ten questions to ask before hiring a nonprofit consultant

Ten Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Nonprofit Consultant

Laura Gassner Otting, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group

Emily Davis, MNM, EDA Consulting

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Today’s Speakers

Emily Davis, MNM EDA Consulting

Hosting: Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership Assisting with chat questions: Chris Dumas, FirstGiving

Laura Gassner Otting Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group

Hiring a Consultant: The Equation

Determine Your Vision • Why are we hiring a consultant?

• What are our needs?

• Are the board and staff in agreement that we need a consultant?

• What are the outcomes we are hoping for when working with the consultant?

Identify Your Resources • Are we prepared for the cost of hiring and

working with a consultant?

• Do we understand the long-term benefits of working with a consultant?

• How will partnering with a consultant enhance our long-term capacity?

Set Timeline and Scope

• Are we clear on our deliverables for the project?

• Do we have realistic expectations?

• Do we have the time and energy to provide the consultant what s/he needs in order to be successful?

Understand Your Rights • Know what the next steps are if the

engagement goes south, but understand how the consultant will prevent that from happening.

• Ask to meet the whole team first.

• Seek to understand the theory behind the fee structure.

Ask the Right Questions •  Think about what you really want to

know. Are you asking stock questions or deeper, more probing questions?

• Don’t just accept the answer given, but follow up with additional questions, and then confirm with references.

• Ask what else you should have asked.

Resources

http://www.NonprofitProfessionals.com

http://www.edaconsultingcafe.blogspot.com

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