Top 24 Nonprofit Consultants and How to Choose One: A Guide

Whether you’re seeking expertise or a fresh perspective, a nonprofit consultant can help your organization reach its maximum potential.

A nonprofit consultant provides specialized advice to develop strategies, implement new processes, tackle a project or strengthen a specific area of your organization. Depending on the size of your organization, your team may lack experience and knowledge in fields like HR, technology, fundraising or compliance. A nonprofit consultant can fill these gaps to set your organization up for success.

To help your organization hire the right nonprofit consultant, we’ll explore these top service providers:

1. Aly Sterling Philanthropy – Best for Comprehensive Services
2. DNL OmniMedia – Best for Technology
3. RealHR Solutions – Best for HR Support
4. Artisan Learning – Best for Training
5. Deep Sync – Best for Data Marketing
6. Astron Solutions – Best for HR Management
7. Cornershop Creative – Best for Web Design
8. Jitasa Group – Best for Accounting
9. Grants Plus – Best for Grant Seeking
10. Donorly – Best for Growing Small Organizations
11. MarketSmart – Best for Major Donors
12. Harbor Compliance – Best for Licenses and Regulations
13. ScienceSoft – Best for Data Software
14. Zobrio – Best for IT
15. Changing Our World – Best for Large Organizations
16. Ahern Communications – Best for Communications Strategy
17. BWF – Best for Healthcare
18. Sleek Consulting – Best for Higher Education Fundraising
19. Westfall Gold – Best for Events
20. Whole Whale – Best for Data Analytics
21. The Helen Brown Group – Best for Prospect Research
22. Thompson Habib Denison – Best for Creative Marketing
23. NextAfter – Best for Free Resources
24. Campbell & Company – Best for Leadership Recruitment

Each nonprofit consulting firm has a specialty and addresses different nonprofit needs. By leveraging our top picks for nonprofit consultants and answering all of your nonprofit consultant-related questions, we’ll help you find the best partner for your organization.

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1. Aly Sterling Philanthropy | Top Nonprofit Consultant For Comprehensive Services

Aly Sterling Philanthropy’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Aly Sterling Philanthropy is a partnership-driven consulting firm that caters to a variety of nonprofit needs including fundraising, strategic planning and board and leadership development.

Aly Sterling Philanthropy offers consulting services for nonprofits in the following areas:

• Fundraising solutions. This nonprofit consulting firm will help you understand and cultivate your donors and provide strategies to help your nonprofit raise more money.
• Strategic planning. Aly Sterling Philanthropy consultants will guide your nonprofit through a three-step strategic planning process of assess, align and act. They will conduct a comprehensive assessment to align goals with organizational values, then develop a bold action plan for moving forward.
• Board governance. This firm will help you assess, strengthen and energize your board members to maximize performance. Aly Sterling Philanthropy’s tested system can establish a foundation for effective board work today and tomorrow.

Aly Sterling Philanthropy’s thoughtful, experienced solutions can position any nonprofit for success.

Why does Aly Sterling Philanthropy stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Aly Sterling Philanthropy excels at helping established nonprofits meet their goals. Their all-around expertise has helped a range of organizations raise millions of dollars, engage their leaders and grow their missions. No matter what type of consulting service your nonprofit is seeking, Aly Sterling Philanthropy shines at powering both immediate growth and long-term development.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you want a partner who works with your organization to create powerful results, Aly Sterling Philanthropy’s consultants are a perfect fit. This nonprofit consulting firm believes in the power of positivity and staying the course, and their optimistic yet holistic approach can help your organization continue on the road to success even in unusual circumstances.

2. DNL OmniMedia | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Technology

DNL OmniMedia’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

DNL OmniMedia is a nonprofit consulting firm that works to maximize the power of technology for social good. 

DNL OmniMedia provides a variety of services to help nonprofits leverage tech-based tools and establish an effective digital strategy, including:

• Web development. A functional, well-designed website is a key touchpoint for interacting with prospective supporters. DNL OmniMedia can create the perfect digital home for your organization with its nonprofit web design services.
• Technical strategy. Your DNL consultant will conduct a tech assessment to determine what tools are the best fit for your organization. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to digital presence, and DNL can help you find unique opportunities in your existing tech stack or get started with new platforms.
• Data management and analytics. DNL OmniMedia can help you organize and analyze information on any platform so that you can find actionable insights. Powerful data mining tools and detailed visualizations help you find and understand the most critical data.

With DNL OmniMedia, every piece of technical strategy and line of code is tailor-made for your organization.

Why does DNL OmniMedia stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Team DNL not only has experience and trusted partnerships with the platforms you’re already using, but it also understands what’s coming next for the industry. Many nonprofits don’t have a dedicated tech team, and even those that do must face the challenge of a constantly evolving digital ecosystem. DNL OmniMedia can fill in those gaps and provide the expert advice you need to make technology work for you.

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re tired of troubleshooting your software or overwhelmed by the sea of nonprofit platforms available, DNL OmniMedia has consultants who can help. Their expertise will help you find the perfect solution, whether your nonprofit is looking to solve a specific technical challenge or seeking an entire digital strategy.

3. RealHR Solutions | Top Nonprofit Consultant for HR Support

RealHR Solutions’ Nonprofit Consulting Services

RealHR Solutions is a nonprofit consulting firm that offers tailored HR support to small and medium-sized organizations. RealHR Solutions can work with your nonprofit in a range of capacities, including: 

• Advisory support. As an HR advisor, RealHR can help your organization stay in compliance, implement policies and practices and address both management and employee concerns.
• Outsourced business partner support. To support senior leaders at your nonprofit, RealHR can serve as a strategic and tactical resource to develop programs, processes and organizational objectives.
• Project-based support. If you have limited bandwidth, RealHR can partner with you on stand-alone projects such as HR audits, employee investigations, executive searches, compensation and benefits benchmarking, employee engagement surveys and team training.

