Transcript Client Fee Policy Consulting Fee is based on the hours of

Guide for Consultants and Coaches
“You make a living
by what you earn.
You make a life by
what you give.”
Winston Churchill
This presentation will cover:

501 Commons:
•
Our Purpose, Mission, and Values
• Our Background
• Our Services



Client Success Stories
Trust: The Precursor to Success
Role of
•
the 501 Commons Executive Director
• the 501 Commons Volunteer



Rules of Engagement
Consulting Process
Coaching Process
Updated May 2010
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501 Commons: Our purpose and mission

Purpose:
To provide affordable and accessible consulting, leadership coaching,
facilitation, and specially designed capacity building programs to nonprofit organizations and schools

Mission Statement:
To build the capacity of non-profit organizations and strengthen
communities in Washington State.
3
501 Commons: Our values

We recognize the mutual expertise of non-profit and for-profit business professionals.

We strive to collaborate and partner with non-profit organizations.

We respect the diverse perspectives of our clients, consultants, and community
members.

We believe equal voice is critical to working together.

We encourage open communications internally and externally.

We honor those working in community service as volunteers or employees.

We serve socially responsible organizations that are also committed to strengthening
our community.

We value our services and need to be a viable, financially healthy organization
ourselves in order to assist others.

Our services are top quality, easily accessible, and affordable.
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501 Commons: Our values
Commitment to Culturally Competent Service
The consultants and agency staff of 501 Commons will strive
to utilize a set of behaviors, attributes, and practices enabling
the consultants to work effectively in a cross cultural and
multicultural setting.
501 Commons: Background

Non-profit organization established in 1989

501 Commons is affiliated with the Executive Service Corps
Affiliate Network of 26 organizations nationwide

501 Commons is patterned after the International Executive
Service Corps, which utilizes managerial skills of volunteers
in over 90 countries

501 Commons has a volunteer Board of Directors, which uses
the Policy Governance approach to board governance.
Differences between 501 Commons and ESC


501 Commons is the umbrella and Executive
Service Corps is a program of 501 Commons.
We changed our name to reflect our changing role
and broader range of services:
 Statewide
Nonprofit Resource Directory
 Payroll services
 Change in geography: our focus is now statewide
Updated 5-10
Our Services: Statewide Nonprofit Resource Directory
Updated 5-10
501 Commons’ Listing
Updated 5-10
501 Commons: Our Services Continued
Consulting
 Advise top management and boards of non-profit organization
 Assess organizations to diagnose issues and identify potential solutions
 Support actions that will strengthen the organization
Leadership Coaching
 Assist leaders to identify their personal and organizational values and
help them to be more successful
 Examine styles of learning, decision making, and people management
in order to build on strengths and abilities
 Identify individual and organizational goals and barriers to success
 Strategize actions and tools
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501 Commons Staff and funding
Executive Director
Nancy Long
Associate Director
Katie Behrends
Nan McKay, Strategic
Initiatives & Service
Corps Director
Douglas Petrie,
Consulting Srvs. Mgr.
Karen Molinari,
Coaching Prog. Mgr.
Duane Landon,
Financial Services
Mgr.
Additional staff on
website
Funding
30% - from consulting, coaching and
training fees.
64% - from government, private foundation
grants and corporate giving from
organizations such as the Boeing Company,
Seattle Foundation, PEMCO, and Norcliffe
Foundation, as well as King County.
6% - from event income and individual
contributions from the Board of Directors,
consultants, volunteers and supporters.
Client Success Stories
2007–2009 evaluation results:




