There’s an old adage that states when you want something done right, do it yourself. Many times, that philosophy can pay dividends to those who apply it on an individual basis. But when one looks at the voluntary sector and the amount of aid various nonprofits, charities and foundations need to build capacity and better service their clientele, it becomes clear that going it alone is not always the best operational decision.
This is likely why a whole ancillary segment of professional, voluntary sector consultants has sprung up to help make the daily planning and operational structures of nonprofits easier and more effective (in many cases). In fact, in recent years various movements were launched to help consultants and nonprofits find each other and broaden the knowledge base of the sector.
Like Internet dating, but for nonprofits
One prime example of such an endeavour is the Waterloo-based Association of Cultural Executives’ matchmaking website Cultureconsultants.ca. They describe it as a resource that “bridges the gap between consultants with services to offer cultural organizations looking for skilled expertise, and funding agencies wanting to aid in capacity building.”
As you might expect, the site keeps a list of consultants who’ve fill out detailed profiles citing their various areas of expertise, experience and knowledge. It also has a section for organizations to post RFPs that consultants can browse and apply to. While it’s ostensibly a site that seeks to match consultants with nonprofits in the arts sector, the site provides invaluable “tip sheets” that can apply to almost any voluntary sector organization or freelance consultant to help them prepare for successful collaborations.
The tip sheets are a terrific place to start for nonprofits that want a basic outline and helpful advice on how to approach any partnership with a consultant. Some best practices they suggest for nonprofits include:
- Determining whether the organization’s issue “can be solved using outside expertise, or if an internal reorganization or staffing change would allow better access to internal expertise.”
- Figuring out what is really needed. “Begin by asking some important questions,” the site suggests. “What are the key outcomes or activities you want to see occur? This question will help you identify, in broad strokes, the key areas of expertise you should be seeking.”
- Homing in on the right consultant. “Once you have an idea of what kind of skills and characteristics the consultant you need should have, you can begin your search to find the appropriate individual or organization,” it states.
- Floating out an RFP. Another means to effectively match talent to task, is to write a Request for Proposals (RFP) outlining exact details of the project and the skill set required to get the job done.” [Writer’s note: the site also kindly provides a tip sheet on how to write these proposals for those unfamiliar with the process.]
There are other tips and a plethora of useful links listed on the site. Just click on their “resources” tab for a rundown.
Another useful site is that of the Management Advisory Service, a Toronto area, volunteer-run service that provides “no-fee consulting help for nonprofit organizations in the Greater Toronto Area.” Granted, it’s localized, but their website is also full of useful links, resources, newsletters and contacts that could assist nonprofits with tight budgets looking to get some free advice and professional direction.
A consultant’s P.O.V.
On the websites mentioned above, there’s a lot of great, circumstantial evidence suggesting that the nonprofit-consultant team-up works. But is it so? Do these arrangements truly benefit each side? The answer would seem to be “yes”, as long as the conditions are right.
Ron Robinson, president of Abaris Consulting Inc., believes his firm’s work with nonprofit clientele over the years has been invaluable. He’s also seen patterns emerge on how nonprofits choose to engage his services.
“The specific basis upon which we match our services to the client is based on the client’s need,” he says. “In most cases, the client already has an idea of what they need. For example, a strategic plan. From that point it usually involves a discussion with the chief staff officer or board chair to establish what outcomes they are looking for, how they came to the conclusion they needed that specific service, and then more specific questions regarding scope of the work.”
But Robinson says he shies away from relying on best practices to help address a client’s need, noting that a consultant needs to be flexible to address nonprofits and their particular demands.
“The concept of ‘best practices’ is an overused and often misapplied concept. What is a best practice for one organization may be completely inappropriate and even harmful for another organization,” he stresses. “For example, best practice qualitative research may require the use of qualitative data analysis software for work being conducted with a hospital. This could easily be considered best practice, as it will provide a more valid and repeatable interpretation of qualitative data. However, the rigor and associated cost puts this concept of ‘best practice’ completely outside the realm of possibility for all but the largest nonprofit organizations. In other cases, the application of a best practice tool is dependent on the maturity of the organization. What is best practice in strategy for a small, volunteer-led, nonprofit organization would be completely inappropriate and anything but best practice for a large, well-established nonprofit.”
So, do the benefits of hiring a consultant outweigh the costs for a nonprofit? Not surprisingly, Robinson thinks so. But he’s honest about why and how it can effect capacity-building.
“We have seen many situations in which potential clients didn’t hire an outside consultant and continue to deal with the same problem for years,” he says. “The lost productivity over that time more than outweighed the cost of the external consultant to help resolve the issue. We have also seen many situations where consultants have been engaged in which no real value was actually delivered. If used correctly, consultants can have a very positive impact on an organization’s capacity.”
Robinson also notes that consultants are generally hired by nonprofits for some of the following things: as an expert in a specific area; to provide a process; as someone to blame if it goes wrong; and as a resource to undertake work that the organization doesn’t have the capacity to perform and doesn’t want to hire staff to fulfill.
The view from the other side
That’s a consultant’s view of things. But how does a nonprofit see it?
Randy Spiegel, executive director of the Zareinu Educational Centre, a nonprofit facility unique to Ontario that treats children with special needs, agrees that consultants have their place at the nonprofit table, but with some caveats.
“With outside consultants, there can be a much better opportunity to use new, innovative and creative ideas that can refresh the environment and reenergize the lay [workers] and professionals,” Spiegel says. “However, sometimes it is not the best route to go if you need a long-term relationship where the professional is dedicated to the engaging agency as opposed to the consulting agency. It depends. For short-term, strategic initiatives or to refocus and redirect an operation, it is quite good. An independent consultant can be vitally important for a smaller organization that cannot afford the infrastructure that is required by having staff, technical resources etcetera, for an event or particular activity.”
In terms of how his organization approaches hiring a consultant, Spiegel is quite specific.
“We strive to engage only those people who employ best practices. We do not want to reinvent the wheel; but desire to utilize proven techniques and apply strategies and processes that are results-oriented and focused on success,” he says. Plus, there are basic criteria that must be met before any hire is considered.
Spiegel says he looks initially for “references, familiarity with the product/service, experience, ‘fit’ with the personnel and board, [and that the consultant is] efficient and effective from proposal to outcome.”
In addition, he asks whether his organization can get the job done with the professional compliment already on hand, whether a “different level of expertise” is needed, and if his organization’s internal resources can perform the tasks required efficiently.
“Where can I get the best bang for the buck? What am I not doing today that I could be doing, and what can I be doing tomorrow? Do I feel that I need or want help that I cannot get internally?” These are some of the main questions to contemplate, Spiegel says.
Overall, Spiegel believes he has had positive experiences working with consultants.
“We have engaged [consultants] in many different capacities and I think that when we know best what we want, are organized in our thinking, and with good staff and lay resources, that the collaboration has been very good,” he says. “I tend to…lean toward professionals that are driven and engaging.”
Team up and build capacity
Based on the above, it would seem that nonprofits and consultants can enjoy a mutually beneficial, symbiotic relationship that ends up benefiting the sector as a whole. But the main lesson is to make sure both parties are a good fit for one another, and that objectives are clearly stated at the start of any partnership in order for a successful venture to ensue.
Andy Levy-Ajzenkopf is president of WordLaunch professional writing services in Toronto. He can be reached at andy@wordlaunch.com.