Why does RealHR Solutions stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

RealHR Solutions has years of experience working with nonprofits and offers an unrivaled level of adaptability on a short-term or long-term basis. Whatever your organization’s HR needs, their team can meet you where you are with customized, expert support.

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re starting from scratch, auditing your current processes, or looking to grow, RealHR is ready to help. Because they’re trained on on-site, virtual or hybrid solutions, their team can support you wherever your nonprofit is.

4. Artisan Learning | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Training

Artisan Learning’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Artisan Learning develops custom e-learning courses for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. By combining digital learning best practices with expert content, Artisan can help your volunteers and employees perform more effectively.

Artisan offers several services to help nonprofits facilitate stronger e-learning opportunities for their teams, including:

• Custom e-learning courses. The Artisan team can help your nonprofit build content from the ground up or improve upon an existing course. Whether you are looking to train your employees on a CRM workflow or onboard new volunteers, a custom course is the best way to create a comprehensive and consistent educational experience.
• Microlearning courses. This new e-learning trend means bite-sized content around a focused concept. Artisan’s approach to microlearning is both meaningful and accessible, so your team can engage with targeted content without needing to delve into hours of material.
• Conversion and translation. Whether you’re switching from Flash to HTML 5 or translating your content into a new language, Artisan Learning can streamline the transition.

Your internal team may not have the bandwidth to take advantage of best practices for e-learning. With a nonprofit consultant from Artisan Learning, you’ll be well-equipped to create effective training experiences in the era of remote work and beyond.

Why does Artisan Learning stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Artisan offers custom learning development to tailor your training content to your nonprofit’s needs. This nonprofit consultant’s expertise in the digital learning space translates into courses that are accessible, engaging, customizable and adaptable. With experience working with organizations like Goodwill and the American Red Cross, the team at Artisan Learning has seen firsthand how innovative training efforts can help nonprofits meet their goals.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

Organizations everywhere are turning to e-learning for their educational needs. If your current training efforts are falling flat, developing a nonprofit e-learning course with Artisan is a great way to pivot. 

5. Deep Sync | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Data Marketing

Deep Sync’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Deep Sync provides data-driven marketing solutions to nonprofits and other organizations. By working with Deep Sync, you can gather and understand accurate, comprehensive data about your current donors and prospective supporters.

Deep Sync’s data-driven nonprofit consulting services include:

• Data hygiene. Deep Sync’s focus on data hygiene ensures your constituent data stays clean, updated and usable. Between postal address hygiene, email address validation and suppression services, this consultant’s services allow you to be confident that your data is accurate and ready to fuel your marketing and fundraising efforts.
• Data enhancement. The Deep Sync team can help you gain meaningful insights into your existing supporters through data enhancement. They’ll collect contact information, demographics, lifestyle data and geographic information about your audience for better segmentation and targeting.
• Omnichannel marketing. Your campaigns are only effective when you target the appropriate audience. To find the right audience, you need strong data about prospects. Deep Sync can help your nonprofit obtain the data you need to power effective omnichannel marketing campaigns.

Why does Deep Sync stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

It’s no secret that strong data is essential to successful fundraising efforts. You want a nonprofit consultant who knows exactly how to find and leverage the right data to help your organization reach its goals. With over 30 years of experience and leadership in the industry, Deep Sync offers unrivaled expertise in and access to constituent data.

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re considering a large-scale donor acquisition campaign, you may want to hire a nonprofit consultant that specializes in data marketing. Deep Sync may also be a good fit for your nonprofit if you know your donor CRM needs a detox.

6. Astron Solutions | Top Nonprofit Consultant for HR Management

Astron Solutions’ Nonprofit Consulting Services

Astron Solutions helps small and mid-sized organizations manage and support their teams. For many nonprofit organizations, HR practices don’t scale as quickly as the rest of the organization develops. Even for organizations that already have a strong talent management system in place, there’s always room for improvement.

That’s where Astron Solutions comes in. Their nonprofit HR consulting services power employee engagement by offering assistance with:

• Day-to-day HR needs. The Astron team can help you streamline payroll, establish systems for performance reviews and even implement commission and incentive systems.
• Long-term HR strategy. The policies and systems you use to manage your team can have a big impact on the development and success of your organization. Astron Solutions will guide you through best practices for employee compensation, retention and more. Your consultant can even help you administer new programs or changes in the event of a crisis.
• Talent management software. Astron also provides the tools you need to manage your team effectively with a cloud-based management suite.

Why does Astron Solutions stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

The success and quality of your employees are factors that contribute directly to your nonprofit’s ability to meet its goals. In order to grow and succeed, you need a strategy that reflects this.

After more than 20 years of working with nonprofits, Astron Solutions has the experience and knowledge necessary to work with your organization on an HR strategy that works for you and your employees.

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

For nonprofits just starting out, choosing a nonprofit consultant like Astron that specializes in HR is a meaningful investment in the future. But whether this is your organization’s first year or fiftieth, Astron Solutions can help you develop an individualized HR strategy to get the most out of your team.

7. Cornershop Creative | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Web Design

Cornershop Creative’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Cornershop Creative creates functional and beautiful websites for nonprofits. To stand out online, your nonprofit needs not only an aesthetically pleasing design but also a streamlined user experience. Cornershop Creative’s nonprofit consultants offer expertise in these areas and more so that your organization can put its best digital foot forward.

