National Executive Service Corps Advisors to the Nonprofit Community Since 1977 New Canaan Community Foundation Executive Directors Group September 25,

National Executive Service CorpsAdvisors to the Nonprofit Community Since 1977

New Canaan Community Foundation Executive Directors Group September 25, 2014

Profit from our experience. www.nesc.org

Agenda• Introductions• NESC Mission & Background• Why Engage Consultants?• Consulting Process & Panel Discussion– Business Operations– Strategic Plan– Board / Staff Relationships– Confronting Change

• Discussion Summary


NESC MissionTo make a meaningful contribution to our communities

by strengthening the management of nonprofit organizations, schools and government agencies

through high-quality, affordable consulting services


NESC Background• NESC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consulting organization

that serves the nonprofit community

• Founded in 1977; HQ in NYC with regional offices in Westchester, Connecticut, New Jersey and Long Island

• Sectors served: Social Services, Education, Healthcare, Religion, Arts & Culture

• Part of nationwide Executive Service Corps network


NESC Background• Over 225 volunteer consultants– 35,000 hours of professional time given annually

• Consultants are senior executives from companies such as:– IBM, JPMorgan Chase, Aetna, Time Warner, AT&T,

ExxonMobil, MasterCard, General Foods• Since 1977, over 2,000 projects for 1,200 clients– 150 projects for close to 100 clients in SW CT region

• Clients range from large to small– Over 50% of clients annually are repeat clients


Capacity Building Practice AreasStrategic Planning

Marketing & Branding

Board Development &

Governance

Organizational Assessment

Social Enterprise/

Earned Income

Operations/Process Analysis

Financial Management

Executive Search


The NESC Approach• Experienced Consultants – senior executives and

professionals who volunteer and are commited

• Project teams – provide a diversity of relevant for-profit skills and non-profit experience

• A participatory, facilitated approach – the client is engaged in the process and owns the solution

• Actionable results – timelines, accountability, and follow-up

• Affordable rates – mission-driven services at a fraction of the cost of for-profit firms


Nonprofits face significant challenges

• Government funding has been reduced on the national, state and local levels

• Competition has increased among nonprofits for private funding from foundations and individuals

• Increasingly, more people are needing services from the nonprofit community

• Regulations and reporting requirements are increasing.

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How are Nonprofits Responding?

• Revisiting mission, vision and goals• Assessing competition and environment• Evaluating programs, staff and delivery systems;

cutting non-essential ones• Adopting systems to evaluate output and

outcomes• Evaluating opportunities to partner or collaborate• Looking for new sources of revenue• Replacing paid staff with volunteers

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How Consultants Can Help

• Resources• Expertise• Time • Objectivity• Best Practices• Advice & Counsel• Facilitation & Project Management

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The Consulting ProcessDiscovery

VisitsDevelop Proposal

Sign Agreement

Research, Interviews and

Analysis

Preliminary Findings and

RecommendationsAction Plan

Write/Present Final Report

Follow-Up on Implementation -- 3

Months Later


Case Studies PanelConsulting Process Considerations

• What challenge(s) was the organization facing?• Why did they seek a consultant? • Who drove the decision to engage a consultant? • How was the project funded?• How was the project defined (requirements)?• How was the consultant / organization interface managed?• How did the project progress? (challenges, opportunities, intended /

unintended consequences, mid-course corrections) • How was ongoing status communicated to stakeholders? • How were final recommendations communicated / received?• How were action plans developed and committed to?• What happened after the consultants left?

Documents

National Executive Service Corps Advisors to the Nonprofit Community Since 1977 New Canaan Community Foundation Executive Directors Group September 25,