In the realm of nonprofit organizations where every dollar donated is a potential lifeline for a cause, the expertise of nonprofit consultants can shine like a guiding star. Their goal is to work behind the scenes using their knowledge and experience to help nonprofits thrive, grow, and make a meaningful impact on the world.
In this article, we will introduce you to some of the brightest minds in the nonprofit consultancy sphere. These 10 nonprofit consultants are experts in their respective fields with a priority empowering organizations.
Notice their unique approaches and deep insights that have helped many nonprofits by enabling them to reach new heights.
The Strategist Extraordinaire:
Meet the strategist extraordinaire who can turn a vague vision into a concrete roadmap for success. With a penchant for dissecting complex challenges and crafting innovative solutions, this consultant has helped nonprofits refine their mission, set clear objectives, and navigate the treacherous waters of the nonprofit landscape.
Our recommendation:
What makes this nonprofit strategic planning consultant unique?
Yes, we were brave enough to put ourselves on this list. Catapult brings a wholistic, innovative approach to strategic planning using their 6A Planning Process that often results in nonprofits having 10X impact without having to dramatically increase their annual revenue. You can find out more here.
The Ad Grant Innovator:
In today’s digital age where everyone has the internet in the palm of their hand, utilizing Google’s Ad Grant program is an essential for every nonprofit (they give away $10K a month for nonprofits to spend on Google Ads). This consultant can help nonprofits find new donors, volunteers, advocates, and beneficiaries by choosing high-quality keywords and suggesting digital marketing strategies around those keywords.
Our recommendation:
What makes this nonprofit Ad Grant consultant unique?
They have a flat rate they charge per month, run everything soup to nuts, are highly effective at targeting and make the grant writing and approval process through Google frictionless.
The HR Advocate:
Navigating the complexities of the nonprofit sector can be a daunting task when it comes to executive compensation, pay bands and benefits. This consultant serves as a compass to all things HR related, ensuring that employee compensation operates within the bounds of the law while maximizing what is possible.
Our recommendation:
What makes this nonprofit HR consultant unique?
They specialize in HR and have chosen to go deep rather than wide with an impressive list of former clients who have utilized their HR services.
The Storytelling Maestro:
No one can weave a tale quite like someone gifted at writing stories, messaging and compelling copy. With the power of storytelling, they have the ability to connect audiences emotionally to a cause that sparks a desire to support and get involved. Their expertise in crafting compelling narratives has helped nonprofits create a stronger bond with their supporters.
Our recommendation:
What makes this messaging consultant unique?
Messaging can be an arduous process that feels like pulling teeth. Carone Designs is unique because it is in the bottom third of cost, works with short and crisp timelines, and uses messaging that is always pushing people towards their next step.
The Board Governance Expert:
A nonprofit’s board is its guiding force and one of the places where nonprofit leadership can quickly go awry. Their expertise in board development and governance helps nonprofits steer toward their missions with precision and unity.
Our recommendation:
Nonprofit Board Governance Consultants
What makes this board development consultant unique?
This consultancy specializes in Board Governance and has a genuine passion for healthy, engaged boards. They are a one stop shop for governance: selection, onboarding, training, work subteams, board culture, etc.
The Impact Measurement Artist:
Measuring impact is not just about numbers – it is about telling the story of the change created. This consultant excels in designing robust evaluation frameworks that demonstrate the real-world effects of nonprofit work by providing valuable insights for donors and stakeholders.
Our recommendation:
What makes this reporting consultant unique?
This organization only does one thing and they do it very, very well: Impact reporting. Working primarily with faith based nonprofits, they know how to – 1) Connect data to meaning and mission 2) Make it affordable for any and all size organizations 3) Lead your organization through a simple process that generates your report quickly and beautifully.
The Diversity and Inclusion Champion:
In a world where inclusivity is paramount, this consultant specializes in guiding nonprofits on their journey toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. They provide vital guidance on policies, practices, and culture that foster a more equitable and welcoming environment.
Our recommendation:
What makes this D&I consultant unique?
LaPiana has over 25 years of award winning consulting experience and is one of the early pioneers in thinking about diversity and inclusion with nonprofit organizations. They have worked with some of the largest and most respected organizations and have a long history of D&I culture change.
The Talent Search Maestro:
Being able to find talent who turn into extraordinary employees at nonprofits is like finding Leonard Bernstein – What you need is a Maestro. Their knack for creating profiles, screening and filtering candidates, and walking nonprofits through a process of interviewing and hiring will literally lead to a significant amount of money saved.
Our recommendation:
What makes this grant writing consultant unique?
What makes Slingshot unique is a speciality in faith based nonprofits, a process that feels honoring and relational for both the employee and the candidate, and a very high success rate with C-Suite level leaders.
The Fundraising Guru:
In the nonprofit world, money is the lifeblood of impact, and this consultant knows how to make it flow. Their mastery of fundraising techniques, from traditional campaigns to cutting-edge digital strategies, adapting techniques for generational shifts, has enabled nonprofits to secure the resources they need to drive change.
Our recommendation:
What makes this fundraising consultant unique?
This organization specializes in strategic planning and fundraising, with an explicit value around creating new playbooks. Catapult is unique in fundraising strategy as it combines 1) A money-back guarantee, 2) More than $800M raised, 3) A way-too-affordable Custom Fundraising playbook. You can check out their fundraising services here.
The Brand Wizard
A strong visual brand for a nonprofit fosters trust in an organization, telling volunteers, potential employees, people you are serving and donors who are staying true to your mission and remaining focused. Consistent branding can help build community and excitement about a nonprofit.
Our recommendation:
What makes this nonprofit strategic planning consultant unique?
Historic provides a for-profit Branding Agency service for medium-range pricing. They have made their name on visual branding and identity while using a process that customers enjoy.
Final Thoughts
These 10 nonprofit consultants represent a diverse and dynamic force for good in the world. Each one possesses unique talents and expertise and they all share a common goal: to empower nonprofits to make a lasting impact on the causes they hold dear. As we highlight their contributions, there are other consultants serving nonprofits well. The 10 Best Nonprofit Consultants + How to Choose The One That Is Right For You
Ready to design your own winning strategy?
Catapult’s published The Ultimate Strategic Planning Black Book to help nonprofits like yours take the first steps towards developing a rock-solid strategic plan. Join our email list to get the guide now.
Additional Articles on Strategic Planning
8 Strategic Planning Tools That Organizations Often Use to Facilitate the Strategic Planning Process
When organizations are walking through a multi-month strategic planning process with a nonprofit consultant, there tend to be a variety of tools that get pulled out of the facilitation tool belt. In our work with 1300+ nonprofit organizations, we have found that...
5 Mistakes Nonprofits Make When Hiring a Consultant
In the complex world of nonprofits, hiring a consultant can feel like trying to figure out how to summon a wizard to solve your organization's most pressing challenges. While consultants possess a particular expertise, nonprofits can sometimes stumble into avoidable...
Top 4 Reasons Nonprofit Strategic Plans Fail
Despite best efforts of nonprofit leaders, many times a strategic plan fails to deliver the goods. It’s hard enough to get a gifted and capable team to align around a plan, so there are very few things more frustrating for a leader on an Executive Team than when the...