Cornershop Creative’s experienced designers and developers can provide:

• Custom web design. From designing a visual overhaul to building a customized interactive tool, the Cornershop Creative team has the skills to convert your concepts into code. They will work with you to plan and develop a website that can meet your needs far more effectively than an out-of-the-box page builder.
• CRM integration. Tools work better when they work together. Cornershop Creative has experience building with some of the biggest nonprofit CRMs out there, including Engaging Networks and Luminate. When your website is built to connect to your CRM, you won’t have to act as a mediator, leaving you more time to focus on your mission.
• WordPress development and plugins. Cornershop Creative knows how to build sites that harness the complex capabilities of WordPress for your organization. Or, you may be one of the majority of nonprofits already using WordPress as your CMS. Cornershop Creative has also built plugins to solve problems and introduce features that improve the WordPress experience for nonprofits.

Why does Cornershop Creative stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Cornershop Creative combines impressive technical know-how with a deep understanding of the nonprofit space. You don’t have to choose between a comprehensive web design team and a firm that understands your mission and challenges; Cornershop Creative is both.

Even after your website is launched, the Cornershop team ensures you’ll have what you need to make updates and seek their support if necessary.

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

An excellent nonprofit website is an asset at any stage of your organization’s life cycle. If you are a progressive nonprofit seeking to upgrade your web presence or to start from scratch, Cornershop Creative is the perfect nonprofit consultant to help your organization do great things on the web.

8. Jitasa Group | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Accounting

Jitasa’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Jitasa Group provides accounting services exclusively to nonprofits. With a name that means “The Spirit of Serving Others,” this firm is committed to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of nonprofits, no matter their size.

The nonprofit accounting experts at Jitasa offer:

• Accounting and bookkeeping services. When working with a nonprofit accountant like a member of the Jitasa team, you’ll have an expert on your side to handle even the most difficult and complex accounting challenges. Plus, you’ll know your data is safe with their secure internal controls and procedures.
• Tax services. From filing your Form 990 to handing state paperwork, nonprofit taxes are a complicated process. Jitasa offers a lineup of tax filing services for a simple, flat-rate fee depending on the form you need.

While Jitasa handles the books, you can focus your attention on the mission-based activities that matter most.

Why does Jitasa stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

While other nonprofit consultants may offer tax assistance or fundraising advice, Jitasa is the nation’s leading provider of accounting services for nonprofits. With over 1000 clients and many years in the industry, the Jitasa team is equipped to manage accounting and bookkeeping for nonprofits of any size, in any sector, and in any state.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re a small or mid-size organization, you may not have anyone in-house to handle your finances. Jitasa can fill in this gap with accounting and tax services at an affordable rate.

9. Grants Plus | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Grant Seeking

Grants Plus’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Grants Plus is a national leader in grant strategy that works to maximize nonprofit success in grant seeking.

Applying for grants from government institutions, private foundations and corporate sources is a difficult yet critical part of nonprofit fundraising efforts. By partnering with the expert grant consultants at Grants Plus, nonprofits can strengthen their grant processes and make progress towards their goals.

Grants Plus offers a variety of nonprofit consulting services to improve grant seeking success, including:

• Grant writing. Their team can navigate the complex process of nonprofit grant writing from start to finish. Grants Plus can project manage the entire application, handling everything from collecting information, coordinating your team and submitting the grant.
• Grant proposal review. If you’ve already gone through the grant writing process, the experts at Grants Plus can evaluate your proposal to create the most competitive application possible. The team can suggest content edits, find technical issues and make overarching recommendations.
• Training and coaching. Grants Plus can provide their expertise to your team in order to maximize your organization’s internal potential to win grants. They offer training and coaching services including webinars, a 30-day coaching program, new hire training for new grants staff and custom sessions for your staff or board.

Why does Grants Plus stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

First, the numbers speak for themselves: Grants Plus has helped raised $165 million in grant funding since its inception in 2007, and nonprofit clients that work with Grants Plus earn an average return on investment of 12x.

Beyond this measurable value, this nonprofit consulting firm offers a personal touch. Grants Plus is guided by the philosophy that when they partner with your organization, their team becomes your team. 

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you aren’t seeing success with your current grant seeking strategy, Grants Plus can help you implement best practices for your grant proposal efforts. No nonprofit consultant can promise a 100% grant application success rate, but Grants Plus comes with an impressive track record of proven results.

10. Donorly | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Growing Small Organizations

Donorly’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Donorly is a fundraising consulting firm that helps nonprofits fundraise beyond their size. This nonprofit consulting firm values donor research as one of the biggest keys to development.

Whatever your current needs, Donorly offers a research-focused package to help you get there. Their services include:

• Yearlong plans. Donorly uses a holistic process to address your organization’s fundraising needs. First, they turn their research focus inward to assess your organization’s current culture, processes and problems. Then, the Donorly team plans and activates a comprehensive strategy to help you achieve your fundraising goals. The entire process relies on the “special sauce” of research that drives Donorly.
• Individual projects. Donorly can provide research expertise to a one-off project like a feasibility study or capital campaign.
• Ongoing research and staffing. You can take advantage of Donorly’s subscription-based development staffing or research offerings. If you need a research specialist on your fundraising team but aren’t yet ready to hire new full-time staff, Donorly can provide the help you need.

These flexible plans allow any size organization to take advantage of Donorly’s offerings.

