Here at Funding for Good we are big readers. So we’ve rounded up seven great books for nonprofit consultants. Get ready to get inspired!
1) Books that change how you think about MONEY
Our first book recommendation comes from attendees of our 2023 Nonprofit Consulting Conference Online. We Should All Be Millionaires came up several times during the conference, so we had to check it out.
If you’re looking for a financial mindset shift, then We Should All Be Millionaires is the perfect place to start. With a frank and refreshing perspective, author Rachel Rodgers encourages us to rethink how we make financial decisions—including how we value our work. She encourages us to set more ambitious goals and to believe that we are deserving of success and financial security. While the book addresses women, its lessons can help any nonprofit consultant.
Another book to shake up your money practices is Profit First. This book challenges small business owners to adopt a “behavioral approach” to accounting. Instead of thinking of only income and expenses in your consulting business budget, Profit First argues you should pay yourself first of all. While most consulting businesses have low overhead costs, Profit First is a great reminder that “profit” isn’t a negative (even for those of us serving the nonprofit sector) and that our businesses can be both profitable and impactful.
Our 2024 Nonprofit Consulting Conference is actually organized around these themes: Optimizing for Success: Where Passion and Profit Meet.
2) Books to help change how you use your TIME
As consultants, one of our most valuable assets is our time. If you’re looking to kick off the year with a stellar first quarter, one of the best books to check out is The 12 Week Year. The gist is that, instead of thinking of annual goals, we should set quarterly goals. This way, we can harness a sense of urgency and avoid putting off big projects until the end of the year.
At Funding for Good, we’re big fans of this approach to planning. We set quarterly goals and strategies. We even designed our 60-Day Nonprofit Consulting Boot Camp to have clear start and end dates so that nonprofit consultants can stay focused, productive, and accountable.
3) Books that change how you manage your ENERGY
It’s easy to lump time and energy management together. But we think it’s worth separating the two. Time management is about setting goals, developing schedules, and creating work plans. Whereas energy management is about where you put your energy.
If you’re looking to achieve more (in less time), then energy management is a great place to start. Some of the best books we’ve picked up about this lately include Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Bored and Brilliant, and the classic Atomic Habits.
While these books approach energy management from different angles—setting priorities, using technology, and creating habits—at their core, they’re all about being intentional in how we allocate our energy and focus.
4) Business books that change how you think and talk about your VALUE
Finally, for many consultants we work with, how you think about, talk about, and assign value to your expertise is worth revisiting regularly. In fact, at Funding for Good, we do it every year!
Re-assessing the value you offer often leads to changing your services and pricing. For example, you might find that your grant template creation service not only delivered incredible results for your clients but was also fun and profitable for your business.
If you want some guidance on pricing and valuing your services, check out the No B.S. Price Strategy: The Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoner Guide to Profits, Power, and Prosperity.
Looking for more inspiring recommendations? Members of The Hive: Where Nonprofit Consultants Connect, have access to our custom roundup of books, podcasts, and more!
