WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
“Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates helped us to reveal our organization’s strengths and opportunities and forge a clear path
for our affiliates, no small challenge with a statewide network that spans 676 countries.”
- Jennifer Tolle Whiteside, CEO, President – North Carolina Community Foundation
“The feasibility study and report we received from Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates has been extremely formative to our
work. They provided solid advice which has impacted our strategic planning greatly. We still quote the report 2 ½ years later
and continue as we continue to evolve in our efforts to pursue long-term “sticky” assets as gifts to our foundation.”
- Amy Cheney, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
“Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates knowledge of the field gave our board a perspective of community foundation operations
that they would have otherwise never had. He opened a wide range of possibilities and opportunities.”
- Nancy Anthony, Executive Director - Oklahoma City Community Foundation
“The work of Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates allowed us to get staff and board singing from the same sheet of music.
Their facilitation of our strategic planning process gave focus to the work of the foundation and stimulated a belief in our
ability to become one of the fastest growing community foundations in the country. They were also fun to work with!”
- Terri Lee Freeman, (former) President - The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region
“As we sought to take a hard look at jump-starting our development program, Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates was the
catalyst we needed to ask the tough questions and engage board and management in reflection and then action. They have
been a tremendous resource all the way along, providing technical assistance, coaching and objective feedback which has
been invaluable to our process and progress!”
- Joanne Walsh, President and CEO - Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut
“These are experienced foundation professionals who understand the special culture and challenges of philanthropy inside
out. Their work with our development committee was at once tactful and honest. They size up management situations quickly
and accurately and are extremely adept in helping both boards and staff see their capabilities and limitations more clearly.”
- Bruce Fraser, Executive Director - Connecticut Humanities Council
“Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates’ marketplace analysis and blueprint for developing our role as the community’s philanthropic center is an indispensable how-to manual for the Venice Foundation. Their work is especially valuable to me as the new CEO
and I am glad my predecessors had the foresight to hire them.”
- Teri Hansen, President - Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice
“Ekstrom Allley Clontz & Associates’ vast knowledge of the community foundation world, coupled with their nimble capacity
to facilitate new thinking and thoughtful conversation made them the perfect managers of our strategic planning.”
- Ronald V. Gallo, President & CEO - Santa Barbara Foundation
“Helmer and his associates combined their practical experience of working in the philanthropic field, considerable knowledge of
the nonprofit sector research, and expertise in group dynamics to facilitate a productive discussion with our board of trustees that produced a blueprint for our foundation’s journey into the next decade.”
- J. Mac Bennett, Former President - Central Carolina Community Foundation
“Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates are a knowledgeable and thoroughly professional resource from whose services we have benefited and whom we are pleased to recommend to the attention of our members.”
- Martin C. Lehfeldt, Former President - Southeastern Council on Foundations
for our affiliates, no small challenge with a statewide network that spans 676 countries.”
- Jennifer Tolle Whiteside, CEO, President – North Carolina Community Foundation
“The feasibility study and report we received from Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates has been extremely formative to our
work. They provided solid advice which has impacted our strategic planning greatly. We still quote the report 2 ½ years later
and continue as we continue to evolve in our efforts to pursue long-term “sticky” assets as gifts to our foundation.”
- Amy Cheney, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
“Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates knowledge of the field gave our board a perspective of community foundation operations
that they would have otherwise never had. He opened a wide range of possibilities and opportunities.”
- Nancy Anthony, Executive Director - Oklahoma City Community Foundation
“The work of Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates allowed us to get staff and board singing from the same sheet of music.
Their facilitation of our strategic planning process gave focus to the work of the foundation and stimulated a belief in our
ability to become one of the fastest growing community foundations in the country. They were also fun to work with!”
- Terri Lee Freeman, (former) President - The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region
“As we sought to take a hard look at jump-starting our development program, Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates was the
catalyst we needed to ask the tough questions and engage board and management in reflection and then action. They have
been a tremendous resource all the way along, providing technical assistance, coaching and objective feedback which has
been invaluable to our process and progress!”
- Joanne Walsh, President and CEO - Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut
“These are experienced foundation professionals who understand the special culture and challenges of philanthropy inside
out. Their work with our development committee was at once tactful and honest. They size up management situations quickly
and accurately and are extremely adept in helping both boards and staff see their capabilities and limitations more clearly.”
- Bruce Fraser, Executive Director - Connecticut Humanities Council
“Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates’ marketplace analysis and blueprint for developing our role as the community’s philanthropic center is an indispensable how-to manual for the Venice Foundation. Their work is especially valuable to me as the new CEO
and I am glad my predecessors had the foresight to hire them.”
- Teri Hansen, President - Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice
“Ekstrom Allley Clontz & Associates’ vast knowledge of the community foundation world, coupled with their nimble capacity
to facilitate new thinking and thoughtful conversation made them the perfect managers of our strategic planning.”
- Ronald V. Gallo, President & CEO - Santa Barbara Foundation
“Helmer and his associates combined their practical experience of working in the philanthropic field, considerable knowledge of
the nonprofit sector research, and expertise in group dynamics to facilitate a productive discussion with our board of trustees that produced a blueprint for our foundation’s journey into the next decade.”
- J. Mac Bennett, Former President - Central Carolina Community Foundation
“Ekstrom Alley Clontz & Associates are a knowledgeable and thoroughly professional resource from whose services we have benefited and whom we are pleased to recommend to the attention of our members.”
- Martin C. Lehfeldt, Former President - Southeastern Council on Foundations