Why does Donorly stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Donorly’s specialty is offering cost-effective solutions that make strong donor research available to even the smallest teams. With Donorly, your organization gets access to tools and data used by the largest nonprofits.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

Small nonprofits can still reap huge benefits from professional donor research, and Donorly makes this possible. If you’ve dismissed investing in donor research in the past due to your organization’s size, Donorly should give you a strong reason to reconsider.

11. MarketSmart | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Major Donors

MarketSmart’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

MarketSmart focuses exclusively on major and legacy gift donors.

This nonprofit consultant operates under the philosophy that finding and scheduling meetings with prospects is the hardest part of securing major donors. MarketSmart handles those time-consuming and tedious tasks so that you can spend more time having meaningful conversations with qualified prospects.

MarketSmart uses a donor-centric philosophy across services including:

• Lead generation. MarketSmart can help you find and secure meetings with high-capacity philanthropic donors.
• Lead qualification and prioritization. To be successful, your prospect portfolios must be properly populated. MarketSmart qualifies leads so you don’t waste valuable time. Then, they help you prioritize those leads so you know who to call and when in order to be most effective.
• Relationship cultivation. MarketSmart’s automated engagement fundraising system helps you build trust over time. This nonprofit consultant can help you create communications that encourage donors to lean in and take action.

All of MarketSmart’s offerings leverage technology to facilitate relationship building with less pressure and more joy.

Why does MarketSmart stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Major donors make up a huge percentage of annual revenue for many organizations. MarketSmart understands the specific challenges of major and legacy gift fundraisers and has built the solutions to match.

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re struggling to secure meetings with potentially high-value prospects, MarketSmart can help you adjust your strategy for greater success. Their team can also help you understand and cultivate the leads you already have.

12. Harbor Compliance | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Licenses and Regulations

Harbor Compliance’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Harbor Compliance is dedicated to helping nonprofits maintain compliance at any stage in their life cycle.

Because the Harbor Compliance team deeply understands the regulatory needs of a nonprofit, they offer a comprehensive lineup of services that can grow alongside your organization.

Their numerous nonprofit compliance consulting offerings include:

• Formation. The road to forming a 501(c) organization can be a long and difficult one, but the right nonprofit consultant can help. The experts at Harbor Compliance have a 100% track record of IRS approval, so their formation services come with guaranteed success.
• Charitable solicitation compliance. Harbor Compliance provides assistance to nonprofits in all aspects of nationwide charitable solicitation requirements. They can help your organization meet the prerequisite registration and disclosure statement requirements.
• Industry licensing. Depending on the nature of your organization, you may need a specific industry license. Harbor Compliance can manage license application or renewal for nonprofits in any field, including healthcare, education, food service and retail.

With Harbor Compliance as your partner, you’ll be able to start and grow your nonprofit with confidence that you’re always following the rules.

Why does Harbor Compliance stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

When dealing with regulatory agencies, you want an expert you can trust. Harbor Compliance has ample experience helping nonprofits manage all federal, state and local requirements. With their assistance, you’ll know your paperwork is always timely and accurate.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

Whether you are just starting out or already a nationwide organization, regulatory paperwork can be an overwhelming chore. Look to an industry leader like Harbor Compliance for help managing complicated requirements. This nonprofit consultant can be particularly helpful when you are just starting out or expanding to a new area with different regulations.

 

13. ScienceSoft | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Data Software

ScienceSoft’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

ScienceSoft is an international provider of IT and software development with technical consulting services that cater specifically to nonprofits. With 31 years of experience in software and IT, ScienceSoft has developed technology solutions used by millions of users.

ScienceSoft offers tailored technical solutions to help your nonprofit, including:

• Salesforce consulting. The ScienceSoft team can help you implement Salesforce in your organization or make improvements to your current system. They can help you define and map objectives, build workflows and plan user adoptions.
• Software development. ScienceSoft offers high-quality custom software development to help you solve the unique challenges facing your nonprofits.
• Technology consulting. The landscape of nonprofit tech is constantly evolving. Choosing a nonprofit consultant like ScienceSoft that specializes in technology will equip you to choose and implement the right tools for your organization.

Across its offerings, ScienceSoft helps organizations expand their outreach by improving tech capabilities.

Why does ScienceSoft stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

You need a nonprofit consultant who understands your CRM inside and out. ScienceSoft offers industry-leading expertise in Salesforce for nonprofits. With their help, you can utilize Salesforce’s Nonprofit Success Pack to its fullest potential.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re ready to start using Salesforce but need some guidance to make sure you’re getting the best results, ScienceSoft can provide the expertise you’re looking for. ScienceSoft can also provide technical consulting services if you need to improve your existing processes.

14. Zobrio | Top Nonprofit Consultant for IT

Zobrio’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Zobrio creates powerful infrastructures and provides dependable IT support for nonprofits.

This nonprofit consultant wants to create order and transparency throughout its IT and financial management services. With Zobrio, you can spend less time on the phone with your IT vendor and more time focusing on fundraising or other mission-centric activities.

Zobrio’s solutions for nonprofits include:

• IT support. Zobrio provides managed IT services to help nonprofits secure their networks and data. They can help you handle and protect your sensitive data and provide consistent monitoring services.
• Network infrastructure. The Zobrio team specializes in reliable network and hardware systems for nonprofits. They can design, build and support network infrastructure for nonprofits of any size.
• Fund management. Zobrio nonprofit consultants work with popular systems including Abila MIP and Blackbaud Financial Edge.

