Is a Consultant Right for Your Nonprofit?

As much as we might like to, we can’t do it all. The right consultant can help you overcome roadblocks between you and your goals. A consultant specializing in nonprofit organizations provides insight, ideas, and services to bump you to the next level. You can gain a fresh perspective on how other nonprofits handle similar issues. A professional can facilitate your gatherings so all the stakeholders, including you, can engage in the process. Accessing skills only when needed can result in less investment than hiring a full-time staff.

Here are several steps to help you fulfill your needs:

• Think about your goals. Identify the challenges you wish to master. What are the key results you would like to achieve?
• When has your organization benefited from outside help? What did the organization learn from its investments? What benefits do you anticipate seeking from future relationships? Jot down answers to these questions.
• Create two lists. In one list, write the tasks for which you have the time and the skills to undertake. In the second, write the opportunities your organization might miss without new resources and areas where it isn’t progressing toward its goals. Jot down available resources to respond to these needs.
• Share these lists and your thinking with your board chair. Seek feedback, ideas and help to identify the priority items on your opportunities list.
• With their input, name the first steps and your timeline to obtain the resources you need to accomplish more of your organization’s mission and goal.

Taking a well-thought-out approach will clarify your organization’s priorities and inspire a plan to secure tools and resources for new accomplishments. With the right consultant, you can begin to achieve your most critical objectives now. Begin thinking but leave out final decisions about your goals, measures, and values until you talk with a consultant. You will want to take advantage of their outside frame of reference to get the most bang for your buck.

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For more answers, check out this Nonprofit  CEO Library.

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