Although very diverse in terms of prior work experience, ACN member consultants share a commitment to working with nonprofit organizations. Many of our members have held leadership positions in organizations like yours. Others bring experience in the for-profit sector to their nonprofit work.

ACN works throughout the year to promote the association to decision makers at nonprofit organizations... We have formed strategic alliances with other groups that serve the nonprofit community, such as Donors Forum, Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management, and Shore Bank. We market our website to nonprofit decision makers so that they can search our consultant database.

Working with nonprofit organizations is different than doing the same work in the for profit sector. ACN member consultants are a good source for understanding those differences. Take a look at the member profiles and reach out to people whose backgrounds look like yours. One thing about ACN members – we all understand the value of networking and will happily talk with you about your plans.

ACN membership is a good way to prepare you to become a consultant to nonprofit organizations. You might start by attending one or more programs as a guest and taking advantage of the networking time. Our members will be happy to talk with you about their experience and share their thoughts on how to get started.

You’re absolutely right – a lot goes in to running a successful business. ACN programs often address best business practices. Again, you might reach out to a member and ask for advice. Look at archived program presentations on the website or suggest a new program topic.

ACN is a community of colleagues.  We support one another through networking, through educational programs oriented to sole practitioners and small consulting practices, and through access to advice and counsel.  Giving consultants access to nonprofit organizations seeking professional services is only one of the many valuable ways we serve our members.

Requests for Professionals (RFPs) are disseminated to all ACN members, regardless of experience or specialty. You may get quite a few responses and will want to carefully review them. If an RFP is not required (for instance, by your funding source), the Find a Consultant feature allows you to review member profiles in advance and to reach out directly to those consultants most likely to best meet your needs. Going direct to consultants will save you time by putting you directly in contact with qualified consultants.

In either case, be prepared to talk through your needs with consultants so that they can provide a responsive and appropriate proposal and determine whether they are a good fit for your needs.

The “Find a Consultant” tab will link you to a page that gives you the option of finding appropriate consultants directly or submitting a Request for Professionals. To submit an RFP, we ask that you complete the template and attach any additional relevant information. One of our members will review your submission and may contact you for clarification or additional information. The RFP is then sent to all ACN members.

Most ACN members do pro bono work in their free time for the causes they most support.  However, they have joined ACN in their professional capacity, rather than with volunteering in mind.  We support our members in their expectation to be paid respectfully for their work.  Therefore, RFP’s without budgets will NOT be disseminated to members.   For assistance in determining what a realistic project budget should be, we recommend contacting an ACN consultant of interest directly.

We recommend using the “Find a Consultant” search option to narrow your search to the consultants that you believe are most qualified to support your project. Working closely with qualified consultant candidates is the most efficient way to get the strong proposals you will want to consider.

ACN welcomes feedback about your experience with our member consultants – both positive and negative. Just contact any Board member with your comments. A list of current Board members is featured in the About ACN section of our website, www.acnconsult.org

Interested consultants may call you before submitting their proposals, to ask questions or determine whether they are a good match for your needs. Please be prepared to take these calls or even meet with consultants before receiving their proposals.  Such preliminary meetings result in the best and most responsive proposals and are critical to establishing a good working relationship moving forward.

Identifying potential consultants for your project at acnconsult.org is an easy and efficient way to find people who are dedicated to working with nonprofit organizations.  Whether you use the “Find a Consultant” feature and approach consultants directly or chose to submit a Request for Proposals, you can be confident that you are reaching professionals who have dedicated themselves to understanding the cultures of nonprofit organizations, working within prescribed budgets, and meeting the specific needs of nonprofits across a range of practice areas.

Using the Find a Consultant feature is probably your best route. Members will happily discuss your needs and help you determine whether your organization is ready for a consulting contract.

ACN members set their own rates.  After learning about your needs, some consultants will quote you a flat fee for the project.  Others will charge an hourly rate and work with you to estimate the number of hours required to complete the project.  In some instances, a retainer will make the most sense.

You will be able to negotiate the rate with the consultant you choose.  ACN members understand that nonprofit organizations have limited budgets, and you can almost always find one to fit your budget.  Of course, as with any other professional service, there is a relationship between what you pay and what you get.  You will want to make sure that you have allocated sufficient funds to get both the quantity and quality of consulting you seek.