Working with a consultant is often more accessible than it might first appear.
Many of my clients are small, rural communities and the organizations that serve them. And in many cases, we are able to leverage outside resources to fund my work.
How clients fund my work
In coal-impacted communities, the Just Transition Fund's Federal Access Center has been a powerful resource for clients pursuing economic development initiatives. I’ve helped many clients secure Just Transition Fund support to cover my grant writing services for large federal grants. This has yielded tremendous results for clients who might not otherwise be able to afford a professional grant writer.
In other cases, foundations interested in planning and capacity building will sometimes fund organizations to work with a professional grant writer for strategy and development. For example, the Claude W. Benedum Foundation has long supported the Mon Forest Towns Partnership and currently funds my Grants Coordination role for the organization.
For grant support
For ongoing grant support services, most of the organizations I work with are mid-sized nonprofits. These organizations have growing grant portfolios that require ongoing, professional management, yet they aren’t quite large enough to support a full-time development position on staff.
These clients find that working with me on a contractual basis provides all the benefits of professional grant support at a fraction of the cost of a staff position.
For feasibility studies and plans
Much of my feasibility and strategic analysis work is funded through partnering organizations rather than directly by the end client. Partner Community Capital, the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Centers, and the West Virginia Community Development Hub all regularly engage outside consultants to support studies for their constituents and partner communities. These partnerships make this kind of work accessible to clients who might not have been able to commission a study on their own.
Some clients also secure their own planning grants to fund this work. The Appalachian Regional Commission's POWER Planning Grants, for example, can fund feasibility studies and strategic planning that lay the groundwork for larger implementation projects.
Contact me
If you're wondering how a consulting engagement might fit within your budget, please reach out via the contact page. I'd welcome the chance to talk through your scenario.