“We thank the leadership as well as all the consulting team members at Endeavour for their thoroughly professional, patient, and thoughtful insights to ensure that we can continue offering crucial services and programs as the only HIV/AIDS service organization in York Region. We feel that the recommendations from your team will be hugely beneficial in clarifying our short-term and long-terms strategic directions as an organization.”
– Vibhuti Mehra, Executive Director, AIDS Committee of York Region

“The Endeavour team provided us with an exceedingly high quality product and service, something that we could not afford to hire a team to do. The team was flexible in meeting our needs, and clearly communicated their progress and needs throughout the process. This has been invaluable for a small non-profit organization like us. The five- year strategic plan for our agency will help us to strengthen our partnerships, expand our programming, and ensure the permanence of our services to our community.”
– Christine LeDrew, Executive Director, John Howard Society of Sarnia & Lambton

“Tonight the Kids Alive Board voted unanimously that in early 2017, we’ll officially change our name to Hope Story from Kids Alive Canada. Many lives have already been transformed as a result of your team’s hard work and we believe in paying it forward. For this, we have provided Endeavour with a donation to help future clients in their success while engaging with the outstanding pro bono and skills-based consulting teams at Endeavour. Being a client of Endeavour has helped us grow to the next level. A huge thank you!”
– Tim Brown, Executive Director, Kids Alive Canada

“Our experience with Endeavour was wonderful in that it is giving us an opportunity to take our organization to the next level. They have given us the tools, knowledge and wherewithal to make it happen. Thank you all very, very much. You are filling a much­needed void in our community and it is deeply appreciated.”
– Tom Arnold, President, Town of York Historical Society

“Working with Endeavour has proven to be a very positive experience for PAVRO. They brought a fresh perspective when looking at our challenges and delivered on all their promises.”
– Lisa Rae, President, PAVRO (Professional Association of Volunteer Leaders – Ontario)

“The Endeavour consulting team gave us a valuable framework for moving forward with a communication and branding strategy at a pace that works with our limited resources. They were a pleasure to work with.”
– Joan Stonehocker, Executive Director, York Region Food Network

“When we first heard about the opportunity to engage with Endeavour, we knew that we needed a strategic look at our organization and a plan forward. Now we truly understand how much we needed an objective assessment of where we are now and where we are going as an organization. Working with you all has been an invaluable experience for all of us and has already shaped our thinking. We are truly humbled by your volunteer commitment and have been impressed by the team, the research, and the quality outputs at every stage of the process. Thank you. Thank you. Perhaps the very best way to thank you all will be to show you in 6 months, 1 year, 2 years the steps we have made thanks to your efforts over the past 6 months.”
– Deb Maskens, Chair, Kidney Cancer Canada (KCC)

“Our consulting team was incredible from start to finish! The degree of detail, thought and depth they demonstrated made it clear to our Board and staff that they were highly engaged individuals clearly committed to the best interests of Kidney Cancer Canada. We value the time, energy and effort given by the team — they will be partners in our growth and success!”
– Catherine Madden, Executive Director, Kidney Cancer Canada (KCC)

“With limited time, money and human resources we were having difficulties advancing our strategic plan. While we were confident in our strategic directions, we credit Endeavour with helping us take the first step towards implementation with their programming recommendations and high-level roadmap. We were impressed by the diversity of talents on the team, plus the energy and dedication of each member. Most knew nothing about the camping industry when we met for the first time, but they asked a lot of thought-provoking questions and did significant independent research. They provided me with ample opportunities to comment on their progress and shared resources with me prior to sending them out. I always felt that my concerns or suggestions were listened to and acted on. Most importantly, we are thrilled to have actual tools for implementing their recommendations. While the research behind the program recommendations is valuable, the high level roadmap to help us make it a reality is priceless! On a personal note, I appreciated the Engagement Manager’s patience and understanding of my challenges and limitations as a one-person office. It was an amazing experience which exceeded our expectations and is one we would highly recommend to other not-for-profits. When can we do it again?!”
– Tracy Morley, Executive Director, Camp Awakening

