| When I decided to switch gears in my career and | | | | Consultant fees are varied. According to the |
| move towards nonprofits and charities, I | | | | American Association of Grant Professionals, grant |
| contemplated the differences between becoming a | | | | consultants are not able to ethically charge based on |
| development professional representing a single | | | | grant awards or percentages. Professional services |
| organization, or moving towards consulting and | | | | should be based on the work required. However |
| working with several. There were pros and cons of | | | | there are consultants that charge fees this way. As a |
| each option, and I weighed them carefully. | | | | professional I have decided to charge my fees based |
| In the end I decided I wanted to become an | | | | on an estimate of the time needed to complete a |
| independent grant writing consultant because I enjoy | | | | proposal and the supporting research, and I charge |
| helping nonprofits further their missions and I didn't | | | | these fees proportionately based on delivery of |
| want to limit myself to just one. Along the way I | | | | work product. I also offer supportive services once a |
| found a few assumptions, some of which were true | | | | grant is awarded, including assistance with reporting |
| and some that were not. | | | | data collection and scheduling. This additional service |
| 1) Consultants make more money, work less hours | | | | provides two benefits- first, my clients and I are a |
| and make their own schedules | | | | team as we apply for funding and I have a financial |
| Yes and no. As a consultant I am able to charge for | | | | incentive in providing quality applications; and second |
| specific services, and there are months where I earn | | | | my awarded proposals will have the necessary |
| more income as a consultant than I would as an | | | | ongoing support to ensure my funding agencies are |
| employee, but there are also months where things | | | | comfortable with my experience. Both of these |
| are scarce. I have to be very careful with planning | | | | outcomes strengthen my relationship with my clients |
| my time and my billings in order to ensure cash flow. | | | | and my funding agencies while maintaining |
| It is important to remember that as a consultant I | | | | professionalism and ensuring proper handling of grant |
| am also running my own business, which means I am | | | | funds. |
| the accountant, the human resources department, | | | | 5) Consultants have a bad reputation |
| the project manager- the whole staff, on top of | | | | This I have found to be true in the nonprofit world. |
| being a grant writer. In some ways this means I | | | | Horror stories of unscrupulous consultants are |
| work lots of non-billable hours managing my business. | | | | frightening and sad. I have heard of consultants who |
| Don't discount your benefits package, either- as an | | | | have taken deposit checks and never delivered |
| independent consultant I pay full price for my | | | | proposals, promised the moon or guaranteed grant |
| insurance and there is no match for my retirement | | | | awards because of special preferences that don't |
| funds. | | | | exist, used plagiarized proposals and more. |
| 2) Consultants have varied areas of expertise | | | | Unfortunately, these people have given the rest of |
| Some consultants focus specifically on one type of | | | | us a bad reputation. Organizations such as the |
| funding or one topic. I did not specialize and have | | | | American Association of Grant Professionals have |
| enjoyed a broad range of opportunities, funding | | | | taken steps to help stop these unethical consultants |
| sources and topics. For example, last month I was | | | | and promote the honest and hard working writers |
| writing grants in support of a prototype hip | | | | out there. For example, the Grant Professional |
| replacement through the National Institutes of Health, | | | | Certification Institute offers the Grant Professional |
| a youth gang prevention and rehabilitation mentoring | | | | Certified program, which includes a background |
| program with the Office of Juvenile Justice and | | | | screening and verification of professional experience. |
| Delinquency Prevention and a capacity building | | | | Several states have developed licensing programs for |
| expansion project for technology funding through | | | | fundraising consultants and grant writers- please |
| several private foundations. | | | | check with your state government to determine the |
| 3) Consultants are not dedicated to their causes and | | | | process for your area. As a professional in Florida I |
| remain at an arms-length | | | | hold a license through the Department of Consumer |
| While I cannot speak for all consultants, I know that | | | | Affairs. I always advise to be cautious and vigilant |
| personally I do not take on clients with missions that | | | | when they hire a grant consultant, or any other |
| do not spark my passion. It is imperative to me that | | | | service provider. Do your research, and only work |
| I am supportive of my nonprofits and their | | | | with someone you trust. I do not advertise other |
| programs- if not I am not the right consultant for | | | | than my general website and a yellow pages listing. |
| their cause. However, I do maintain a professional | | | | Instead I accept limited referrals from my active |
| distance, which allows me to focus on facts and | | | | clients on a case by case basis, and I rely on my |
| program structure in order to ensure my nonprofit | | | | reputation for honest and straightforward services |
| clients receive the funding they need. By drawing on | | | | rather than advertising. |
| experience from several programs, agencies and | | | | In the end, I am glad to have taken the route of |
| experiences I believe I am able to construct logical, | | | | independent consultant vs. a dedicated development |
| concise and clear proposals while maintaining | | | | professional. I am blessed to have the opportunity to |
| emotional appeal. Development professionals are also | | | | work on a wide range of projects and assist my |
| able to create this perspective, but I am better able | | | | clients in providing the needed services in my |
| to manage this as an independent consultant. | | | | community. |
| 4) Consultants are too expensive | | | | |