The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration (SOFII) has curated a group of great articles on how to be an effective partner with consultants in our sector. As a riff on Alison McCants’ great web article sharing her experience, I thought I’d add some questions to ask before engaging a research consultant:
- What resources do you use?
- Do you purchase them yourself?
- How often do you attend continuing education courses to keep up with the latest resources and trends?
- Do you teach any training courses?
- What types of organizations have you worked for?
- What kinds of reports do you provide?
- How much do they cost?
- May I see samples of your work?
- How long does it usually take for you to complete a report?
- May I speak with three current/recent clients?
- What is your privacy/confidentiality policy? (Thanks to Jen Filla for that one!)
Ask a consultant’s references:
- How easy is this consultant to work with?
- Do they provide good customer service when something goes wrong?
- Do they deliver research when promised?
- How do you feel about the quality of what you receive?
- Is their work good value for the price?
- Are they innovative?
Do you have more questions to add?
