

"You did an excellent job with keeping us on task. I appreciate your style of facilitating which allowed for full participation from our board with lots of humor!"

"Allen Proctor conducted an exercise with our board to help them link Mission with Money. In the course of a little more than an hour, he was able to move our board to share some common vocabulary as well as a foundation upon which deeper study could occur."

"Allen organized and facilitated one of the most thought-provoking retreats I have attended. Then, working with our staff over several months he inspired them to work together to reach bold recommendations to enhance our organization. He played an essential role in helping us develop a plan for long term sustainability. Strongly recommended!"

"...the best [retreat] I have attended."

"You know how much I hate strategic planning sessions... but I thought today was great. I am often skeptical about consultants, but I must say [we] really came up with a good thing getting funding ... for this outstanding work. "

"Wow, you were a big hit with my board. Never in 15 years have I gotten such good response for this bi annual retreat!"

"...One of the most introspective and focused discussions of the future we have ever had at a strategic meeting."

"I was enthralled by Allen Proctor's presentation and as I listened, I wished more funders were in attendance to hear him. Mr. Proctor validated so many factors that we, as non-profit professionals, have known for years about reliably sustaining our organizations to maintain our missions."

"In 12 years of directing a non profit organization...I have never heard someone talk to funders from a on-the-ground perspective like Mr. Proctor did. He clearly articulated the realities local non-profit leaders are experiencing in this challenged economy. Excellent material with a courageous presentation."

"It was a great presentation. I enjoyed listening to his candid review of how things really function in the nonprofit world. He was realistic and the information was valuable."

"His presentation style is engaging and the tempo is just right. The highlight for me was his stance that in times of financial difficulty, having Foundations step back and reduce support is the opposite of what should be happening. I have shared much of what Allen said as often as I could to those in other similar situations as ours at the YMCA." (more)

"I thoroughly enjoyed Allen's presentation. His presentation style is engaging and the tempo is just right. The highlight for me was his stance that in times of financial difficulty - including the last 3+ years, having Foundations step back and reduce support is the opposite of what should be happening. Non-profits are - 501 (c)(3) organizations were given tax-exempt status because they do what the government cannot do for the people. In an effort to encourage giving, contributions are tax-deductible to the donor. Foundations have a responsibility to "step-up" in these times rather than withdrawing support. I have shared much of what Allen said as often as I could to those in other similar situations as ours at the YMCA." (less)

"Allen's presentation had a powerful impact on members of my Board of Directors who were in attendance. I think they understood for the first time the needs and limitations of a small agency and what we are really capable of accomplishing."

"Allen Proctor excels in translating money matters for an audience of seasoned and relatively new finance professionals. Dr. Proctor's vast experience captures the audiences' imagination, his presentation style wins their attentions, and the take-away from the session is impactful. Our audience loved him!"

"I found the presentation to be very helpful. I am most interested in the topic of sustainability and highlighting the importance of maintaining surpluses of a not-for-profit in the good years. Allen's speaking style pulls the audience in, but what he is saying keeps us engaged."

"This was a great presentation about the current dilemma facing non-profits and how we got there. Mr. Proctor offered new ideas about how to approach funders and advocate for the value we bring to our communities."

"Mr. Proctor shared information that is very practical to what is happening today in not-for-profit organizations. To an organization's financial officer, the information was right on target and informative."

"I found Mr. Proctor's presentation to be very informative and quite enlightening. He kept the audience's interest level high and interacted well with his listening audience. I learned a great deal from the presentation and look forward to reading his book."

"Mr. Proctor's presentation was thought provoking and stimulated the audience to shift their paradigm of the role and function of non-profits in today's world."

"I have never experienced a more effective strategic planning process...He is a disciplined retreat facilitator who makes sure the day is well spent on strategic deliberation...My board was thrilled with the process and the outcome." (more)

"I have never experienced a more effective strategic planning process. Allen's decision-based approach to retreats helped our board prioritize its services and identify the key decisions we needed to make over the coming year. He is a disciplined retreat facilitator who makes sure the day is well spent on strategic deliberation. His parking lot and board meeting topic schedule are very effective ways to achieve closure without ignoring the concerns of retreat participants. My board was thrilled with the process and the outcome." (less)

"Allen's major strength is structure and focus in his pre-retreat and retreat planning sessions. He is inclusive of all participants' voices while maintaining a focus on the needed outcomes of the retreat. This retreat enabled our organization to maintain a clear focus on our mission."

"Allen's retreat preparation and facilitation were very effective in getting our organization to set our priorities and to ensure a strategic planning process that serves our mission. The retreat put us on the right track for a successful planning effort."

"Both our board and staff are now fully engaged in Allen's mission/money matrix. The model really created a breakthrough for us!"

"Allen Proctor's vision and thought-provoking questions prompted our Board of Directors to think differently and ... solidify our thinking ..." (more)

"Allen Proctor's vision and thought-provoking questions prompted our Board of Directors to think differently and ... solidify our thinking ... Allen has the ability to take complex concepts and simplify them so that they are understandable and logical to implement.... He is a fabulous presenter and I highly recommend engaging Allen to help your school or organization plan for your financial future." (less)

"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."

"Allen's books, Linking Mission to Money and More Than Just Money, are a must for any head of school or corporate CFO."

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)