Transform Your Organization with Strategic Governance Solutions

We provide expert leadership to strengthen your board governance

Executive Performance On Demand.

When We’re Needed.
For As Long As We’re Needed.

Osborne Group principals work closely with our clients’ leaders to develop customized and effective governance strategies and processes, enhancing their ability to achieve their vision, mission, and strategic objectives. Whether you’re embarking on a new strategic direction or seeking to refresh a nonprofit board with greater representation and a broader skill set, we have in-depth experience supporting effective board governance. Our principals have expertise based on their perspectives from senior executive careers, leading boards of directors and consulting to a broad variety of nonprofit organizations.

Our principals have a broad range of skills and are highly experienced in all aspects of nonprofit management with a strong focus on strategic development, organizational design, and board governance.

The Osborne Group, a dynamic team of highly experienced executives, has been helping organizations succeed since 1993. We provide a wide range of professional interim management, consulting, planning, and project management services. Our clients are small, medium size and multinational companies in for profit, not-for-profit and government agencies.

We have experience across many nonprofit sectors, including:

Charities and foundations
Community and social services
Child welfare and developmental services
Arts and Cultural agencies
Healthcare services
Housing agencies and property managers
Animal service agencies and humane societies
Professional associations
Provincial & national sports organizations
Universities and colleges
Legal aid organizations
Provincial government agencies

Our principals have leadership experience and in-depth knowledge in all areas within nonprofit organizations. We get to work quickly and get the job done to the highest standards.

On every assignment we:

Focus on our client’s needs first
Collaborate to develop the best solutions
Work with integrity
Provide excellent quality service
Commit to outstanding results

There are many approaches to strategic planning, all of which should be tailored to an organization’s specific needs. Our principals are experienced facilitators and leadership coaches using methods and techniques such as Scenario Planning, Appreciative Inquiry, Theory U, and Technology of Participation (“ToP”). We engage our clients in meaningful, progressive conversations where all participants are heard and able to freely contribute to a shared vision.

Our approach to strategic planning is grounded in developing a thorough understanding of an organization’s current reality. This often includes feedback from interviews with key community stakeholders to fully reveal the nonprofit’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. We also review comparable organizations that may have faced similar challenges. Our experience tells us this is an excellent approach for organizations in any sector: health, social and community services, associations, or arts and cultural organizations.

Following our initial review, we typically facilitate a session with the board of directors and others that may include senior managers to develop the building blocks for a strategic plan. Relying on a wide spectrum of information from internal and external stakeholders and our own experience with similar organizations, we develop the draft strategic plan and recommendations for implementation, review, and approval.

Contact the Osborne Group to discuss how we can help with your strategic planning and governance.

Nonprofit boards have the responsibility to ensure their organization is well-positioned to face all the challenges that arise, some foreseeable and others not. We help boards meet this responsibility several ways:

Organizational renewal and transformation:

We will help your organization respond to changes in government policies, client needs, the economic environment, funder requirements and other external circumstances.
Review of Board structure, representation, and skills:
We help boards assess their diversity and inclusivity relative to the communities they serve and assist in making appropriate adjustments.

Risk Management:

We will help assess organizational and environmental risks when you need strategic insights and guidance to implement difficult changes.

Best Practices:

We advise the board of directors on best governance and accountability practices and assist in the review and enhancement of governance policies to help achieve the strategic plan.

A Case of Osborne led Board Development

A newly formed Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic (NPLC) needed a business plan to secure a mandate and funding from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Two Osborne Group principals worked closely with the board to write the business plan and, once funding was secured, we set up operational parameters for the clinic and helped the board recruit and hire their first administrative leader. We provided a comprehensive Operations Manual covering governance, risk management, and clinical administrative and human resource policies and practices.

Whether your agency is newly formed or has been operating for many years, you can call on the Osborne Group to help with board governance concerns.

We have extensive experience working with nonprofit agencies to ensure they operate effectively with sound policies and practices.

We have developed policy manuals for numerous community and public health organizations across the province incorporating up-to-date legislative requirements and governance, risk management, clinical, administrative, and human resource policies and practices. Our hands-on experience with boards, large and small, and their operational guidelines allows us to quickly assess existing policies and practices in other organizations.

Contact us to discuss your needs for policy review and development.

Get in Touch

Our Clients Say It Best

Faced with challenges related to governance, organizational culture, and a leadership transition, we required a consulting firm that could support both our day-to-day operations and long-term strategic priorities. The Osborne Group helped us navigate these complexities by delivering practical solutions tailored to our organization, while also considering the external factors that impact our environment.

Their reputable principals bring deep expertise and a high level of professionalism across their respective disciplines. They took the time to work closely with our team, providing coaching and mentorship that helped build the skills needed for sustained success. As a result, we are now on a clear path to stability and growth made possible through The Osborne Group’s trusted guidance.

Volletta Peters, PhD

Executive Director, Sistering

As a start-up, we had to build everything from the ground up. As a company working in all Canadian provinces, that meant understanding HR standards in each province, developing new policies and implementing a system to hire and retain staff.

Over the years, The Osborne Group has supported us in developing a clear HR strategy, establishing employee standards, and improving our approach to recruitment and retention. The Osborne Group gave us individual, curated support while at the same time providing broad team resources when needed. As a result, we’ve built a strong foundation. We have high staff retention, clear employee standards, and are widely recognized as a great place to work.

Barry Friesen, P.Eng.

Executive Director, Cleanfarms Inc.

Our organization was operating without the systems, procedures, and policies needed to support efficiency, transparency, and productivity. We were extremely busy and lacked the time to reflect and map out where we wanted to go. The biggest challenge was managing change while determining what was truly valuable and what was not.

The Osborne Group helped us develop a strategic plan tailored to our organization. Their approach was not cookie-cutter or based on a standard toolkit. It reflected our workplace and executive board culture and long-term aspirations. As a result, we now have a multi-year plan with clear direction and the confidence to pivot as needed. We are very pleased with the work The Osborne Group did and the thoughtful approach they brought to the process.

Glenn Wheeler

COPE Ontario

Homepage – Waterloo Minor Hockey Association

Our organization lacked clarity around board governance, defined roles, and how each position fit within the overall structure. Entrenched habits and inconsistent practices made it difficult for directors to understand their evolving responsibilities. The Osborne Group provided practical insight into our challenges and a clear path forward. The principal worked to build trust quickly, adapted the approach as needed, and met individually with each director to address the key challenges. As a result, we now operate with clear governance guidelines, structured onboarding for new members, and strong checks and balances to ensure accountability. Overall, the engagement was professional, straightforward, and highly effective.

Tracey Williams

Director of Operations, Waterloo Minor Hockey Association

Our organization needed a strategic plan to enhance our professionalism, establish clear direction, and define our goals. The Osborne Group guided us in creating this plan. Their approach was professional, organized, and structured, enabling full team participation. As a result, we now have dynamic policies, procedures, and sub-committees in place, allowing us to take a proactive approach.

Doug Morrison

President, Board Member, The Table Soup Kitchen Foundation