USING A FUNDRAISING CONSULTANT: 

Frequently Asked Questions
By:  Ruthellen S. Rubin, CFRE

What is a fundraising consultant?

A fundraising consultant is a professional who can bring experience with a wide variety of fundraising issues to your organization.  A consultant will bring an objective perspective to your initiative.  Through coaching and unbiased assessment, your consultant will help with processes and systems to impart a sustainable fund development program and/or successful campaign.   

Why should our organization hire a consultant?

A consultant can:

• Bring objectivity and an external perspective to your organization.
• Make an unbiased assessment of your current fund development program and your potential to raise funds.
• Help to create a plan and budget for your fund development initiative.
• Identify new constituencies of donors.
• Motivate your staff/board and introduce a level of confidence.
• Keep your organization focused on the task at hand.
• Introduce a level of professionalism that will have a positive impact on a specific initiative as well as your organization as a whole.

What are the most common ways to use a consultant?

A consultant can: 

• Hire development staff; create job descriptions.
• Mentor your Development Director. (This is particularly effective with enthusiastic, but inexperienced staff.)
• Help your staff create a development program.
• Recruit/train board members.
• Communicate “challenging issues” to your board. (Such as:  Their responsibility to make a financial commitment to your organization.)
• Respond to special situations with guidance and coaching.
• Research donors/ write proposals.
• Work with you for a few hours a week, a few days a month, or a number of months.

What is the role of a consultant in a
time-limited campaign?

A consultant can:

• Conduct a feasibility study/campaign assessment.
• Create job descriptions and help identify candidates (professional and volunteer) to lead a campaign.
• Help you create a vision and design effective campaign materials.
• Help your board to understand their responsibilities during a campaign.
• Train volunteer solicitors.

Consultant Do’s and Don’ts:

To ensure success you should:

• Start with an assessment interview:  This may be a phone call or meeting.  There may or may not be a charge for this service depending on the scope of the initial assessment and the time involved.
• Engage the consultant to give guidance – not to carry out day-to-day fundraising.
• Be sure the consultant’s proposal is specific to your organization.
• Always do a Reference Check.
• Ascertain his/her track record/experience with similar issues and organizations.
• Determine whether consultant is a personality match for you, your staff and your board.
• Not expect a consultant to bring donors with him/her; he/she should help you with ways to approach your own donors.
• Be sure your consultant is certified by an accrediting organization:  AFP, CFRE
• Be honest and open with your consultant about your challenges.

How are fundraising consultants paid?

• A consultant should never work on a contingency or percentage basis. (Code of Ethics of the Association of Fundraising Professionals)
• Most charge by the day or the hour; some charge by the job.
• Expenses (hotels, meals, phone, travel, postage, photocopying) are usually reimbursed.
  
  And finally…

Be sure you have a clearly written contract/ agreement clarifying the consultant’s role, fees and expenses as well as the client’s responsibilities.  Use built in evaluation points, if desired.