Why does Zobrio stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Because Zobrio has over 30 years of experience in IT and infrastructure, it emerges as a clear winner in technical expertise. Zobrio combines this strong tech prowess with a robust understanding of nonprofits in order to provide your organization with custom IT and network solutions to meet its unique needs.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re tired of working with an IT support vendor that doesn’t have a good grasp of your nonprofit’s needs and values, Zobrio is a perfect fit. This nonprofit consultant is also especially valuable when your organization is first launching or moving to a new space due to their network infrastructure offerings.

15. Changing Our World | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Large Organizations

Changing Our World’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Changing Our World works to see and create the future of social impact by providing consulting services to large nonprofits.

Changing Our World works through a three-pronged process to maximize engagement: immerse, inform and implement. 

This nonprofit consulting firm starts by immersing its team within your organization to understand your environment and conditions. Then, their team draws on past experience and expertise to inform a signature strategy. Finally, they work alongside large nonprofit partners to implement strategy from start to finish.

This philosophy is echoed throughout Changing Our World’s services, which include:

• Fundraising.  Changing Our World offers integrated fundraising services to help you meet your organization’s goals. This nonprofit consultant can help you build organizational capacity, develop and execute a campaign or launch a new fundraising program. Changing Our World can also help even the biggest organizations navigate a crisis or emergency.
• Corporate social engagement. Many corporations are trying to “give back” and create social good, and this nonprofit consultant can help them do that effectively. The Changing Our World team can develop a corporate citizenship strategy or launch a cause-related marketing campaign. Changing Our World can also help organizations boost engagement and volunteerism.
• Communications. An innovative communication strategy can help you connect emotionally with both donors and prospects. Changing Our World provides consulting for communications strategy and specific marketing solutions to maximize impact.

Across these offerings, this nonprofit works to change our world one effort at a time.

Why does Changing Our World stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

With impressive past clients including the United Nations Foundation, Changing Our World is a trusted choice for large nonprofits who want to make a big impact. Their experience in corporate philanthropy also provides a unique perspective for all nonprofits.

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

Changing Our World is a visionary team that can create measurable results for any nonprofit, especially large organizations that are related to faith, healthcare, and education.

16. Ahern Communications | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Comms Strategy

Ahern Communications’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Ahern Communications operates under the principle that fixing small mistakes (that almost everyone is making) can yield huge results for your nonprofit.

With a long career in writing, this nonprofit consultant has developed the skills and expertise necessary to help nonprofits successfully reach their goals for appeal campaigns.

Ahern Communications offers a comprehensive array of services for improving your nonprofit’s messaging strategy, including:

• Communications audits. The Ahern Communications team will discover all the flaws in your current communications strategy: confusing offers, jargon, readability issues and more. Then, they’ll provide a targeted plan for fixing these problems and avoiding future issues.
• Direct mail. In addition to assessing the material you’re sending out, Ahern Communications can craft additional content. This nonprofit consultant’s skill for compelling writing will shine in your newsletters and direct mail campaigns.
• Training. Ahern Communications offers valuable training in donor-centric comms so that your team can learn and grow.

Even small communications issues can create massive consequences for your fundraising strategy, so Ahern Communications wants to help you build better appeals.

Why does Ahern Consulting stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Ahern Communications is one of the nation’s most sought-after consultants for fundraising messaging. With a deft skill for appealing to prospects through writing, this nonprofit consultant can help you achieve the desired results from your communications efforts.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’ve never had a way with words, there’s no better nonprofit consultant to fill that gap than Ahern Communications. If you already have a powerful communications strategy in place, Ahern’s expertise could still help you find room for small improvements.

18. Sleek Consulting | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Higher Education Fundraising

Sleek Consulting’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Sleek Consulting works with development offices in educational institutions and nonprofits to help them leverage fundraising technologies.

After decades of advising hundreds of higher education and nonprofit organizations, this nonprofit consultant has extensive experience in a long list of fundraising databases including Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge NXT and Salesforce.

Sleek Consulting wants to bring your development office into the 21st century through their offerings, which include:

• System selection. Sleek Consulting can support your system selection process from start to finish. Their team will help you identify your specific requirements, work with vendors, evaluate the systems and choose the right advancement software for your organization.
• Implementation support. An error in software implementation can cost you valuable time and money. After managing hundreds of successful software implementations, these nonprofit consultants will keep your project on track.
• Donor database support. Sleek Consulting can assess your current software systems and introduce new enhancements and automated processes.
• Constituent engagement systems. The consultants on the Sleek team can help you develop and cultivate the lifelong relationships your institution depends on.

Throughout these services and others, the development professionals at Sleek Consulting are guided by the principle that when you succeed, they succeed.

Why does Sleek Consulting stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Sleek Consulting has worked with some of the nation’s most prestigious institutions of higher education, including Harvard Law School and the Wharton School. Their experience in maximizing software investments for educational institutions is unrivaled.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you work in a development office at a higher education institution, consider partnering with Sleek Consulting. Their development experts can help you get the most out of the systems you already use as well as recommend new best practices based on their years of experience.

19. Westfall Gold | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Events

Westfall Gold’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Westfall Gold is a nonprofit consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations plan community-building event experiences for major donors.

By taking part in a Westfall Gold event like the “Major Donor Experience,” your supporters make the shift from transactional to transformational giving.

To achieve exponential growth, your organization needs an accelerated program to form impactful connections with donors. This weekend-long experience engages your donors in a threefold approach. Throughout the event, this nonprofit consultant empowers your organization to:

• Create the case. The first phase in a Westfall Gold event involves vision building. Their experienced creative team will work with you to develop an intellectual, emotional and transformational case to connect your donors. And while this step is intended to motivate the major donors in attendance, your case messaging will support your efforts long after the weekend is over.
• Inspire trust. The development leaders at Westfall Gold will help your team follow best practices to build your donors’ trust. Establishing a strong relationship foundation during this weekend can translate into a lifetime of significant giving.
• Build community. The Westfall Gold experience involves opportunities for donors to forge relationships between themselves and with you. This nonprofit consultant moves beyond donor-centric messaging to craft a truly donor-centric experience.

