If you are interested in becoming a nonprofit consultant, you’ve come to the right place.
Here at Funding for Good, we’ve built a successful nonprofit consulting business from the ground up. We’ve also coached and trained hundreds of other nonprofit consultants who are building their own thriving businesses.
In this article, we’re going to share the road-tested strategies that have helped people like you build profitable and meaningful nonprofit consulting businesses. We will cover:
- Intro to Nonprofit Consulting: Opportunities, Rates, and More
- How to Design a Nonprofit Consulting Business You Love: Five Essential Steps
- Building Your Network and Finding Clients
- Marketing Basics for Nonprofit Consultants
- Strategies for Income Stability
- Common Business Challenges and How to Troubleshoot Them
Intro to Nonprofit Consulting—and Why It Is a Great Career Move
For us here at Funding for Good, starting a nonprofit consulting business was the best career move we could have made. Running your own business isn’t easy, but it offers an incredible amount of freedom and flexibility. When you design your business intentionally, as we help nonprofit consultants do through our coaching program, you can create a job and life you absolutely love.
Here are some of the most common questions we get from people who are thinking about becoming nonprofit consultants:
What is nonprofit consulting?
Nonprofit consultants provide specialized services to nonprofit organizations on a contract basis. Common nonprofit consulting services include fundraising, grant writing, strategic planning, board development, tech and IT services, finance, human resources, and communications or marketing.
Importantly, consultants are not staff positions and do not replace staff positions. Instead, nonprofit consultants augment an organization’s existing capacity.
Hiring consultants enables nonprofit organizations to:
- Access expertise they otherwise might not be able to afford. Many nonprofit consultants bring decades of experience and/or specialized training.
- Expand short-term capacity during critical moments, such as when designing and launching new initiatives, developing long-term strategy, or undergoing major staff or board transitions.
- Add long-term capacity and ongoing expert insights, especially in key areas like fundraising, without increasing payroll.
- Bring in experts who can offer fresh perspectives or troubleshoot thorny situations.
Nonprofit consultants generally have multiple clients. Many consultants love this aspect of their business because it allows them to add value to more programs and organizations than they could while being a staffer at a single nonprofit. It also means consultants can often earn more money than in salaried positions.
Are nonprofits hiring consultants?
Yes! Nonprofits hire consultants of all types, and the field is continuing to grow.
The latest data (2026) suggests that the market for nonprofit consulting will nearly double in the next decade. Nonprofits are looking for ways to be nimble, strategic, and sustainably funded—and are ready to spend money on consultants who can help accomplish those goals.
What type of consulting services do nonprofit consultants provide?
Nonprofit consultants provide all types of services, including:
- Fundraising
- Grant writing and consulting
- Strategic planning
- Board development
- Executive coaching
- Communications, PR, and marketing
- Data management and analytics
- Technology consulting, including IT support, cybersecurity, and AI integration
- Graphic and web design
- Human resources
- Financial management, including everything from bookkeeping to strategy
This list is only a start for the types of consulting services you might offer. Many consultants create their own niches using specialized experience and expertise.
Can I transition from nonprofit staffer to consultant?
Many successful nonprofit consultants start their businesses after having worked in the nonprofit sector. Some even start consulting businesses as side-hustles while keeping their full-time jobs (more on that below).
A background in nonprofit work can be a huge asset for nonprofit consultants. You already know firsthand the challenges organizations are facing. You have proven experience in the sector. And, even if you change the type of work you are doing—say, moving into strategic planning from a background in fundraising—you still carry your experience and know-how into your new area of focus.
At the same time, experience as a nonprofit staff member is not required to become a successful consultant. Especially for consulting services like grant writing, some people pursue training (such as our grant writing webinar series) and gain intentional nonprofit experience (often as a volunteer or board member), in order to launch successful businesses.
Can I start a consulting business as a side-hustle while working full-time?
Nonprofit consulting is a great side-hustle, especially if you currently work in the nonprofit sector or want to gain experience with nonprofits. Consulting contracts with nonprofits range in size, scope, and length. That means you can be intentional about how many hours you work in your new side-hustle.