“We engaged Endeavour because we needed answers before we decided to pursue our idea of establishing a sustainable funding initiative, but did not have the funding for a feasibility study. The best part about working with the Endeavour consulting team was having someone doing the work and providing insights into the viability of the earned income strategy. After working with the Endeavour consultants, we concluded that we would have to divert resources to get the initiative up and running, and decided that we did not get a strong enough positive response from the marketplace to take that risk. But that does not make this any less valuable an exercise. The Endeavour engagement manager and consultants were great, very tenacious. They just kept at it. We absolutely see the benefit in working with Endeavour again, especially when we have another project that is on the cusp like this one – where it might work, but then again, it might not. I would recommend Endeavour to both small- and medium-sized charities. They do not generally have the resources to plan, and even if they do, they are usually so resource stretched that there is no wiggle room if what they are doing goes awry. They don’t have the extra resources to get out of a bad decision. Working with Endeavour will allow them to plan and to ask more “what if” questions without spending big dollars on something that might not be feasible in the end.”
– Heather Ferguson, President, The Hearing Foundation of Canada (THFC)

“In 2009, we began working with a group of exceptional volunteers from Endeavour. Their assignment was to develop a strategic plan for a self-sustaining discount bridal boutique on-site in our warehouse/office location. We needed help determining the best way to operate this boutique and to see if it could be turned into a source of annual revenue for our charitable programs. The Endeavour volunteers worked tirelessly to develop our plan. They conducted an incredible amount of top quality research into the bridal industry. In addition, they physically came into our space to see it and to observe and interview our staff, our volunteers and our bridal customers during a warehouse sale. In the end, the Endeavour volunteers produced an incredibly professional and thorough strategic plan that we have already put in place. Their recommendations were smart and very clear, enabling us to implement them easily and with great success. We greatly appreciate the quality of the work that the volunteers did on our behalf and we are so excited about working with them again on our upcoming initiative.”
– Helen Harakas, Executive Director, Windfall

“I wanted you all to know how much I appreciate the enormous amount of work you have done on behalf of FRP Canada. I have now read the final report carefully, and see that it is chock full of very concrete ideas which will be considered seriously and included in our work plans over the coming months and beyond. I look forward to reporting about our progress to Endeavour. Working with Endeavour has been a wonderful learning experience. You each acted in a truly professional manner, yet with warmth and enthusiasm, making my involvement a pleasure. As I tried so inadequately to express last Friday, your caring and commitment towards FRP Canada, so freely given, was uplifting for me personally. I know that every member of the Board joins me in offering heartfelt thanks for your efforts.”
– Janice MacAulay, Executive Director, Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP Canada)

“Our association was very fortunate indeed to have the opportunity to work with Endeavour. The consultation process was a highly collaborative and constructive one that allowed us to access the varied and valuable knowledge and experience of our excellent consulting team. Through our work with them we were able to develop and begin refining a strategic plan for a sustainable future. We are very grateful for their assistance and would recommend them without reservation to other non-profit associations who are facing the complex challenges of working in the rapidly changing context which is the modern world of non-profits.”
– Terry Simonik, President, Canadian Group Psychotherapy Association (CGPA)

“Endeavour’s dedicated, volunteer consultants provided the PAAC with an excellent strategic plan with clearly defined goals and implementation guidelines. I would strongly recommend Endeavour for any non-profit group seeking management consulting support. The team’s final report exceeded our Board’s expectations and provided a very valuable road map for improving our Association. The lead consultant was very diligent in providing information and coordinating input from the Board of Directors. On behalf of the Board of the Public Affairs Association of Canada, I would like to thank you, and your outstanding team, for the dedicated and professional job you did on our Association’s strategic plan. The Board and our members enjoyed working with you and we are appreciative of the thoughtful approach you took to your work, and the quality of the final product. We can’t thank you enough for helping us.”
– John Capobianco, President, Public Affairs Association of Canada (PAAC)

“A key strength of the team was being open to learning about the ways in which the organization worked while also being responsive to our flexible approaches. I felt that the members of the team did a great job at not only learning but understanding what we do and why we do it, even if it wasn’t always clear. I know that this can take a lot of time and effort, but it contributed to a strong final result that we could make sense of, and use to our advantage. The blend of backgrounds on the team was beneficial, particularly as it gave support in areas our staff and board have little experience in. The Endeavour consulting engagement provided our organization resources we would not otherwise been able to access in such a productive way. The team we worked with was not only knowledgeable, but they all took an interest in learning about why we work on these issues. The consulting team members allowed themselves to be challenged, which encouraged us to challenge ourselves further during our rebranding process. Their commitment to working with us provided a great final result for our organization.”
– Caleb Chepesiuk, Director, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP)

“Food For The Poor Canada (FFPC) is beginning the huge undertaking of breaking into the Canadian market place. I asked Endeavour to help me in this most important work. The end result was an in-depth, detailed, insightful report that will allow me to raise awareness of FFPC’s work in the Caribbean and Latin America using concrete ideas and direction.”
– Samantha Mahfood, Executive Director, Food For The Poor Canada (FFPC)