Throughout the event, the Westfall Gold team handles logistics, technical details and services so that you can spend time building relationships with your donors.

Why does Westfall Gold stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

This nonprofit consultant offers an innovative event program to help you jumpstart unshakable donor relationships. With a Westfall Gold event, you can cultivate your community more quickly and effectively than with many other donor strategies.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If your organization is ready to make a big leap to achieve big results with major donors, Westfall Gold’s nonprofit consulting services are a unique but undeniably powerful approach.

20. Whole Whale | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Data Analytics

Whole Whale’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Whole Whale is a digital-focused nonprofit consultant that leverages web data and technology for social impact.

Their data experts can help you gather and draw insights from the overwhelming amount of information available on platforms like Google Analytics. The Whole Whale team can help you make improvements and iterate on your processes to maximize your ROI.

Whole Whale offers a suite of services and timelines to align with your nonprofit’s needs. A few of their project and retainer services include consulting on:

• Web analytics. The Whole Whale team can customize and streamline your Google Analytics account so that you are making the most of your data. With their expertise, you can measure ROI and track your audience’s interactions on your website.
• Conversion optimization. This nonprofit consultant specializes in optimizing your digital strategy down to the smallest details. With A/B testing, you can optimize page copy, layouts, content and more to help drive visitors towards conversions that will help your organization.
• Advertising. Whole Whale can help your team manage the Google Ad Grant, which gives $10,000 in free search advertising but requires a strong knowledge of SEO for maximum impact. Whole Whale is one of only 30 organizations in the Ad Grant Certified Professionals Community, so they have the proven qualifications to help. This expertise also extends to paid advertisements, too.

Whole Whale is an international nonprofit consultant, with these services provided throughout North America, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Austria.

Why does Whole Whale stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Whole Whale offers comprehensive and expert digital services to nonprofits large and small. Their emphasis on data and measurable results will help any organization understand and improve their online presence. This nonprofit consultant also has the unique goal of improving your organization’s knowledge and capacity so that their services won’t be necessary after the project is done.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re struggling to understand the huge amounts of data available in Google Analytics and Google Ads, Whole Whale can help your nonprofit find insights to maximize your digital impact. And with multiple accelerated packages for incubation, fundraising and growth, the Whole Whale team can provide a tailored solution for organizations of any size or stage.

21. The Helen Brown Group | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Prospect Research

The Helen Brown Group’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

The Helen Brown Group is a fundraising research consultancy that has provided experienced prospect research and other guidance to over 1000 nonprofit organizations worldwide.

Throughout their work, HBGers dedicate themselves to three main principles: fundraising ethics, continuous learning and a commitment to providing outstanding value to clients. These three pillars are reflected in the high quality of this consulting firm’s prospect research.

The Helen Brown Group offers tailored solutions to fit the custom needs of your organization, but their services most commonly fall into four categories. HBG can provide:

• Dedicated consultants. With a nonprofit consultant from The Helen Brown Group on your team, you’ll have a wealth of experience and strategy relating to prospect research and management at your disposal.
• A la carte reports. If you need a targeted piece of information or a specific research question, the HBG team can find an answer. Their dedicated researchers can deliver robust profiles, wealth and philanthropy reports or due diligence research.
• Data analysis. The Helen Brown Group can take on a data insight project to bolster your prospect research. Example projects include post-wealth screening verification and list building, annual fund modeling and RFM analyses.
• Coaching and training. The HBG team can share their experience and expertise in prospect research and management with your fundraising team.

Why does The Helen Brown Group stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

The Helen Brown Group combines knowledge and expertise with cutting-edge technology to stay at the vanguard of prospect research. They even wrote the book Prospect Research for Fundraisers to share industry-leading insights. HBG is a trusted nonprofit consulting firm for both large and small prospect research endeavors.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

Prospect research is at the heart of any successful fundraising campaign, so HBG’s services are a useful tool for almost any nonprofit. And because their offerings cover everything from an ongoing consulting relationship to an a la carte project, your organization will be able to find the right package for your situation.

22. Thompson Habib Denison | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Creative Marketing

Thompson Habib Denison’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Thompson Habib Denison is a full-service agency that drives nonprofit donor engagement and growth through creative marketing. Their nonprofit consulting services for your marketing needs are extensive, covering everything from social media to the production of direct mail.

THD has a passion for doing good, and they work to fulfill this passion through building multi-channel donor experiences that engage, motivate and maximize fundraising revenue.

As a full-service agency, THD’s offerings are expansive. A few of their specialized practice areas include:

• Creative. THD can ideate and launch authentic, motivating campaigns across channels to help you find new prospects and engage your current donors.
• Digital. Thompson Habib Denison will connect with your donors across many digital platforms. Their expertise includes email, mobile experiences, web experiences, Facebook and other social channels.
• Production. The THD team can develop and deliver high-quality materials for donors. With their help, you can get a better response rate through cost-effective mailings.

Thompson Habib Denison’s offerings span the entire donor life cycle to help you maximize engagement from every level of supporter. They also can focus specifically on identifying and cultivating your mid-level prospects for long-term growth.

