Jan 06 2009
Advice on a Consultant
A colleague asked me recently for some advice regarding contracting a certain fundraising consultant. The use of consultants in the business world is on the rise now more that ever. Consultants offer their expertise on a wide variety of subjects, for a temporary-as needed time. A consultant’s job is to consult, but what separates a good consultant from a bad consultant is a passion and drive for excellence. And a good consultant should be knowledgeable about the subject he or she is consulting in. The choice of a fundraising consultant appropriate for your organization can be a challenge, especially if you’ve no prior experience in working with one. The following is general, although not all inclusive, formula of what to look for in in a consultant, an excerpt from Affinity Resources.
1. Does NOT work for a percentage—The Code of Ethics of the Association of Fundraising Professionals says fundraising consultants should never work on a percentage basis. It’s tempting to think that basing work on a percentage of funds raised would be a good deal. But what if there’s a $2 million gift out their just waiting to be collected? Do you really want to pay 10%?
2. Feasibility Contract Is Open-Ended—A good consultant won’t require that you work with him/her. The feasibility study process is a good time to get to know your consultant and decide whether s/he is the right person to guide you through the campaign. There’s no need to make that commitment up front.
3. Experience At The Level of Your Goal, or One Level Down—Good Counsel can translate fundraising principles between similar campaigns and organizations. A consultant experienced at the $ 1 - 2 million range will also be comfortable at the $3 - 5 million range, and perhaps at the $6 - 10 million range. 4. Interviews Well—When you’ve interviewed more than one person you’ve learned about their different strengths in presenting to a group. Much of your consultant’s work will be in front of groups, so it’s important you see several in action before making your choice.
5. Does NOT Offer You Donors—Consultants can’t bring donors with them. Donors come to causes and organizations. They don’t come because of a prior relationship with a consultant. Never count on your consultant to get donors for you. A good consultant will show you how to approach your own donors.
6. You’ve Checked References—Always do a reference check. Whether a consultant has a long or short list of accomplishments, be sure to talk with someone s/he worked with in the past. Expect that reference to be strong to glowing and ask some hard questions like “What do you wish the consultant had done differently?”
7. You Interviewed the Person Who Will Do The Work—Because fundraising is friend-raising, it is a people business. You need good chemistry. There will likely be two or three consultant professionals who could do the job for you, but one will be a better fit. You can only know that by meeting the person before you hire the firm.
8. There’s NO Charge For Your Initial Meeting—Consultants are in business and they have expenses; but don’t feel bad about asking them to take time to visit with you. Yes, you’ll learn from your initial visit with a consultant, but unless the travel is important and of consequence, even travel expenses should not be billable at this point.
9. The Proposal Is Specific To Your Organization—Be sure that the proposal reflects that the consultant has taken time to find out about your organization. Did s/he call? Was there information to be learned from your web site or informational materials. The poposal will include generic material, but it should also be specific to your situation making assumptions about you only if they couldn’t be checked out.
10. Consultant Has Certification—Consultants can be certified by an accrediting organization or by life experience or both. There are three levels of professional accreditation within the general practice of fundraising.
Hope this sheds a little light into your dilemma! Good luck to all, and to all, a good night.