97% agree “Working with 501 Commons has made a positive
difference in our ability to accomplish our mission.”
96% agree “Working with 501 Commons helped our
organization operate more effectively.”
100% of those responding would work with 501 Commons again
100% would refer other non-profits to 501 Commons
Client Success Stories
“501 Commons’ volunteers are a terrific group of knowledgeable and
dedicated professionals who bring much-needed experience and knowledge
to organizations such as Kirkland Arts Center. Working with 501 Commons
helped us take a significant step towards our Vision for the future.”
- Quinn Elliott, former Executive Director
Kirkland Arts Center
“We will be following the plan as the defining document giving
direction for the organization. We will be using the financial
plan as the means to set financial goals.”
- Scott Hanson
Puget Creek Restoration Society
Client Success Stories
"Just wanted to let you know how pleased our board was with
Barbara's facilitation…. It was great to have such a focused and
experienced facilitator to keep us on track. We accomplished all of
our objectives, and we did it with 30 minutes or so to spare, which
was terrific."
- Alice Forsythe, Board Chair
Wallingford Boys & Girls Club
“501 Commons consultants have been more responsive to
our needs than many independent consultants”
– Jean Leed
The Northwest School
Client Success Stories
“This is the best consultant I have worked with in over 20 years of program
administration.”
- Patricia MacGowan
Washington MESA
“Linda…helped us with the ground work [to] launch the foundation.
It was an amazing feat! Linda not only did research and identified
contacts and resources, but also built valuable connections within the
community. She provided a "full service" approach -- technical,
research, and legal. In approximately one year, we have a foundation
with a board!”
- Janene Fogard, Assistant Superintendent,
Lake Washington School District
Trust: The Precursor to Success
The experience and judgment you bring to your assignment are important
determinants of your success as a consultant, trainer or coach. However, good
communication, showing respect for the individuals and the organization, and
establishing trust are fundamental to the client’s ability to use your expertise.
Our evaluations incorporate many of these characteristics so that consultants and
coaches are given feedback on their communications behaviors.
The following behaviors will make your volunteer experience a success:
1. Be a patient listener/learner and do not jump to conclusions.
2. Be honest about what you can do and by when you will have it done.
3. Always do a little more than you promise.
continued…
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Trust: The Precursor to Success

Don’t say anything to or about your clients that you wouldn’t want passed around.

Speak the client's language. Don't force them to learn yours.

Pass your knowledge and experiences on to others. Share, coach and advance the
abilities of others.

Respect the strengths and accomplishments of the organization.

Communicate with team members, 501 Commons, and the client more than you
think is necessary.

Focus on the client’s future results, not your past experiences or accomplishments.

Keep aware of the relationships and interdependencies between the project tasks.
Ensure that what you're doing is what the client is paying for.

Keep learning and sharing new and better ways of getting things done.
Role of 501 Commons Executive Director and Project Director
1. Meet with prospective clients to assess feasibility of the project
2. Negotiate the fee and the statement of work with the client
3. Send the contract to the client and a copy to the consultant
4. Attend kick-off project meeting with client and consultant
5. Serve as an advisor and resource to the consultant during the consulting
assignment
6. Keep track of progress and monitor the consulting project
7. Review the consultants’ draft and final reports
8. Follow-up with client at the project end to assess their satisfaction
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Role of the 501 Commons Volunteer
Consultants:



Serve as an advisor to the top management and board of directors
Work closely with the Executive Director and appropriate members of the
organization’s staff and board
Supplement, but not supplant, the staff by diagnosing problems, identifying possible
solutions and recommending management actions
Coaches:




Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
Encourage client self-discovery
Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
Hold the client responsible and accountable
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Rules of Engagement


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Client fee policy
Time commitment
Communication
Conflict of interest
Confidentiality
Personal liability
Tracking time and expenses
Attire
Donations
Resources
Client Fee Policy

Service grants are offered for a portion of the cost of 501 Commons’s services.

The 501 Commons fee schedule is a sliding scale based on the client's operating
budget. The hourly rate is multiplied by the number of consultant hours
projected to complete the project. Generally, the minimum fee is $300.

The Executive Director or Project Director determines the amount of the fee,
prepares the contract, and presents this to the client.

Coaching Fees are based on a different fee scale. Coaching contracts are for 15
hours.

While the sliding scale makes the services affordable, having the client pay a
portion of the cost helps ensure that the client is committed to the project.
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Time Commitment

Consulting assignments typically require six hours per month for 6 to 12
months. You can schedule your work according to your availability and the
client’s needs and preferences, but projects should be completed within the
contract period.

If the project is going to take longer than expected, let your client and 501
Commons know. If unavoidable time conflicts arise or your situation changes,
disrupting the project schedule, let 501 Commons know.

Coaching engagements generally require 1 to 1.5 hour meetings. Meetings at
the beginning and end of the contract may be longer. Including time to
document for services, we expect a coaching engagement to require 15 hours.

Notify the client, your team members and the project director if you will be out
of town for longer than a week.
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Communication

Most consulting assignments are carried out by a team of two or more consultants to provide
peer support and a complement of skills and experience. One consultant serves as the project
lead and is responsible for communicating with the 501 Commons Executive Director or
Project Director on a regular basis, generally every two weeks.