Many nonprofit consultants start their businesses as a side-hustle until they reach income goals that enable them to go full-time in their businesses. For example, if you’re earning $30,000 a year working 10 hours a week in your consulting business, there’s a strong chance you can earn much more by going full-time. Many consultants prefer to line up multiple clients before going full-time, while others take the leap sooner.
How much can I make as a nonprofit consultant?
According to the latest survey data, the average hourly rate for nonprofit consultants in 2025 was $159. That’s not the only good news for aspiring consultants:
- In 2025, hourly rates rose compared to 2024: from $151/hour to $159/hour.
- Most consultants are spending 20-24 “billable hours” per week on client work.
- Six-figure businesses are possible and even common—especially if that’s one of your goals. The average gross “billing” for consultants in 2025 was $124,000.
One of the incredible things about being a nonprofit consultant is that you can choose how much you work, how much you want to earn, and who you want to work with. Few salaried positions offer that kind of flexibility.
Do I need prior nonprofit experience to become a nonprofit consultant?
The majority of nonprofit consultants have at least one of the following:
- A nonprofit background (having worked as a staff member).
- Highly specialized expertise that can transfer to the nonprofit sector (such as cybersecurity, technology implementation, or graphic design).
- Training in high-demand areas, like grant writing.
If you don’t have a nonprofit background, you can still build a successful consulting business. Volunteering, serving on boards, and meeting with local nonprofits can help you identify the overlap between your specialized expertise, the skills you can add, and the services nonprofits need most.
Do I need a certification to become a nonprofit consultant?
There is no single certification for nonprofit consulting.
There are some certifications for different types of consulting services—such as grant writing, board consulting, or strategic planning facilitation—but if you have decades of experience, you may not need additional certifications. If you are just getting started or are expanding to new service areas, we recommend researching training and certifications for the specific services you intend to provide and evaluating the value they would add to your skills and business.
How do I find clients as a nonprofit consultant?
One of the most powerful tools you have to find clients is your network. Especially in the world of AI-written cover letters and social posts, building trust with prospective clients and people who can refer prospective clients is more valuable than ever. Below, we’ll walk through how to use and grow your network, and how to make marketing simple (because if you dread marketing yourself, you’re not alone).
How To Design a Nonprofit Consulting Business: 5 Essential Steps
When you first start thinking about becoming a nonprofit consultant, it’s easy to get overwhelmed! How do you choose services? How do you market yourself? How do you find clients?
The good news is that you don’t have to answer all of these questions at once. Instead, when we coach people who are launching or growing their consulting businesses, we start with the following five essential steps.
Step 1) Get Clear on Your Values
In a recent networking call with nonprofit consultants, Marie Palacios, Funding for Good’s lead consultant, shared some wisdom that really stood out for folks. She said:
The first step in becoming a nonprofit consultant is to get clear on your values.
A lot of us think that working with nonprofits is all the values alignment we need. But the reality is that, as consultants, we have the opportunity to design our businesses and our lives at the same time.
We choose the services we provide, the clients we work with, and how we do that work. We set our own pricing and determine how many hours we ideally want to work.
To create businesses we love, we need to make sure we’re making these choices in ways that align with our values. So, start by asking yourself:
What do I value most? What drives me? What inspires me?
Maybe you want to spend more time with your family, whether that means your children, elderly parents, spouse, or close friends. Maybe you want to earn enough money to retire early. Maybe you want to finally put your health first. This could mean getting plenty of rest, exercise, and healthy food, and being able to see a doctor without worrying about cost or negotiating time off. Maybe there’s a particular community you want to be serving, and finding a way to do that gives a deeper meaning to your work and life.
There is no cookie-cutter answer here. We all have different values and goals. Make sure you understand your own.
Step 2) Create Business Goals that Align with Your Values
Your business goals should align with the values you’ve defined. This sounds simple, but it takes some work to achieve.
To get to actionable and specific business goals, start by answering the following questions:
- How much do I NEED to earn each month, quarter, or year?
