Hiring Nonprofit Consultants? Here’s What You Need to Know

As a nonprofit pro, are you feeling stuck? Burnt out? Wearing too many hats? Maybe you want (or need) to run another monthly giving campaign. Or update your donation page. Spruce up your content. Create that fundraising strategy that your board has been asking for. But you just can’t?

It may be time to hire a consultant.

Nonprofit consultants are more than just another member of the team. They are partners who bring a wealth of knowledge to the table, including fresh perspectives, best practices, ideas on what has worked for an organization like yours, and varied experiences. 

Here’s what you need to know about hiring nonprofit consultants, and the questions you should answer before signing a consulting contract. 

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What is Nonprofit Consulting?

Ok…let’s take a step back. What exactly is nonprofit consulting?

A nonprofit consultant is an expert who provides guidance and support to nonprofit organizations. There are various types of nonprofit consultants (we’ll go over this later), each providing different services based on their skills and expertise. 

Nonprofit consulting is centered around filling gaps, whether in capacity or knowledge. Let’s take a look at how this can benefit your organization. 

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How Nonprofit Consultants Can Help Your Organization 

We don’t have to tell you that budgets are stretched pretty thin at most nonprofits.

This often leads to staff members (or volunteers) taking on many roles and responsibilities…with some tasks simply falling by the wayside. 

Nonprofit consultants can serve as partners to:

• Provide unique viewpoints and fresh perspectives
• Offer experience-backed advice 
• Develop strategies to grow your nonprofit 
• Support or coach your team through training or implementation 
• Take on specialized roles with specific skill sets, like design or content development
• Be a budget-friendly solution to increasing your capacity by filling a need 

Depending on your needs and budget, nonprofit consultants can be hired on a short-term or long-term basis. And nonprofit consulting firms are available if you’re looking for multiple experts to help your nonprofit thrive. 

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5 Questions to Answer Before Hiring Nonprofit Consultants

Ready to start hiring nonprofit consultants? Before you start your search for the ideal consultant or team, here are five questions you should ask yourself. 

1. What type of nonprofit consultant am I looking for?

Fundraising Consultant

Also referred to as development consultants, fundraising consultants focus on helping you capture donations. This may be through developing fundraising campaigns, conducting wealth screening and donor prospecting, helping you build donor relationships, and more. 

Communications Consultant

These nonprofit consultants are more focused on building awareness for your organization and its mission. Communications or marketing consultants help you better define (and reach) your target audience. Many can establish a brand voice and tone, plan and produce content, and develop marketing strategies. 

Creative Consultant

Seeking help with branding, graphic design, website development, or video production? You need a creative consultant. Keep in mind that many creative pros are highly specialized in one field or another. So, you may need a separate video consultant and graphic designer. 

Strategic Planning Consultant

If it’s assistance with long-term goals and vision you’re looking for, hire a strategic planning consultant. These types of nonprofit consultants take your lofty aspirations and help you hone them into the actionable steps you need to take to get there. 

Leadership or Board Development Consultant

Want your nonprofit’s leadership or board to be more effective? Some consultants specialize in this area! They provide specific training and support to ensure your organization has the best team possible. 

Financial Consultant

Need help with budgeting and cash flow management? Need to bring on an investment advisor? A consultant who specializes in nonprofit finance can help you improve your budgeting process, provide insights on ways to improve your cash flow, or provide training and tools to increase your and your board’s knowledge base. 

Tip from the Playbook: Some nonprofit consultants may offer more than one of these services. But it’s rare for one person to have the skillset and expertise to cover them all. 

2. What do I need from my nonprofit consultant? 

Now that you know what area (or areas) you need help in, narrow it down to what exactly you’ll need from a nonprofit consultant.

Are you looking for someone to serve as more of a coach or confidant, providing advice and reviewing materials but not necessarily implementing anything?

Maybe you’d like a consultant to take this a step further with detailed strategies and tactics that your team will then take on?

Or do you need someone to step in and take on more of the actual workload? 

3. Am I looking for a long-term or short-term solution?

Along these same lines, consider if you’re in search of someone for a short-term project, such as a fundraising campaign, organization rebrand, or website redesign. Or, do you need a nonprofit consultant who can stick around for the long term?

For example, your team might benefit from hiring a fundraising consultant to develop and implement a year-end fundraising campaign or capital campaign for your organization. They could develop a theme and overall messaging, plan your outreach, write your fundraising appeal letter and other content, and generate scripts for donor phone calls, board member thank-you calls, and more. When your campaign is over, the consultant’s contract ends. 

On the flip side, your team may not have a full-time marketing or communications staff member. In this case, it may be beneficial to hire a consultant to take on this role on a contract basis. Ask them to develop and implement a marketing strategy – plus corresponding materials – that align with your mission and goals. 

4. What is my budget for nonprofit consultants?

Here’s a look at each of these nonprofit consultant fee structures:

• Hourly – The consultant will bill you an agreed upon hourly rate for the number of hours spent working with your nonprofit, typically on a monthly basis.
  
• Project-Based – Some consultants offer fees based on an entire project, such as a website, campaign, or strategic plan. You may be billed all at once, or the fee may be split throughout the length of the project.
  
• Retainer – For long-term nonprofit consultants, you may be asked to pay a retainer. This retainer will reserve your access to a consultant’s time and expertise each month, and stays the same regardless of the number of hours they put in. 

5. Would a nonprofit consulting firm be a good fit? 

Lastly, consider if a nonprofit consulting firm would be a better fit for your organization. Consulting firms are made up of several nonprofit consultants, giving you access to more perspectives and skillsets. 

If you’re looking to fill several gaps at your organization, a nonprofit consulting firm will likely be the best choice for you. A team of consultants will bring their knowledge together to provide you with a well-rounded approach that fulfills several of your needs, all in one invoice. 

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The Nonprofit Consultant Hiring Process 

When you’re ready to start hiring nonprofit consultants, there are a few routes you can take to start the process.

First, you can conduct a formal RFP (request for proposal) process. This involves developing a detailed RFP, posting it on an RFP database or sharing it directly with consultants or consulting firms, then reviewing the proposals as they come in. You’ll conduct interviews with your top contenders and select a consultant from there. 

For smaller projects, you can also reach out directly to someone you feel will be a good fit. This is a good route to take if you have an existing relationship with a consultant or consultancy. Or, if someone you know and trust has a good contact. In this case, the consultant will typically hold an info-gathering session with you before crafting a proposal for your review. If you agree to the proposal, they’ll then send a contract and get to work on your project!

You’ll also want to be clear on how long you want the hiring process to take and who needs to give the final approvals. This process can range anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on how urgent your needs are and what process you use.

Additionally, you’ll want to know if the state you are incorporated in requires fundraising consultants to register with a state government agency and how that might impact your timeline. 

Tip from the Playbook: Be sure to review your nonprofit’s rules and procedures before starting the process, as there may be guidelines regarding hiring nonprofit consultants. For example, many nonprofits require reviewing at least three bids before making a decision. 

Want to Hire a Great Team of Nonprofit Consultants?

If you’re in the market for a talented and dedicated team of nonprofit consultants, take a look at MVP Advisors!

We’re a boutique consulting firm that specializes in helping nonprofits, community organizations, and philanthropic families grow and succeed. With a combined 60+ years in the nonprofit field, our consultants have backgrounds in development, fundraising, strategic planning, marketing and communications, project management, advocacy, and more.

We’d love to talk about how we can partner with you to fulfill your mission and goals. Please email us or set up a time to chat.