Comments on: Exploring the World of Fundraising Consultants http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/find-fundraising-consultants/ Fundraising Resources for Non Profit Organizations Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:33:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tony Poderis http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/find-fundraising-consultants/comment-page-1/#comment-35450 Tony Poderis Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:14:02 +0000 http://stepbystepfundraising.com/?p=994#comment-35450 Who really cares what the AFP says? The best grant writing professionals care. I believe in the standards that have resulted from thousands of grant writing professionals working to help raise billions of dollars for millions of non-profits over decades of time. For me, not everything should be a matter of personal opinion. Codes of ethics are established through collective wisdom because we do need absolutes by which to work and live. When I see all the wrong that can befall an organization or a grant writer in contingent-pay schemes, I cannot imagine for the life of me why either would want to go that route. In the end, I believe that grant writers should be paid for their time and efforts by the hour or project, whether or not the grant is received. I question whether an organization unable to pay a fair fee for work done is likely to survive. Few non-profits forced to operate in ways not fully in accord with accepted professional standards flourish and grow. Rather than argue against contingent pay as only unethical behavior, I prefer to share with contingent-pay seekers (and providers) some real-life consequences of such arrangements which mainly puts the livelihood of the grant writer at risk. It is simply not fair for hard working grant writers to receive little or no pay for their efforts due to many reasons beyond their control. I have listed eleven of those reasons which I have seen crop up time and time again, resulting in rejected proposals. In those instances, a grant writer's time and effort were wasted and she or he received no compensation for their good faith professional services: http://www.raise-funds.com/040202forum.html Who really cares what the AFP says? The best grant writing professionals care. I believe in the standards that have resulted from thousands of grant writing professionals working to help raise billions of dollars for millions of non-profits over decades of time.

For me, not everything should be a matter of personal opinion. Codes of ethics are established through collective wisdom because we do need absolutes by which to work and live. When I see all the wrong that can befall an organization or a grant writer in contingent-pay schemes, I cannot imagine for the life of me why either would want to go that route.

In the end, I believe that grant writers should be paid for their time and efforts by the hour or project, whether or not the grant is received. I question whether an organization unable to pay a fair fee for work done is likely to survive. Few non-profits forced to operate in ways not fully in accord with accepted professional standards flourish and grow.

Rather than argue against contingent pay as only unethical behavior, I prefer to share with contingent-pay seekers (and providers) some real-life consequences of such arrangements which mainly puts the livelihood of the grant writer at risk.

It is simply not fair for hard working grant writers to receive little or no pay for their efforts due to many reasons beyond their control. I have listed eleven of those reasons which I have seen crop up time and time again, resulting in rejected proposals. In those instances, a grant writer’s time and effort were wasted and she or he received no compensation for their good faith professional services:

http://www.raise-funds.com/040202forum.html

]]> By: Christopher Litton http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/find-fundraising-consultants/comment-page-1/#comment-34786 Christopher Litton Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:17:19 +0000 http://stepbystepfundraising.com/?p=994#comment-34786 Please...this whole not paying on percentage because it is "unethical" is just simply spin that has been created in the fundraising industry because they want their money upfront. For many non-profits, percentage is the only option. I have run into very few foundations that will not allow for consultant fees to be built into the request budget. The only legal guidlines for "back door" payments are with public sector earmark funding. Who really cares what the AFP says? Please…this whole not paying on percentage because it is “unethical” is just simply spin that has been created in the fundraising industry because they want their money upfront. For many non-profits, percentage is the only option. I have run into very few foundations that will not allow for consultant fees to be built into the request budget. The only legal guidlines for “back door” payments are with public sector earmark funding.

Who really cares what the AFP says?

