So, do you think you could benefit from working with a nonprofit consultant? Here is a summary of how ZipRecruiter defines the person or company you’d hire.
A nonprofit consultant, will use business acumen to provide consultation to nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit consultants usually choose a specific sector, but can also offer services to a wide variety of groups. Specific responsibilities and duties ultimately depend on the needs of nonprofits and organizations.
A may advise, create financial goals, aid with fundraising, help the organization grow, create a plan for expansion for particular products, assist in the development of the nonprofit, or assist with developing solutions for any issues the nonprofit might have been facing.
That’s a pretty good explanation of the work we do at Team Kat & Mouse and the work that we see from our peers. But, what does it really mean?
Fundraising consultants are nonprofit professionals who can bring new perspectives, tactics, and ideas to your team - allowing collaboration that will lead to more tremendous success.
They may be brought on board to facilitate strategic planning - looking at the big picture and guiding your staff and volunteer leadership to greater success. On other occasions, consultants may be brought in for tactical assistance. A thought partner and an extra set of hands - a consultant can be either or both at any point in time, depending on your organization’s needs.
With the support of a nonprofit consultant, you might;
Guide your organization to see the big picture and develop a strategy. Perhaps you will discover it’s time to expand your social media efforts, and a consultant could help build a digital plan. Or maybe it is time to review program offerings in light of the new competition in the community. Often this strategic review is helpful at times of staff changes or with a shift in Board priorities.
Expand capabilities. A nonprofit consultant can supplement an organization's staff and/or complete a project. Bringing in a consultant to support a project may be cost-efficient and allow your current team to remain focused on their priorities. Some examples of projects that might be a good fit for a consultant:
Conference or special event planning
Training for board or staff
Strategic planning
Workshop and retreat facilitation
Executive coaching
Copywriting
Web development
Teach your team new skills. An outside nonprofit consultant may be the best teacher for sales skills, new strategies, or Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives.
Expand the experience and objectivity available to your organization. This experience can be helpful when a consultant facilitates training or brainstorming sessions with your board or staff. They may have experience with larger organizations that can put your work in a new context.
Restructure a team or the entire organization. Sometimes it can be best to allow a consultant to do the dirty work. Have you seen the movie “Up in the Air” with George Clooney and Anna Kendrick as traveling staffing consultants? The two lead characters are brought into companies to be the bearers of bad news (and only bad news - not fun). It’s portrayed as heartless work, but it may be better to have an outsider implement staff changes so that leadership is positioned to move forward without emotional baggage.
Launch a new program or campaign. Campaign consultants can support your organization through the planning and implementation of a long-term fundraising campaign. With higher goals and new initiatives, campaigns may require skills and perspectives beyond your current team’s abilities and experience.
Here is the real question, why did Sharon, Amy, and Ben decide to become nonprofit consultants?
To stop the insanity of turnover.
To help new and experienced fundraisers “level up.”
To take some of the heavy work of training off the lap of development leadership.
To use training and coaching to build nimble, excited teams who find joy in their fundraising expertise.
To support hiring talented, upbeat, energetic individuals who need to expand their skills to succeed.
To serve as that extra set of hands while your organization is growing to help with sponsorship design, grant writing, Board training, hiring, marketing including social, design, Web services, and more.
Mainly, We started Team Kat & Mouse to make an immediate and measurable impact on your fundraising efforts. We’ve experienced the highs and lows of frontline fundraising work, and we understand where people need support to achieve their goals. We want fundraisers to thrive personally and professionally as they do vitally important work in their communities.
We learned how to be nimble in 2008 and used those lessons to help organizations in 2020.
We start every engagement with a discovery session to figure out your priorities and goals.
We set up training designed to help your team and with your budget in mind.
We follow up with coaching sessions to keep our momentum going.
Our “office-hours” coaching sessions are designed to help the learning live beyond the initial training and help with ideas, presentations, strategy, and donor growth.
And, we customize each program to meet your budget needs.
We recognize that we can’t have a genuine, impactful engagement without understanding you, your team, and the challenges you’re trying to solve. No two clients are the same, and certainly, neither are their approaches to fundraising. Whatever your struggle and whatever you’re trying to accomplish, we start the process by expanding our understanding and finding ways to match our expertise with your goals.
Are you ready to work with a Nonprofit or fundraising consultant? That can be a challenging decision for an organization. We’ve all worked on development teams and navigated the challenging dynamics of budgeting, team chemistry, and the fear of trying a new approach. Taking the plunge and bringing in a new voice or extra set of hands can be a big step, but it can also be the difference between moving your organization forward and remaining stagnant.
No matter how you approach an engagement with a nonprofit fundraising consultant, make sure they keep your mission at the core of everything they do. There are no quick fixes and no one-size-fits-all formulas for fundraising success; a good consultant will understand the struggles your organization faces and the intense challenges you may be facing as a fundraising professional. They will work side-by-side with you as a partner to move you, along with those you are trusted to serve, closer to your goals.
Is it time for you to take the plunge and work with a nonprofit fundraising consultant?
Just email Team Kat & Mouse, and we will set up a time to discover your goals and share our passion for making them happen.
XOXO
Amy