- How much do I WANT to earn?
- How many hours do I want to work each week?
- How much time do I want to take away from work?
- How many clients do I want to have?
- Do I prefer long-term, closer client relationships? Or do I prefer shorter or medium-term engagements where I can deliver powerful results and move on to the next challenge?
- What kind of work gets me most excited and inspired? Which work activities feel like a drag?
- What is my ideal client? Think organization size, budget, stage of growth, area of work, type of services, etc.
- Do I want to work on my own (a solopreneur) or do I imagine myself running a large and successful firm, with multiple team members? Do I want to work part-time hours and earn a full-time income?
Once you answer these questions, you’ll start developing a picture of what you WANT your consulting business to look and feel like.
Keep in mind that creating business goals is not a one-and-done process. It’s something you should take the time to step back and do every single year.
Step 3) Decide What You Want to Be Known for as a Nonprofit Consultant
One of the first questions I ask people in our 1:1 Nonprofit Consulting Boot Camp is: What do you want to be known for?
To build a successful consulting business, you need to know the answer to this question. Don’t rush it, though. Something like “I want to be known as a professional and reliable consultant” is not nearly specific enough to help you attract your ideal clients.
Instead, you want to be specific enough to be able to use what you are known for as a succinct and compelling pitch for your business. For example, consultants we’ve coached are known for:
- Helping nonprofits navigate complex leadership and/or policy transitions.
- Designing and implementing program evaluations that yield incredible insights and stronger programming.
- Developing high-quality marketing strategies and materials that are accessible to organizations of all sizes.
- Facilitating planning processes that are efficient, effective, and build lasting buy-in.
- Grant writing and consulting that helps nonprofits design stronger programs and win more funding.
- Turning data management from a perpetual challenge to a source of insights and opportunities.
To home in on what you want to be known for, think about the following questions:
- Is there a market (established or emerging) for what you want to specialize in? For example, fundraising is always a priority for nonprofits, whereas AI and tech integration are emerging areas where nonprofits are starting to invest more heavily. If you aren’t sure about the demand for what you want to offer, networking with other nonprofit consultants can give incredible insights.
- What is your existing expertise? For example, if you’ve been writing grants as a nonprofit staffer for a decade and are considering becoming a grant consultant, your expertise is already perfectly matched.
- What skills do you want to add or grow? You can add new skills and expertise by getting training, pursuing certifications, or translating existing skills into new areas of work. For example, one consultant we coached turned her grant writing skills into a successful copywriting and content strategy business.
- What do you most enjoy doing (and what do you dislike)? Do you love coaching executives, or do you dread any kind of meetings? Do you love writing or data analysis? Are you more comfortable facilitating a workshop or researching grant prospects? Instead of focusing just on what you CAN do, think about what you WANT to do. This is very different from being a salaried employee, where you do whatever is in the job description. Take your time here and be honest with yourself.
The power of CHOOSING who you want to be as a nonprofit consultant
One of the most amazing things about being a nonprofit consultant is that you get to decide who you are going to be in your business. You get to select the services you offer, how you deliver them, and who you deliver them to. You get to choose how you present yourself: Are you a buttoned-up, blazer-wearing strategist or a brilliant grant writer who works barefoot on their front porch?
You get to decide which parts of your personality and values translate into your business. For example, most of Funding for Good’s newsletters start with a personal update from our founder, Mandy, about her garden, the books she’s reading, and the fabulous meals she’s preparing for friends and family. When we did a survey, we learned that Mandy’s updates were one of the most popular parts of our newsletters!
So, who do you want to be as a nonprofit consultant?
Step 4) Define the Consulting Services You Will Offer to Nonprofits
Now that you have your values, your goals, and what you want to be known for, it’s time to translate that into a set of services you will offer.