]]> By: Anisha Robinson Keeys http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/find-fundraising-consultants/comment-page-1/#comment-22975 Anisha Robinson Keeys Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:36:07 +0000 http://stepbystepfundraising.com/?p=994#comment-22975 I’ve shared Mr. Poderis’ Asking For The Money Is The Job of The Leadership And Friends Of A Non-Profit Organization, and Kim Kleins article on hiring a fundraising consultant http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/howto/hiring_consultant.pdf with several non profit organizations. Both do a great job of putting the role of the fundraising consultant in perspective. I especially appreciated the section about fundraising consultants asking for money. At its best, fundraising is about building and cultivating relationships—not getting a consultant (typically retained by an organization for a short period of time) to fix a fundraising gap by sharing their personal fundraising contact list (unless it would be mutually beneficial to the funder and non profit) or doing the asking without a representative from the organization. Non profits that invest the time and money in hiring a fundraising consultant should want that investment to be sustainable. They should be prepared to do some heavy lifting and work alongside their consultant to make certain they are able to fundraise and retain funder relationships long after the consultant is gone. Anisha Robinson Keeys www.lance-lee.com I’ve shared Mr. Poderis’ Asking For The Money Is The Job of The Leadership And Friends Of A Non-Profit Organization, and Kim Kleins article on hiring a fundraising consultant http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/howto/hiring_consultant.pdf with several non profit organizations. Both do a great job of putting the role of the fundraising consultant in perspective.

I especially appreciated the section about fundraising consultants asking for money. At its best, fundraising is about building and cultivating relationships—not getting a consultant (typically retained by an organization for a short period of time) to fix a fundraising gap by sharing their personal fundraising contact list (unless it would be mutually beneficial to the funder and non profit) or doing the asking without a representative from the organization.

Non profits that invest the time and money in hiring a fundraising consultant should want that investment to be sustainable. They should be prepared to do some heavy lifting and work alongside their consultant to make certain they are able to fundraise and retain funder relationships long after the consultant is gone.

Anisha Robinson Keeys

http://www.lance-lee.com

]]> By: Sandra Sims http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/find-fundraising-consultants/comment-page-1/#comment-22740 Sandra Sims Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:22:08 +0000 http://stepbystepfundraising.com/?p=994#comment-22740 Chris, you raise some good points on this issue. Paying for any type of consulting or services can be tough for nonprofits with small budgets or those just starting out. AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) has this percentage prohibition as one practice that all members have to abide by. Their position paper has some good information, <a href="http://www.afpnet.org/content_documents/Professional_Compensation_Position_Paper_102001.pdf">which you can access here</a>. One option would be to bill them a flat fee, part of which would be required upfront and the rest within a certain time period. Chris, you raise some good points on this issue. Paying for any type of consulting or services can be tough for nonprofits with small budgets or those just starting out.

AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) has this percentage prohibition as one practice that all members have to abide by. Their position paper has some good information, which you can access here.

One option would be to bill them a flat fee, part of which would be required upfront and the rest within a certain time period.

]]> By: Chris http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/find-fundraising-consultants/comment-page-1/#comment-22559 Chris Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:53:49 +0000 http://stepbystepfundraising.com/?p=994#comment-22559 I don't understand why the percentage thing is such a big deal. I have been approached by a non-profit because of my contacts and years of sales experience. However, they don't make enough money to "hire" me. What are they to do? What am I to do. I want to help them and they really need help. You say it is unethical. I can see the nature of "percentage" pay can get hairy, but I think that in order to make a blanket "wrong" statement is painting with too broad of brush. I don’t understand why the percentage thing is such a big deal. I have been approached by a non-profit because of my contacts and years of sales experience. However, they don’t make enough money to “hire” me. What are they to do? What am I to do. I want to help them and they really need help. You say it is unethical. I can see the nature of “percentage” pay can get hairy, but I think that in order to make a blanket “wrong” statement is painting with too broad of brush.

]]> By: Sandy Rees http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/find-fundraising-consultants/comment-page-1/#comment-20530 Sandy Rees Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:37:22 +0000 http://stepbystepfundraising.com/?p=994#comment-20530 I appreciate the explanation of why you don't want to pay a consultant a percentage of what they raise. I get offered this sort of compensation regularly and I explain how it's considered unethical among professional fundraisers. Sandy Rees www.getfullyfunded.com I appreciate the explanation of why you don’t want to pay a consultant a percentage of what they raise. I get offered this sort of compensation regularly and I explain how it’s considered unethical among professional fundraisers.

Sandy Rees
http://www.getfullyfunded.com

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