About Me

Ernie Ginsler has spent the majority of his working life in the broad nonprofit sector.  As a social planner in Halifax, Toronto, and Waterloo Region, he has been involved in organizational planning and development as a direct-service staff member and Executive Director, as a board member, and as a university professor. 

In 1997, after working for a year in Toronto as Vice-President Allocations and Community Services for the United Way of Greater Toronto, Ernie founded Ginsler & Associates Inc., a full service consulting firm assisting non-profit organizations, their consumers, funders, and donors.

Mr. Ginsler has a reputation for sound research, clear writing, and an ability to work easily with Board and staff, service users, and other stakeholders.  He has written several hands-on publications for non-profits covering such areas as strategic planning (with sales of well over 2,500 copies), collaborative service provision, partnership development, hiring and evaluating CEOs, merging non-profits, board orientation, and a guide to donors.  He has extensive experience in organizational development, needs assessments, feasibility studies, strategic planning, evaluation, developing and facilitating board development workshops in such areas as board governance, running effective meetings, the legal responsibilities of boards, board-staff roles and relationships, board evaluation, and hiring and evaluating the executive director. 

Ginsler & Associates Inc. prides itself in providing consulting services that are grounded in extensive practical experience in service planning and delivery in a wide variety of service-providing organizations.  At various times, Ernie has taught the courses on "Poverty in Canada" and "Community Research and Data Analysis" at the Wilfrid Laurier Faculty of Social Work He has also taught "Introduction to Social Work" and "Canadian Social Welfare" at Renison College University.  He is a popular guest lecturer and a former adjunct faculty member with the University of Waterloo in social policy, urban planning, environmental studies, and health sciences, where his lectures and courses combine his sound theoretical knowledge with his extensive practical experience.

Mr. Ginsler's publications on organizational governance and planning have been reprinted in numerous management publications.  He is also a contributor to the e-journal Nonprofit Boards and Governance Review.  His newest book, “Board Stiff: The board member’s guide to nonprofit governance” is in broad circulation.