Thinking about working with a consultant to refresh your fundraising? Here's how to make the relationship work in your favour
Janurary 2021
Is 2021 going to be the year you take the plunge and hire a consultant to maximise your fundraising potential? Whether it’s someone to boost your major gifts programme, sort out your trusts and foundations fundraising or secure your organisation an exciting new corporate partnership, we’ve been on both sides of the relationship and know how to make it work.
Make sure you have a clear vision in mind
This doesn’t mean you need to know exactly what your charity requires from the relationship. A good consultant will have already assessed your organisation’s wants and needs (and if they can deliver on them) before committing to working with you. The right consultant can help you refine your charity’s vision, aims and mission but to have the maximum impact they need to know what you want them to focus on, what your goals are and how you expect them to be delivered.
Treat your consultant as a partner
Trust us, your consultant wants the relationship to work as much as you do and will be heavily invested in your successes and failures. Be open to the advice they give (even if it’s hard to hear and means you have to change some of the ways you operate), trust that they are speaking from years of experience and want what’s best for your cause and the people you are supporting.
Hire the right consultant for the job
Fundraising covers so many disciplines that rarely can one consultant cover all bases. You might need a consultancy team to help you across a number of areas. Word of mouth referrals can be a great place to start. At the end of the day, you’ll know who's right for your needs. Do your research and choose a consultant who understands your mission and what you want to achieve.
Keep your consultant as up-to-date as you are
It may be tempting to gloss over your charities imperfections and not disclose the full extent of your challenges or previous fundraising failures. However, keeping it a secret really doesn’t help anyone. You have hired the best person for the job, now trust them with the information they need to make the relationship and your fundraising a success. Consultants are not there to judge; we’re here to help. Keeping that at the forefront of your mind when you are sharing your fundraising history will help you build a lasting and prosperous relationship with your consultant.
Are you ready to embrace a well-researched fundraising plan? Our team has over 25 years of experience working with charities and nonprofits to help them reach their fundraising goals. We provide research, wealth screening, consultancy, regulatory compliance and training support to charities of all sizes, making fundraising more effective and successful. For more information give us a call on 01491 577311 or email us at info@prospectingforgold.co.uk.