Documents should include the 501 Commons Logo and identify the consultant as a member
of the Executive Service Corps of Washington.

Contact 501 Commons right away if:
•
Your availability becomes too limited to meet the needs of the client.
•
You feel that a client is so uncooperative or unresponsive that the assignment stands
little likelihood of success.
•
There are problems among your team members or you find the team lacks specific skills
needed to do the work.
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Conflict of interest
Occasionally coaches and consultants will be asked by the clients to serve
on the client’s Board of Directors or to consider paid employment with the
client organization. If this occurs, you should feel complimented, as this is a
testimony to the value of your service.
In order to avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interest, however, do
not accept board membership, consulting contract or paid employment while
you are serving as an assigned 501 Commons volunteer.
After you have completed the assignment, you should feel free to accept
such offers. If you choose to accept such an offer, please notify the 501
Commons Executive Director.
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Confidentiality

All 501 Commons volunteers sign a confidentiality form requiring them to
hold in confidence all information marked “confidential.” You should
prompt your client to mark those documents they consider confidential.

Use discretion in your conversations with people within and outside of the
client organization to assure that you are not sharing information that was
given with the expectation that it would not be shared or that the comment
would not be attributed to an individual.
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Personal Liability
501 Commons has a general liability coverage policy that provides
coverage for the consulting advice our volunteers provide to clients. We do
not provide workers’ compensation coverage to volunteers.
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Keeping Track of Time and Expenses
501 Commons reports the hours contributed by coaches and consultants to funding
sources. Use the provided form or your own system to track your hours and report all
the time you spend, including preparation time. 501 Commons expects that your total
hours will slightly exceed the number defined in the contract. Clients are not charged
for these “extra” hours. In cases where there is a large discrepancy between contracted
and reported hours, the Executive Director or Project Director will intervene to reevaluate the scope of work.
501 Commons does not reimburse volunteers for project expenses. You are expected to
cover incidental costs of parking, coffee, copies, etc. If you keep records, your
mileage and other expenses are tax deductible. Information on deductions for
volunteer work is available on the IRS website.
If you have significant project expenses, they can be charged back to the client under
the contract. Notify the client in advance what you expect the expenses to be and
submit the reimbursement request directly to the client, unless there are
reimbursements due to several consultants. In this case, submit the requests to 501
Commons and 501 Commons will reimburse you and bill the client.
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Appropriate Attire

First meeting – business attire
• Men: business casual pants and a sports jacket
• Women: pant-suit or comparable attire
• No jeans or shorts

Subsequent meetings
• Discuss with the client to determine if more casual dress is appropriate
• Professional business attire encourages clients to see you as a
professional even though you volunteer your time and expertise

Board meetings or client representation
• Always dress in business attire
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Donations

Volunteers are encouraged to make a financial contribution to 501 Commons in
addition to the contribution of their time and talents. 501 Commons’ professional
development programs and social events are offered for free or, in the case of the
Annual Luncheon, at cost.

Requests for donations are mailed to volunteers periodically; please talk with the
Executive Director if you would like to donate on a monthly basis, have stock or
other property to donate, or would like to discuss including 501 Commons in a
planned giving program.

501 Commons has a small staff and much of the work of the organization must be
done by volunteers. There are many project teams that do work for 501 Commons
just like the work 501 Commons does for other organizations. Let the Executive
Director know if you can provide hands-on volunteer help in the office or have
ideas or areas of interest that will help our organization flourish.
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Resources

Business Cards – General 501 Commons business cards are
available at the office or can be ordered through the Administrative
Manager. These double-sided cards are printed with 501 Commons
contact information, a short description of 501 Commons’ services,
and room for consultants and coaches to write in their name and
contact information.

Project Materials - located on our Volunteer Resources Intranet.
www.escwa.org/intranet/ The user name is volunteer and the
password is washington, all lower case.

