The ins and outs of working with a consultant

OK, so maybe you read my article last month about capacity-building and started thinking about the nonprofits that you work for or volunteer for, perhaps as a board member. And maybe, just maybe, you started thinking about ways that your nonprofit could operate more effectively and efficiently, which is especially critical in these tough economic times. Perhaps your board of directors isn't fundraising for the organization and needs some board training and assistance in creating a fund development plan. Or, perhaps you have identified a need for a new program or service in the community, but you need assistance in developing a program plan and staffing plan for the new initiative.

So you have identified these capacity needs and you think a consultant might be able to help, but how do you go about selecting a qualified nonprofit management consultant and how does the consulting process work? The first step is to identify several people from your organization to work together to oversee the consulting process. Ideally this small committee should include both board and staff members to ensure commitment to the organizational development process on both the board and staff level. Committee members should outline the nonprofit's organizational needs to the best of their ability, although other approaches or needs may be identified later by the consultant. If you are unsure about what your priorities should be, a consultant can help you objectively assess what needs are most critical to address.

The second step is to identify at least three potential consultants for comparison purposes who have the appropriate skill set and expertise based upon your organizational needs. You might start by requesting referrals from other organizations that have used consultants or contacting local funders for recommendations. When you contact each consultant, be prepared to provide information on your organization's current situation and what problem or issue the organization is looking for the consultant to address; what your objectives and expectations are, as well as any financial or time constraints; and, when you would like a proposal or bid for the scope of work.

Review the consultants' bids and interview the ones who best match the needs of your organization. Information to gather during the interview process includes: whether they have worked on similar projects, what the outcomes were, and what they learned from the projects; what their approach to consulting is and how they work with clients; what kind of deliverables will be provided when the consulting work is completed; and, what their hourly rate for services is and how they handle billing. You might find it helpful to have the consultant make a presentation to the full board to ensure that members are comfortable with the consultant's approach to working with clients and that the consultant will be a good fit for the organization. Always check references and be sure to contact client organizations of similar size and type to your organization and those with comparable technical assistance needs.

The consulting process is only going to be successful if both the board and staff are committed to the process and receptive to making changes in their organization and the way they operate. A common misconception about consulting is that the consultant is going to come in and do the work for the organization. Not true! The consultant's role is to train, guide and facilitate the technical assistance process, but doing the work is actually the responsibility of board and staff and requires hard work and commitment.

As mentioned in last month's capacitybuilding article, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation has a new initiative to offer quarterly capacity grants of up to $1,500 for organizations, which can include funds to hire a nonprofit management consultant. The first round of requests is due Sept. 15, and information and an application can be found on our Web site at www. floridacommunity.com/grantseekers/applications/.

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation has been supporting the communities of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry through endowed funds for nearly 32 years. With assets of more than $57 million and over 320 endowed funds, the Community Foundation has provided more than $30 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves.

For more information, please call (239) 274-5900, or visit their Web site at www.floridacommunity. com.