For example, say you want to be known as the go-to consultant for helping nonprofits navigate complex leadership and/or policy transitions. Your services might include:
- organizational assessments
- strategic planning
- interim leadership (or transitional or fractional leadership)
- executive coaching
Or maybe you want to be known as the go-to grant writer for your region. Your services might include:
- grant readiness
- grant research
- grant writing
- grant reviews
One common challenge we see when people start a consulting business is creating a giant list of services that includes everything you could possibly do. This can be counterproductive for building your business and reputation (what you want to be known for).
Instead, aim for two to six clear and distinct services or service buckets (groups of related services). This will make it much easier to articulate the value you offer nonprofits and enable clients to quickly picture hiring you to solve their problems.
If you’re struggling with defining your services, though, know that you are not alone. Many nonprofit consultants get stalled at this stage. You have so many skills, so much you can offer, and so much passion for the work—it can be hard to narrow things down into a concrete, easy-to-pitch list.
If this sounds like you, it’s a good time to bring in expert support. We offer one-hour coaching sessions for nonprofit consultants, called consultations on demand. You would be surprised at how much we can accomplish in an hour or two together.
Step 5) Map Out How You Will Offer Your Consulting Services
The final step is mapping out how you will deliver your services in a way that keeps clients coming back and creates a business you love.
We’ll admit, this could be an entirely separate article. Building out your service delivery is where you really get into the nitty-gritty of running a business—and it’s something our team specializes in coaching nonprofit consultants through.
Here’s a list of what you’ll need to think through and resources to help you get started:
- Pricing: Pricing is one of the biggest challenges we hear about from consultants. The good news is that pricing doesn’t have to be hard. You can start with our guide to setting your consulting rates.
- Pricing structure: Most nonprofit consultants use one of three pricing models: hourly pricing (the client pays you for each hour worked), retainer pricing (the client pays you a fixed amount each month for a predetermined set of hours or deliverables, regardless of whether they are used), or project-based pricing (the client pays you a fixed price for a scope of work). We recommend project-based pricing for most consultants, as it rewards you for your skills and efficiency. You can read all about the pros and cons of each pricing model in our articles about how to determine grant writing fees and transitioning from hourly to project-based pricing.
- Scopes of work and deliverables: What value will clients walk away with by hiring you for the service? What benchmarks or materials will you deliver? Will regular calls (e.g. monthly calls) be included? This all needs to be written down as part of the scope of work you share with clients (before a contract is signed). For resources, we’ve got a handy and detailed guide on how to create a consulting scope of work.
- Contracts: Once you and a client have agreed on a scope of work, you need a contract. To learn about contracts, you can check out our guide to consulting contracts.
- Client intake process: Your client intake process will usually start with a discovery call where you learn about the client’s needs and the client gets a sense of your expertise and what it’s like to work with you. To learn more, check out our tips to make your discovery calls turn into more ideal clients.
- Service delivery workflow: We don’t have a handy link for this category, but you’ll want to think through the steps in delivering a service to a new client once you’ve agreed to a scope of work and contract. Will you have kick-off calls? Will you have regular check-ins or calls at checkpoints? What do clients need to get to you in order for you to complete your deliverables—and what is the process to ensure they do so?
- Back-office and admin: For admin basics, check out our consulting business admin checklist, as well as our tips for streamlining your back-office operations.
If this list feels overwhelming, that’s normal. Most nonprofit consultants build out these elements of their business over time.
For example, you might get your first client and do your best to price your proposed service and create a scope of work. Things won’t always go according to plan, but you will learn from it. You might find that you could have charged more (very common), your deliverables weren’t clear enough, or your contract didn’t include a clause about what happens when the client fails to deliver the materials you need to do your work. The next time you provide this service, you’ll make changes and adjustments as you fine-tune your business.
One of the things that we enjoy most about coaching nonprofit consultants is sharing all the lessons we learned the hard way. When you’re in our 1:1 Boot Camp business coaching program, we don’t hold back on sharing the details of everything we’ve learned as long-time nonprofit consultants, including the mistakes we made along the way and how we corrected them.
Building a Consulting Network and Client Pipeline
When it comes to finding ideal clients for your consulting business, personal connections are essential. Not all of us start out with giant nonprofit networks—that’s why it’s important to build your network with intention.
