You may decide that you need a little extra help, or a great deal of help, in dealing with your fundraising needs. Maybe you don’t have the expertise and spare capacity within your own organisation, and therefore a good alternative would be to appoint a fundraising consultant. Or, you may decide that you need an impartial view.

Fundraising consultants can work with your charity, trustees, volunteers, staff and fundraising department (if you have one). A consultant can provide an independent expert opinion on your fundraising; provide advice and training; plan the way ahead; if necessary manage or supervise your operations; or simply hold your hand as your fundraising develops.

A fundraising consultant is not a fundraiser and will not solicit money, but will give you all the help and advice to enable you and your team to become able fundraisers.

If you think your charity could benefit from the help of a fundraising consultant, here are our top tips of things to consider:

• Be clear about your needs before contacting a consultant.
• Make sure your organisation is committed to the idea and need for fundraising, as well as the time required, and ready to engage professional help.
• A good consultant should offer an initial no-obligation meeting – use this opportunity to explore your options.
• Ensure that your potential fundraising team is happy to work with the consultant.
• Talk to previous and current clients of the consultant whom you wish to appoint.
• If you decide to appoint a fundraising consultant, ask for an agreement that sets out the scope of work to be undertaken, termination provisions, and the terms of business - fees will reflect expertise and the work required.
• Avoid commission fees. They may seem attractive, but they can be a disincentive to donors, lead to conflict and practices that are detrimental to the charity, the donor and the fundraising consultant. Commission fees also breach the Association of Fundraising Consultants’ Code of Practice.

Fundraising consultancies achieve the best results when a charity is committed to working with the consultant, sharing information and issues, and working towards a common goal.

Stefan Lipa Consultancy is a member of the Association of Fundraising Consultants (AFC) – the ‘gold standard’ in fundraising. This is a professional body that has a strong emphasis on ethics and operates to the highest standards of integrity. Its members are subject to regular client reference checks and subscribe to a rigorous code of practice.

Stefan Lipa is a member of the Institute of Fundraising - a professional membership body that aims to support UK fundraisers through leadership, representation, standards-setting and education.

19.03.2016

For more information, call us on 01264 860003 or send an email.