Hiring an Evaluation Consultant

Hiring consultants of any kind is always a challenge for not-for-profit
organizations. Unlike a physical product it's hard to kick the tires before you
buy.  Moreover, consulting services are typically very expensive, highly
customized and the results of the work are sometimes mission critical.  In a
study we did for the United Way of New York City (UWNYC) some years
ago, we found that while most of the consulting engagements UWNYC
brokered for member organizations were successful, several wound up doing
more harm than good.   When things went bad it was usually for one or more
of the following four reasons:
? The consultant was difficult to work with (he or she was often inflexible
or unavailable or did not get along with staff or thought only in terms of
billable hours)
? The consultant had a 'process' and was unwilling to collaborate or
adequately understand the nonprofit's unique situation-- the consultant
in other words was a know-it-all
? The consultant was unable to understand the nonprofit's 'big picture' or
the environment in which it operated
? The project failed to build the nonprofit's internal capacity or help it
grow in a strategic way