In today’s economy (and increasingly AI-filled world), personal interactions matter more than ever for building trust and visibility. Research also shows that regular, structured networking is vital to growth for small and medium-sized businesses—and that the most valuable career connections come from people you do not already know.
That’s why we are such huge fans of networking for nonprofit consultants. Here are a few ways to get started building your network:
- Leverage your existing network, no matter how small. Most of us know at least one or two folks working in the nonprofit sector. Now is the moment to reach out and invite them for a coffee. Ask them about the challenges they’re facing and the problems they wish someone could solve. Don’t confuse this with a discovery call or pitch. You’re gathering information, listening, sharing ideas, and building your network.
- Engage on LinkedIn. LinkedIn isn’t for everyone, but it can be a great way to learn more about nonprofit consulting and meet other consultants. You can find us here and check out some of the fantastic consultants we’re connected with. When you’re ready, posting and engaging with others can help increase your visibility (see our roundup of proven tips for LinkedIn engagement).
- Find where nonprofits in your area show up and be there, too. Attend nonprofit events, go to small business networking events, go to relevant conferences, etc.
- Join networking groups or affiliated communities. To help consultants network more easily, Funding for Good created The Hive, which brings together nonprofit consultants of all types. Some areas of consulting, like fundraising and board development, also have dedicated groups you can join, like the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
- Offer trainings. Getting in front of people as an expert is an amazing way to build your confidence and get your name out there. You can offer trainings in-person locally or as a webinar to reach a national audience. If you’re worried about filling the “room,” partner with another consultant, local or state associations, or other groups serving the nonprofit sector (such as a local foundation that wants to support its grantees). Trainings can be free or paid, depending on your goals. For example, a free webinar organized with a powerful partner could get you in front of hundreds of prospective clients, whereas a paid event could be part of your planned income streams.
Client Pipelines: Myths vs Realities
A lot of consultants want building a client pipeline to be as simple and repeatable as checking off a list. Do these five things, and you will always have clients. (If you’re on LinkedIn and getting dozens of cold outreach messages, you know there are folks out there trying to do exactly that. This approach may work for some people, but it’s not everyone’s style and it’s not the only method.)
When it comes to building a consulting network and client pipeline, my very best advice to consultants is to “Always be planting seeds.”
To find more ideal clients, you need to get in front of more prospective clients.
You never know which networking event, helpful resource, off-handed conversation, thoughtful LinkedIn post, or personal touch will one day turn into a paying client. Be willing to regularly share some of your best guidance and insights in these types of forums, and you’ll be top of mind when someone needs the exact service you provide.
Marketing Basics for Your Nonprofit Consulting Business
When you’re starting your own business, the idea of marketing can feel overwhelming. There are so many places you can focus your energy: marketing materials, social networks, website, ads, videos or podcasts, newsletters, etc.
The good news is, you do NOT have to do all of these to create a successful business or find clients. To start, you need clarity about what you want to be known for and what you do (your services).
Once you have that clarity, do three things:
- Update your LinkedIn profile (tips here).
- Create a simple one-pager that shares what you do for clients, including what you want to be known for and your services.
- Build a simple website (it can be one page and use the same content as your one-pager). You can read our website tips here, but one caution: don’t overuse AI to write the text, as the goal is to show YOUR expertise to prospective clients (not ChatGPT’s expertise).
Finally, practice talking about your business (your pitch) verbally. How will you answer the question: What does your business do?
All the marketing materials in the world will be useless if you can’t sound clear and confident when talking about your work to prospective clients.
Income Stability as a Nonprofit Consultant
Economic security is another big concern we hear from people when they’re deciding whether to become nonprofit consultants. Leaving the perceived security of a salaried job can be both exhilarating and frightening. When you become a full-time consultant, you take your economic future into your own hands.
Most nonprofit consultants WILL have slow periods in their businesses at some point. But this doesn’t have to derail your long-term success.