Why does THD stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

The marketing experts at Thompson Habib Denison combine creativity with data-driven insights to create compelling campaigns that generate results. Their innovative and integrated strategies have been successful for some of the world’s leading nonprofits in almost every sector.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If your organization is ready to embark on a multichannel marketing campaign but lacks the creative vision, Thompson Habib Denison can develop a compelling strategy to support your mission.

23. NextAfter | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Free Resources

NextAfter’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

NextAfter is a nonprofit consulting firm focused on helping organizations optimize their online fundraising efforts.

By combining the power of a research lab and a consultancy, NextAfter is trying to harness the power of the most generous generation in history.

NextAfter is obsessed with asking and answering the question, “Why do people give?”. To find out, they run fundraising experiments and share the results with nonprofits everywhere. Their data-driven offerings include:

• Research and resources. NextAfter boasts a research library of 1500+ fundraising experiments to help nonprofits learn more about their unique donors. These experiments and other educational resources can inspire your organization for new ways to optimize your online fundraising.
• Training and coaching. The NextAfter Institute offers in-person certification, workshops, webinars and online courses to help nonprofits learn new best practices and improve their current fundraising practices.
• Consulting advice. Of course, many organizations need much more than a DIY approach. The NextAfter team can also apply their fundraising findings to help your organization accelerate revenue growth.

Through their research, experiments and campaigns, NextAfter helps nonprofits reach more people, acquire more donors and generate more dollars.

Why does NextAfter stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

The factors that set NextAfter apart are its dedication to research and its commitment to sharing what has been uncovered. In-depth knowledge of the online fundraising space allows this nonprofit consulting firm to provide free educational resources and highly valuable consulting advice.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

If you’re looking to dip your toes into fundraising optimization, NextAfter’s library is a good place to start without making a big investment. Then, once you’ve gotten more comfortable, you can explore the other nonprofit consultants on this list to make more substantial improvements.

24. Campbell & Company | Top Nonprofit Consultant for Leadership Recruitment

Campbell & Company’s Nonprofit Consulting Services

Campbell & Company is a nonprofit consultant that offers a 360° approach to helping nonprofits examine challenges from every angle and move their missions forward.

Although they offer a wide range of services, the team at Campbell & Company excels at helping nonprofits navigate the complex and difficult process of finding a new executive director. Campbell & Company has the research, database and connections necessary to recruit a passionate leader who believes in your mission.

Their full suite of nonprofit services includes:

• Executive search. Campbell & Company drives the entire executive search process: discovery and strategy, research and screening, interviewing and assessment and finally selection. At every phase, this nonprofit consultant works closely with your organization to understand your requirements, vision and culture.
• Fundraising. This nonprofit consultant offers expert counsel to help organizations transform ideas into impact.
• Communications. Campbell & Company consultants can work with you to tell your nonprofit’s unforgettable story and rally support from your stakeholders.

Through their offerings, the consultants at Campbell & Company help thousands of nonprofits change lives, moment by moment.

Why does Campbell & Company stand out from other nonprofit consulting firms?

Campbell & Company is a national leader in nonprofit executive searches with the track record to prove it. Just in the last two years, their placements and the nonprofits they serve have raised a total of $1.3 billion dollars. Their team can leverage an extensive network of accomplished leaders to find you a diverse pool of candidates, and ultimately to find the perfect leader for your organization.

 

When To Work With This Nonprofit Consultant

Campbell & Company’s services are most obviously helpful when you are about to embark on a search for a new executive director for your nonprofit, but this consultant can also help you recruit leaders for any area or department in your organization.

Your Nonprofit Questions Answered

Now that you have a better sense of the nonprofit consultant options available to your organization, you may have a few questions before diving into the hiring process. We’ve answered everything you’ll need to know about nonprofit consultants and how to choose the best one for your organization.

What is a nonprofit consultant?

A nonprofit consultant is a professional dedicated to helping nonprofits solve problems, reach their goals and achieve their missions. As you’ve seen, they may have expertise and provide services in a variety of areas, such as:

• Fundraising solutions
• Strategic planning
• Board governance
• Capital campaign strategy and execution
• Technical strategy and implementation
• Web development and design
• Hiring support
• Marketing and communications
• Donor research
• Legal compliance

Additionally, a nonprofit consultant may provide industry or sector-specific guidance. For example, you may hire a nonprofit consultant that specializes in helping healthcare organizations or higher education institutions if relevant to your organization.

What are the benefits of hiring a nonprofit consultant?

When you hire a nonprofit consultant, you unlock several benefits for your organization, including:

• Nonprofit expertise. A nonprofit consultant typically has worked directly with nonprofits for an extended period of time. As a result, they know the ins and outs of how organizations like yours run and can offer specialized recommendations that reflect their experience in the sector.
• An objective perspective. It can be difficult to assess your own organization’s operations objectively. When you hire a nonprofit consultant, you gain access to an unbiased, outside perspective on your organization and better insight into your nonprofit’s true strengths and weaknesses.
• Improved efficiency. Nonprofit consultants can streamline internal processes, allowing your team to stay focused on your goals. As a result, your organization will run more efficiently and effectively, allowing you to get more done in service of your mission.
• Greater flexibility. As opposed to hiring a full-time team member, partnering with a nonprofit consultant allows for greater flexibility since your consultant will work on an as-needed basis. Depending on your nonprofit’s current needs and budget, your consultant can scale their services up or down accordingly to match the support you’re looking for.
• Innovative ideas. Since nonprofit consultants have experience working through problems with charitable organizations, they can offer innovative solutions your nonprofit may not have thought of before. Their creative problem-solving skills can push your organization to the next level and empower you to assist more beneficiaries than ever before.
• Real results. When you meet with your nonprofit consultant for the first time, they’ll assess your goals and priorities, helping you define success and the associated metrics. Then, they’ll work with you toward these objectives, ensuring you see the results you’re looking for.