Tools for Success - You can find resources on our website for tools
and best practices. 501commons.org/resources/tools-and-bestpractices
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Resources, Continued
Please watch these three videos to gain an understanding of
what our clients expect and how they measure success.
You can find them on our website under the Volunteer
Tab.
 Volunteer Roles: The Client’s Perspective
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR8zNsqzoEo
 Volunteer Expectations: What Clients Expect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UELMwZnVsx0
 Benefits of Volunteering: Defining Success
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW7aPLoB0U4&feat
ure=related
Updated 5-10
Benefits for volunteers




Learn to Serve: We offer 4-6 workshops per year on
nonprofit consulting skills. These are held in Belltown
at Antioch University.
501 Commons Connects: Our quarterly networking
event after work from 4:30-6:30 p.m. We serve wine,
beer, refreshments and snacks.
E-Newsletter: Sent out once every other month, our
newsletter features upcoming events and projects.
Volunteer Appreciation Event: Held once a year in the
fall, we celebrate achievements of our volunteers and
honor those who go above and beyond.
Updated 5-10
GUIDE FOR CONSULTANTS
Client screening and contracting process
1
Prospective clients complete a “Request for Assistance”
form available online at www.501 Commons.org.
2
501 Commons Project Director contacts the client to
assess the feasibility of 501 Commons providing
consulting services.
3
A written statement of work is prepared and reviewed
with the client and prospective consultants.
4
A lead consultant and other consultant(s), as needed,
are recruited.
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Contract and project development process
5
Client, consultant and 501 Commons Project Director
meet to develop the contract, including statement of
work, projected hours, timeframe and fee . 501
Commons Executive Director and the client sign contract.
6
Lead consultant schedules “Kick-off” meeting with client
(the organization’s Executive Director and/or board
members) to further plan the work. 501 Commons
Project Director attends this meeting.
7
Initial Project Meeting is held to establish clear lines of
communication between team members and client,
develop a project plan and assure that everyone is clear
on the objectives.
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Role of the Project Lead

Prime contact for the client.

Keeps the project organized and schedule on track.

Stays attentive to the statement of work in the contract. On a long term
project, you may need to develop a more detailed plan that defines the
internal deadlines and identifies interdependencies.

May facilitate the team process or may share this role.

Keeps the 501 Commons staff up to date on the progress of the project
every 2-4 weeks.
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Client meetings and reports
Your team and the client will determine the frequency and scheduling of
meetings and any oral and written reports needed.
Keep an ongoing written record of preparation time, meetings, discussion
time, and tax deductible expenses as you conduct your consulting assignment.
Reporting your hours allows 501 Commons to d501 Commonsribe the
collective contribution of its volunteer corps and helps us assure that the time
you are contributing corresponds to the scope of the statement of work and the
consulting fee set out at the beginning of the contract
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Concluding a consulting contract
A project is completed when the objectives in the contract have been met.
Be sure to have an explicit discussion with the client, while reviewing the
statement of work in the contract, to determine if the work is completed.
Contact 501 Commons when you have completed the work so that the
second half of the consulting fee can be invoiced and evaluations forms
distributed.
Discuss any further services that 501 Commons can provide with the
client and let 501 Commons know if there are opportunities to provide
additional services. You and your current team members are not obligated
to continue working with the client, but you should encourage the client to
contact 501 Commons to discuss subsequent work.
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Final report
In most cases, the consultant or team will prepare a final written report to
give to the client. The report should include:




Summary of the process used to gather information
Appraisal of the client’s situation or problem
Description of the work delivered
Recommendations to the client
It is best to provide enough information pertinent to the assignment so that
someone not involved in the consultations could comprehend the problem
and be able to weigh recommendations fairly.
A template for writing a final report is available for download on the
Knowledge Intranet site under the Consulting Tools section.
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1
501 Commons
project Dir.
Contact signed
notify cons.
501 Commons
Proj. Dir.
Schedule Team
Kickoff Mtg if
needed
Project Lead
Team Kickoff
Mtg
Consultants
Project Lead
Prepares Project
Work Plan if
needed
Regular Task Reports to Project Lead
2A
Consultants
Project Lead
Plan First Proj Mtg
Conduct Interviews, Collect Data, Analyze
After 1st
Mtg
Periodic
Client Mtgs
Project lead,
Consultants, Clients
First
Proj Mtg; Set alert
for 1 mon.
Mid Project
Periodic
Client Mtgs
End of
Project
Periodic
Client Mtgs 2B
Project Lead
Regular Status Reports to 501 Commons ED
Set alerts for every 2 wks
2C
2A
Consultants
Consultants
Track/Report
Hours Spent
on Tasks
Too much?
no
yes
2B
Client
Satisfied?
no
Mid-course
Correction
Required
no
yes
2C
Work
Getting
Done?
Assigned
Consultant
Prepare Final
Draft Report
yes
Continue Data
Gathering;
Analysis Tasks to
Completion
Project lead
Project Lead
Project Lead
Confer with Team
on Remedial
Actions Required
Inform 501
Commons ED of
Re-plan
Inform Client of
Re-plan; Return
to Step 2
Project Lead
Project Lead, Consultants
Continue
Monitoring
Project
Formulate conclusions,
options, action plans,
recommendations,
cost/benefits, prepare
interim deliverables
Project Lead
Consultants
Project Lead
Review with
Team
Review with
501 Commons
ED
Proj. Lead,
Consultants
Review with
Client Focal
Project Lead Client
Determine How to Present Final
Report to Client’s Board and Staff
Project Lead, Client
Revise report after
each review, as needed
Present Final Report
GUIDE FOR COACHES
Philosophy