In addition to building your business and networks thoughtfully, try these strategies to increase your financial stability as a consultant:
- Diversify your consulting income streams:From long-term retainer clients to project-based engagements to passive income (like selling courses or templates), there are a lot of different income streams nonprofit consultants can pursue. Not relying on only one type of client or engagement can help increase your income sustainability. For example, you might start with a couple of anchor clients with 12-month contracts, and supplement this by seeking more retainer clients, offering project-based services, and/or building an email list (so you can eventually earn more passive income).
- Clarify your consulting income NEEDS vs stretch GOALS: Distinguishing between what you NEED to earn vs what you WANT to earn can make a big difference in your stress levels and financial sustainability. So much in our culture tells us that earning more is a sign of accomplishment. And yes, money (if spent thoughtfully) does buy greater financial freedom. But for many nonprofit consultants, that “financial freedom” is anything but free. It comes at the price of our time, energy, and joy. If you earn more than you need, great! You can spend that extra money on something that matters, put it in savings to help you weather slow periods, or invest back into your business.
- Keep an eye out for unmet nonprofit needs and new services to pilot: As you network and do discovery calls, always be listening for unmet needs among your ideal clients. These could indicate opportunities to try out new services that could grow your business in a low-risk way and add extra income streams. For example, are your grant writing clients struggling with big-picture strategy? If that’s an area you enjoy, then strategic planning might be a new service you could offer.
If you find yourself with fewer clients than you would like, you can use that time to focus on your network and business. You might want to revamp your LinkedIn profile, finally start your newsletter, attend more local networking events, reach out to local business and nonprofit associations about speaking opportunities, develop a webinar training, etc.
Common Consulting Business Challenges—and How to Troubleshoot Them
If your networking and marketing activities aren’t regularly leading to new consulting contracts, it’s important to take a step back and diagnose where things are faltering and why.
A few common areas where the prospect-to-client journey can get stuck include:
- Bringing in new client leads: If you’re not having regular discovery calls with prospective clients about their needs, it’s unlikely you’ll be signing new contracts anytime soon. You’ll want to look at your networking, marketing, and the ease of connecting with you. For example, if you use an online calendar tool for scheduling discovery calls and you don’t update your availability, you may lose prospective clients who get frustrated and give up trying to get on your calendar.
- Transitioning from prospect to contract: If your “conversion rate” for discovery calls is low, meaning very few of your calls turn into paying clients, there could be multiple issues to troubleshoot. You’ll want to look at how you’re structuring your discovery calls, how you’re talking about your services, which clients are converting or not (consider how different clients found you, the services they were initially interested in, the services they sign up for, pre-call vetting, etc.), and what your follow-up looks like. When making changes to your process, start with the data and move methodically to refine your systems.
- Retaining clients: Just like businesses, nonprofits go through tough times. They lose funding, get new leadership, or pivot their strategies. Sometimes, you WILL lose a long-time client even if you do everything right. But if you’re regularly experiencing high client turnover, it’s worth investigating. Look at data such as which clients are leaving or not renewing engagements, which services you were providing, whether the clients fit your “ideal” client profile, and whether you’re having regular touchpoints throughout the contract to spot trouble in advance. We ALL have areas where we can improve our clients’ experience.
Not hitting income goals can be scary and frustrating when you run your own consulting business. But in the diagnosis and troubleshooting process, try to focus on the data rather than the emotions. To turn things around, you need to identify exactly where client cultivation is breaking down and why, then try new tactics until you find what works for your style and for your ideal client.
Next Steps: Where to Find Support as a Nonprofit Consultant
Starting a nonprofit consulting business is incredibly exciting. Be sure to take the time to enjoy this moment. You’re doing something most people only dream of!
And you don’t have to do this alone. The most successful nonprofit consultants we know have one thing in common: they know the value of getting support.
At Funding for Good, we want to help you become the consultant that nonprofits call on first. We want you to have a thriving consulting business that aligns with your values, meets your income goals, and enables you to create a life you love.
If you’re interested in working with our team, you can learn about our one-on-one business coaching programs and even schedule a free discovery call to talk about how we can help you build your dream business.