With the right nonprofit consultant by your side, you can fortify your operations, lighten your staff’s workload and accomplish more for your cause.

What qualities should I look for in a nonprofit consultant?

When hiring a new team member, you likely create a job description that includes the top factors and qualifications you’re looking for in an ideal candidate. While you won’t be posting job openings to hire a nonprofit consultant, you should make a list of the qualities you’re looking for to guide your team in their search, such as:

• Expertise in the area in which you need support. Whether you’re looking for help with strategic planning, fundraising, marketing or anything in between, your nonprofit consultant should be knowledgeable in the areas you’re looking to improve or expand upon.
• Knowledge of the nonprofit sector. Additionally, the right nonprofit consultant will understand how your organization works from their experience working with other nonprofits. You may even look for a consultant who specializes in your nonprofit’s specific cause or niche for an even better match.
• Collaborative approach. Ideally, your nonprofit consultant will be your partner in achieving your goals, meaning they’ll work with you to create customized solutions that incorporate your input and take your organization’s unique needs and objectives into account.
• Strong communication skills. Since your nonprofit consultant will be reporting back to you on their recommendations and progress, it’s important that they have strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Adaptability. In the nonprofit world, things are constantly changing as organizations grow, budgets shrink or expand and beneficiaries’ needs shift. Your nonprofit consultant should be ready and willing to adapt their approach at any moment to fit your organization’s current priorities.
• Passion for helping nonprofits in need. Your nonprofit consultant should not only be knowledgeable about the nonprofit field, but they should also be eager and passionate to lend their expertise to organizations like yours. Look for a consultant who will bring positivity and enthusiasm to your partnership.

Keep these considerations in mind as you explore potential providers and meet with them to determine if they’re the right fit for your nonprofit.

How do I choose the right nonprofit consultant?

Just as you would when looking to hire a new team member, you’ll want to follow a regimented hiring process that keeps your team on track. To choose the right nonprofit consultant for your organization, follow these steps:

1. Assess your nonprofit’s needs. Work with your team to establish your goals and priorities for the partnership with your potential nonprofit consultant.
2. Get your board’s approval. Discuss the consultant hiring process and budget with your board to obtain their approval.
3. Research different providers. Explore different nonprofit consulting firms, keeping your goals and criteria in mind.
4. Create a request for proposal. A request for proposal (RFP) is a document you’ll present to the nonprofit consultants you’re considering. It should include your organization’s goals, requirements and guidelines for the partnership.
5. Evaluate your options. Narrow down your list of providers to your top options, and send them your RFP.
6. Review their proposals. Once you receive proposals from your potential partners, review them with your team. You may need to reach out to certain candidates with additional questions.
7. Make your final decision. To round out the process, you’ll decide on your ideal nonprofit consultant and create a formal contact.

Remember as you navigate the process to ensure you’re not only evaluating candidates’ skill sets but also their alignment with your mission and organization. The key to a successful working relationship is to have compatible communication styles and personalities, so keep these aspects in mind.

How much does it cost to work with a nonprofit consultant?

The costs associated with hiring a nonprofit consultant will depend on several factors, including:

• The services provided
• The extent of your project
• The needs or experience level of your organization

As the graphic above illustrates, the more involved your project and needs are, the higher your costs will be. Additionally, there are three different ways a nonprofit consultant might charge you for their work:

• Flat fee
• Retainer
• Hourly

You’ll want to discuss your consultant’s billing process before you officially hire them. Lastly, there may be additional fees that arise during your partnership with your consultant, such as:

• Consultant travel
• Incidentals
• Design and printing
• Event or retreat fees
• Implementation costs

While the costs for hiring a nonprofit consultant will vary depending on each of these factors, it’s imperative that you don’t pay your nonprofit consulting firm a percentage of the funds you raise when working with them. Not only do AFP ethical guidelines advise against it, but you could potentially mislead and alienate donors by using their funds to pay a consultant instead of furthering your mission.

How can I measure the success of working with a nonprofit consultant?

Working with a nonprofit consultant is an investment in your organization’s growth and future. To evaluate the effectiveness of your partnership, your nonprofit can:

• Evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs). When you start working with your consultant, discuss the key metrics that will define your success based on your goals. For instance, if you’re looking to increase donor retention, you may compare your donor retention rate after working with your consultant for a set period of time to your previous rate.
• Collect stakeholder feedback. Send a survey to stakeholders involved in the project your nonprofit consultant is working on, such as staff, board members or volunteers, to gather their feedback on the results.
• Measure return on investment (ROI). You can also formally calculate the return on your investment and weigh the benefits of working with your consultant against the costs for your organization.

Additionally, you may hold a review meeting at the end of your engagement with your nonprofit consultant to summarize your results and determine how your nonprofit can continue to see success in the areas you’ve worked on.

Wrapping Up

The right nonprofit consultant can help your organization establish best practices and overcome any obstacle. To learn more about nonprofit consulting and see how it could positively impact your organization, take a look at these additional resources:

• 23 Best Fundraising Consultants for Nonprofit Organizations. If you want a list of consulting firms that all focus on fundraising, check out these picks.
• 7 Steps to Hiring a Capital Campaign Consultant. Ready to invest in your capital campaign by bringing on a specialized nonprofit consultant? Make sure you are asking the right questions with this guide.
• Hiring a Fundraising Consultant: 12 Essential Tips. Take a look at this guide to see best practices for hiring a new fundraising consultant.