Leadership Coaching is a process for nonprofit leaders to identify fundamentals in their
personal and organizational values and to be more successful in achieving goals. Through
examining their styles of learning, decision making, people management and more, leaders
can build on their strengths and abilities.

Through sessions with a carefully chosen coach, individuals identify goals and barriers to
success—then strategize actions and tools to help them achieve their objectives.

The 501 Commons Leadership Coaching Program is an individualized coaching process that
supports leaders in making more conscious decisions about their professional and personal
lives. The coaching model is a co-active, developmental process that fosters confidence and
trust, encourages accountability, and builds leadership capacity.

Quarterly Peer Learning Roundtables with other leaders enhance the coaching experience by
providing the platform to discuss key issues and share successes.
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The 501 Commons Coaches


Coaches are volunteers selected by the 501 Commons Coaching Program
Manager and a committee of other volunteers who have demonstrated
coaching experience with leaders in the nonprofit or education sector.
The matching process is based on an understanding of the leader’s needs
and the strengths and experience of the coach.

The coaching relationship is defined by two documents: the coaching
contract and the coaching agreement.

The first two meetings and the final meeting are done in person and the
remaining meetings are usually held over the phone. If desired, the coach
can meet with staff or board members to introduce the coaching process to
the organization.
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Expected impact
A recent Compasspoint
evaluation determined
that nonprofit leaders
found coaching to have
an impact in several
areas:
• Improved confidence, clarity and ability
to guide the organization
• Enhanced relationships with staff, Board
and others
• Improved time management and
productivity
• Increased job satisfaction and optimism
about the organization
• Expanded personal and organizational
capacity
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Leadership Coaching Process
1
The coachee & coach develop a coaching agreement in the first
few weeks to establish a clear understanding of the purpose,
goals and approach.
2
Coach assesses personal style & areas of strength & opportunity;
key beliefs, behavior patterns, assumptions, personal dynamics
underlying behavior patterns; system of expectations, supports &
pressures that constitute the coachee’s context. Assess culture &
expectations related to success.
3
A written statement of work is prepared and reviewed with the
client and prospective consultants.
46
Inside a coaching session…

Exercises to build awareness of current behavior patterns

Identifying options for alternative mental models and behavior pattern

Practice and feedback on alternative behavior patterns

Determining development strategies

Creation of an environment of understanding and support for coachee’s efforts among key others

Observations of impact of changes in behavior, especially in challenging situations

Identify issues associated with “staying on course” and problem-solve them

Modify goals and strategies to adapt to changing conditions

Self-observation, direct observation and feedback from others
Coaches maintain notes of each session to document key themes, emerging insights,
learnings and challenges. The agreement and coach’s notes are reviewed by the
client before each session to reflect on the coaching experience and mark progress
toward the leader’s goals.
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Evaluation
The evaluation process is designed to identify how coaching impacted the
issues originally identified by the client in the coaching agreement. The coach
should also discuss with the client how coaching has affected their leadership
of the organization. Being able to demonstrate organizational impact is
important to 501 Commons’ ability to garner additional clients and support
from funders. Client and volunteer coaches have an opportunity to evaluate
their coaching experience at two points:


After the fourth session
Upon completion of coaching
In addition, clients are asked to respond to an online satisfaction survey at the
end of the engagement. This survey includes an evaluation of the coach. The
results of the evaluations are shared with coaches as the client permits.
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Concluding a coaching contract
1.
Contact the 501 Commons Coaching Program Manager when you
have completed the coaching assignment.
2.
Send a notice to close the contract and your final hours to the 501
Commons Administrative Manager so that the final invoice and
evaluation instructions can be sent.
3.
If the client requests additional coaching or other discusses other
needs that might be addressed by 501 Commons, notify the 501
Commons Coaching Program Manager.
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