1. Is the Consultant likely to suggest a variety of ways a Client should be using the Consultant's services in order to be able to bill more hours?
No. The Consultant's primary responsibility is to help the Client raise more money. Clients will want to evaluate the costs of Consultant time against the extent to which the organization actually raises more money.  If more of a Consultant's time can do this effectively, the Client will benefit greatly. If not, it's a waste of time and money for both Client and Consultant.

2. How can we know when to use a Consultant?
When the process you are now using isn't producing what you want it to produce. A Consultant can help a Client see what needs to change in order to get different, and better, results. It frequently takes an outside observer to do this.

3. How can we appropriately supervise a Consultant's work?
A Client can supervise a Consultant's work by regularly evaluating how effective the consulting process is being for the organization.

4. What kinds of roles will a Consultant typically play in working with nonprofits?
There are a variety of roles a Consultant will play, and sometimes the Consultant will play more than one role at a time. Here is a short list of typical roles: Advocate and Supporter, Inquirer, Learner and Questioner, Instructor, Coach, Teacher and Trainer, Scapegoat, Promoter of Organizational Change.

5. Are there things a Consultant typically will not do?
First, at Philanthropy Solutions, LLC., we subscribe to the AFP's ethical code and standards of practice. The Consultant's job is enhancing the Client's capacity to raise money. There may be times when a Consultant's advice may seem to lead in unfamiliar directions. New steps must be taken to achieve new and better results. But when the Client is unsure about the new direction, the Client should ask the Consultant to spell out the reasons for the suggested direction or change. Sometimes the organizational changes necessary to achieve new fundraising capacity may tend to "pinch" a bit, or feel strange. In the end, the change advocated by the Consultant should have greater fund raising pay-off for the Client than is currently being experienced.

6. Can a Client mis-understand a Consultant's effort?
Yes. Sometimes a Client may come to feel that the Consultant's advice is so readily and easily given that the Client could just as easily produce those kinds of judgments, plans, strategies or results themselves. It may look easy, or simple, but it's not. The reality is that the Consultant has a very different perspective than the Client. The Consultant is an outside, highly professional observer and practitioner, who has worked for many organizations under a variety of fund raising conditions. However, when a Client begins to feel something like: "Well, I could do that myself," a reality check is in order for both Client and Consultant, and both will learn from the encounter.