“Endeavour’s consulting team gained an early insight into the main organizational challenges SHF faced relating to its growth, and as a result they were able to focus in on helping us make the transition from our entrepreneurial stage to a more managed and directed organization.”
– David Walsh, Founder and Board Member, Seeds of Hope Foundation (SHF)

“To ensure a solid foundation for the future at the seven-year anniversary of the founding of 6 St. Joseph House, Seeds of Hope Foundation was privileged to have Endeavour engaged to provide a clear road map and targets for the future. Our thanks to the entire Endeavour team for much needed clarity, support, insight and expertise.”
– Yellow Door News, Seeds of Hope Foundation (SHF)

“We are extremely happy with the end result and are thrilled with the Endeavour team’s ability to produce exactly the type of report we had hoped would be possible. Amazing work! This is the second time our agency has come to Endeavour for support and expertise. Our first experience was very positive so we had some fairly high expectation going into this project. We are please to see that Endeavour continues to evolve and excel in the support they are able to provide to not-for-profit organizations such as ours. We have recommended Endeavour to others and will continue to do so. As our organization evolves and grows we may again request the supports of Endeavour in other capacities.”
– Sherry Sim, Administrator, Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR)/Réadaptation Psychosociale (RPS) Canada

“A major benefit for the Board of PSR/RPS Canada was the expertise of Endeavour in helping with practical strategies that will enable us to provide the best possible services to our members. As a result of the survey, we are now in the process of updating our website to include a membership forum/blog and a membership e-bulletin as a means of keeping in touch. We expect our membership to continue to grow as a result of the implementation of the above noted action plans. We continue to make inroads and look forward to development of chapters in other provinces. We look forward to the possibility of working with Endeavour in the future and do not hesitate to make a recommendation to other community-based and non-profit groups.”
– Carole Eaton, President/Chair, Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR)/Réadaptation Psychosociale (RPS) Canada

“Endeavour has given us a clear and concise road-map (could be a 10 year plan) and tools that will allow us to grow our work with prisoners. We cannot thank you enough. Your recommendations are well researched, well thought out, spot on, and your delivery of the material made it all seem achievable.”
– Cheryl Vanderburg, Program Coordinator, Freeing The Human Spirit

“The Engagement Manager and her team provided recommendations that were fresh and even surprising to us, but were fully based on broad experience with the non-profit sector. We look forward to giving full consideration to the comprehensive recommendations and being able to follow through with them, given the supports and resources that we are looking forward to.”
– Diane Buhler, Executive Director, Parent Action on Drugs (PAD)

“We want to thank the Endeavour team for the great work it has done on our behalf. Frankly, I am generally a little sceptical about such exercises – but because of the creativity and diligence of your team, this has proven to be very helpful indeed. We have our thinking caps thoroughly in place.”
– Stan Gibson, Co-Founder, Ecologos Institute

“The assessment and recommendations provided by Endeavour’s knowledgeable consulting team were especially useful during the agency’s 2009-2010 strategic planning process.”
– Mandy Thomson, President, and Honey Crossley, Executive Director, Working Skills Centre (WSC)

“Since the Fall of 2008, Meal Exchange has been fortunate to be working with a skilled and passionate team of volunteer consultants. On June 1st, the Endeavour team presented their report, a pre-feasability study of cause-related marketing, to the Meal Exchange Board of Directors. Their hard work has already guided Meal Exchange’s approach to sponsorship and social media and we will continue to benefit from their research and recommendations as we continue to grow. Thank you for your hard work!”
– Meal Exchange

“We commend Endeavour for providing quality advice to us and other non-profit groups. As you know, the non-profit sector in Canada is generally unable to afford the advice that Endeavour provides for free to its clients, which is of tremendous value and is badly needed by many non-profits. We emphasize and underscore our thanks for your work in the community and hope that Endeavour grows in capacity in the future to continue to provide this valuable counsel to non-profits in need.”
– The Vaughan Youth Cabinet (VYC)

“Endeavour is an amazing concept! The entire team was dedicated and flexible and our engagement manager was great with communication. The tireless consultants that worked with The Ontario Rural Council helped us to carry out a project in just a few months that would have taken us a year, or more, to do on our own. We will take the Youth Council Toolkit that they helped us to create and make a real difference for communities across Ontario. Thanks Endeavour!”
– Nichole Fraser, Chair, Rural Youth Working Group The Ontario Rural Council (TORC)