Despite consultants to government having a bad reputation due to excessive costs, external advisers/service providers to the non-profit sector play a vital role and don’t (or should not) charge exorbitant rates. 

One ongoing confusion in the field of resource mobilisation is the term ‘fundraising consultant’. It is often used when referring to an outsourced fundraiser. In this article, my meaning is consultants who advise on fundraising along with all others who consult/give advice on an array of topics relevant to running a successful non-profit entity (or school, faith-based organisation or tertiary institution). 

Often, buying in some short term expertise can be of immense benefit – or save problems and costs in the long term.

Consultants can save money

Often, buying in some short term (sometimes as little as an hour) expertise can be of immense benefit – or save problems and costs in the long term. An HR specialist reviewing an employment contract before signature, can save many thousands and substantial time wasted in labour disputes; advice from a PR or marketing professional who understands the sector, can mean the difference between an expensive marketing initiative coming to nothing or gaining traction; advice on a funding plan, MEL system or even a proofread of a major funding application, can mean the difference between millions and rejection.

Networking with specialists

Having advised many hundreds of non-profits and fifteen universities on all aspects of fundraising, a few factors stand out – seriously enough to mean success (money raised) or failure (deadlines missed; applications/proposals declined; concept notes that don’t result in invitations to formally apply for large amounts). Consultants to the sector, irrespective of their field, talk to each other. We refer one another. I have at least 20 experts’ details readily available and happily suggest them, delighted that I can guide people in non-profits to credible capable specialists – in a world with ‘chancers’ popping up periodically. I can recommend outstanding non-profit-focused lawyers, accountants and employment agencies. I know which web developers and branding/marketing/PR professionals specialise in the sector.

Tapping into external expertise

In my field – fundraising – I know who has expertise in anything from bequests, challenge events or accessing money from the wealthy, to capital campaigns, online fundraising and superb income generation. I have noticed that when consultants share their concerns, irrespective of their areas of work, issues raised are similar. It’s sad to sometimes hear of non-profit staff or board members spending donated money on external assistance and not maximising these opportunities. And as do my fellow consultants, I regularly make introductions. I crowdsourced suggestions for this article from my favourite advisors to the sector and am grateful for all the input.

In this post-pandemic online world, where an unprecedented level of work is done remotely, one of my most serious areas of concern, when asked to assist, on any level, in advising (whether in just a few sessions or over a year or more) on fundraising, is a lack of information – vital details critical to successfully securing funding. I have lost count of the number of times I have learnt of an amazing unique selling point (USP) by accident, generally as a throwaway line in a meeting, and often well into a client/consultant relationship.

Tips to ensure the optimal use of external specialists:

• Ensure that someone (or a few people) have the capacity to 'manage' and engage a consultant. They are there to help, so allocate the necessary time. If one doesn’t invest the time, a consultant cannot enable the expected support.
• Consultants (particularly fundraising specialists) cannot work miracles. Seek advice early, rather than waiting until the organisation cannot pay its next month’s salaries. Avoid the ‘how can we find money urgently?’ or ‘where are the low hanging fruit?’ levels of desperation.
• Be open to honest and sometimes uncomfortable feedback. Rather hear things from a consultant than learn them the hard way. Or put differently, it’s pointless to spend money on a specialist and not take their advice.
• Consider a few consultants before settling on one. Compare costs, what they are able to deliver and their track records – it’s OK to ask for references.
• Be wary of anyone offering quick fixes and fast money.
• Fundraising consultants should not be expected to make appointments or even introductions to potential donors. (I am so inundated with such requests that I have resorted to adding that I don’t offer this service to the FAQs on my website!).
• A consultant could be a key asset in strategy development processes. However, one must still make the key decisions about such a strategy. Therefore, it’s important to invest the time to be part of critical decision-making processes.
• Read contracts! In some cases, external service providers are hourly paid as and when needed; others have ongoing retainer arrangements with a limited number of hours and clear information about their costs; yet others offer ‘swings and roundabouts’ arrangements (whereby it is understood that they will be required more in some months and less in others. Often, taking phone calls and responding to emails or WhatsApp messages are (wrongly) presumed by clients ‘not to count’ as billable hours.
• When an hour is booked, it is an hour. Consultants are well within their rights to charge for preparation time. So, unless asked to do so, it’s not good to bombard them with ‘background reading’ that could take a few hours, when only a paid hour is booked.
• Consultants are human. Be courteous. (I have, on a few occasions, terminated contracts with clients based on rudeness.)
• Managing service providers is a critical skill – the better these relationships are managed (not micromanaged), the better the working relationship, and the better the results will be from their services

 Image Credit: iStock-1652005910