Connection. Clarity. Creation

Supporting environmental and community-focused charities and organisations through growth, transition and change.

“Often the decisive turn is preceded by an apparent emphasizing of and raising to their extreme of things which seem the very denial, the most uncompromising opposite of the new principle and the new creation.” 

~ Sri Aurobindo

How Ellara Group can help you

You are creating more sustainable ways for people to live and be together, to care for each other and for the Earth.

As your organisation grows and evolves to better serve your mission, new ways of working are needed.

Your governance, operations, policies and systems need to change as your organisation does.

I help organisations move through times of change by creating the structures, systems and processes needed to support their next stage of progress.

How we work together

I work with organisations to:

Deliver projects effectively:

  • I work with clients to help move projects from ideas and plans to actuality. Together we develop the project management processes that help projects move forward while staying on time and on budget (defining scope, schedules, budgets, delegated authority, action tracking processes)

Strengthen day-to-day operations:

  • Together we identify the operational processes that are missing, unclear or overcomplicated. And we design or refine operational processes to clarify goals, workflows and responsibilities (for example, for communications, human resources, compliance, volunteer management or business development)

Support good governance:

  • I help organisations update and refine their policies so they reflect how they actually want to work together and are compliant with current legislation. I also support boards with planning trustee meetings, trustee recruitment and onboarding

Build financial clarity:

  • I support organisations in creating the useable financial tools to help track their financial status, plan and make decisions. Together we create the budgeting, cash flow forecasting, scenario planning, financial reporting and decision-making tools that support strategic and operational decisions

About

Amanda Smith

I support small charities and environmental and community-focused groups through periods of transition, growth and change by creating and refining the operational, governance and project management systems that form the foundation of the organisation.

With 25 years experience, including 15 years in charity operations, leadership, trustee, and volunteer roles - and a background in engineering and project management - I bring a practical and structured approach to helping small organisations create and implement the processes needed for their next stage of progress.

I often work with organisations during periods of growth, transition or crisis bringing a calm, creative and structured approach.

Example charity experience includes:

  • Served as Interim Director of Operations and Transition of a volunteer-run charity. Supported the charity in establishing a solid financial foundation and new processes and policies for an international volunteer team.

  • Managing Director and Acting Executive Director of a national charity. Led the operations through a leadership transition and development of new lines of work focused on sustainable resource management, climate resilience and sustainability planning.

  • Created budgets, financial scenario planning tools and financial oversight processes to help a nonprofit navigate a financial transition and rebuild a strong financial foundation

  • Developed event production processes that helped teams of remote volunteers in different timezones to deliver 35 on-line and in-person events each year

    And previously in my career:

  • Managed the procurement of $1.5 billion in hospital and sports stadium construction projects for government clients on time and on budget, including the stadium projects for Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games

  • Designed and delivered conferences and seminars to bring together groups of 300+ people on issues of urban sustainability across Canada

  • Project Manager for the development of a sustainability framework that established a vision for low-carbon, climate-resilient design across 2,000 acres of urban renewal land

Learn more

"Amanda has a remarkable capacity to articulate the moving parts of a situation, the options available, and the implications of those options - an invaluable skill that makes her a leader regardless of the role she is in.

In challenging situations she brings clarity, steadiness and a deep respect for the people involved."

— R. Stephson, Non-Profit Board President