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 Do I need to designate a contact person from my agency to the ESCC consulting team?
Does ESCC do fundraising for its clients?
Do ESCC consultants do implementation?
What does the Project Manager do?
Can I count on confidentiality with this consultancy?
Who should be interviewed for the consulting project??
What contact am I going to have with the Executive Director of ESCC?
How often should I expect to meet with my consultants?
Do the consultants ever attend Board or staff meetings?
What do I do if the project is not going as I had hoped?
What can I expect from Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati in writing?
Will I have an opportunity to see the consultants’ report before it is finalized?
Will you present the report to my Board of Directors?
What follow up is there after the project is over?
At what point can my agency come back for additional services?
Do I need to designate a contact person from my agency to the ESCC consulting team?
It is helpful for the agency to identify a key contact for the ESCC consulting team. This contributes to good communication and a smooth running project. Generally that person is the Executive Director, but it can be a member of the Board or a key staff person. This person needs to have authority to make things happen. The agency should make certain that the contact person can be accessible and available to the consultants so that the project can be completed within the time limits agreed upon in the consulting plan.
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Does ESCC do fundraising for its clients?
Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati does not raise funds on behalf of a nonprofit agency. ESCC consultants can, however, review fundraising plans and programs. ESCC works in management areas that contribute directly to a successful fundraising program, such as board development, strategic planning, marketing, and public relations.
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Do ESCC consultants do implementation?
Yes and No. In most cases ESCC does not implement recommendations. ESCC’s role is that of advisor; the client’s role is the of implementation. The ESCC report will be written, however, to guide you in an outcome-oriented fashion. "Hands-on" activity. (i.e., development of job descriptions,) is only used at times to accelerate the learning process of the client. However, in some cases, implementation can be built into the project as a way to add accountability and direction toward the completion of the project. Special arrangements must be made, and clearly defined roles established at the beginning of the project if implementation is part of the agreement.
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What does the Project Manager do?
The Project Manager is an ESCC volunteer who meets with you to assess your management needs, introduce you to the consultant team, and help ensure that the project is on track and running smoothly. He or she will be actively involved with the project and will manage the progress of the project. You should feel free to call the Project Manager at any point during the consultancy
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Who should be interviewed for the consulting project?
Most successful consulting projects involve a series of interviews with key Board and staff members. In order to elicit valuable input, it is recommended that consultants also be given the opportunity to interview selected clients and other appropriate community contacts.
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Can I count on confidentiality with this consultancy?
Only the content of the interviews we conduct are used. We never include the name of the individual giving the information. ESCC will not share private discussions with you. The final report is given to you and we can send a copy directly to your Board of Directors if you wish.
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What contact am I going to have with the ESCC Executive Director?
The ESCC Executive Director will contact you to discuss the fee for the project. Your immediate contact is with the consulting team, and you are expected to give telephone progress reports to the Project Manager. ESCC’s Executive Director is available to you by phone at any time during the project.
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How often should I expect to meet with my consultants?
There is no set schedule for meeting with consultants. That is entirely up to you and the consulting team. Scheduling regular meetings (i.e., weekly, bi-weekly) with the consultants does help in building momentum on the consulting project. The team can also serve as important progress checkpoints. Ongoing communication between client and consultant is important. During the course of the project, consultants will communicate on a regular basis with you to keep you up-to-date on their progress.
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Do the consultants ever attend Board or staff meetings?
Attending Board and staff meetings is not a requirement. It can be helpful, however, to provide the consultants with the opportunity to observe a staff or Board meeting in order to gain a perspective on your agency’s operations. You and the consultants together determine the appropriateness of attending these meetings. You may also wish to share your Board meeting minutes with the consultants.
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What do I do if the project is not going as I had hoped?
We hope and expect that the consulting project will run smoothly. There may be times, however, when you feel that the project is dragging, or you have a concern about a particular consultant, or just would like to offer your thoughts to ESCC. Direct communication with the consultants is helpful, but we hope you will also call the Executive Director if you feel concerned about the project for any reason. We can then do a mid-course correction if it is needed in order to ensure a successful project.
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What can I expect from Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati in writing?
At the conclusion of the consulting project, ESCC consultants will prepare a written report summarizing their findings, recommendations and suggested implementation steps. In addition, you and the consultants may feel that interim reports are needed.
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Will I have an opportunity to see the consultants’ report before it is finalized?
Yes. Before the consultants’ report is finalized you will be given a draft to review. The consultants will be happy to meet with you to discuss the report, or if you prefer, the report can be mailed to you. After you have reviewed the report and offered any suggestions for change, the report will be finalized.
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Will you present the report to my Board of Directors?
This decision is up to you, but it can be very helpful for you and ESCC consultants to share the report with the Board in order to maximize their involvement in helping to implement recommendations. It is often most effective when you make the presentation to the Board with the consultants present to help in fielding questions and participate in discussion.
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What follow up is there after the project is over?
Six months following project completion, an independent ESCC volunteer evaluator will schedule a meeting with you to discuss your overall satisfaction with ESCC and the impact that the project has had on your organization
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At what point can my agency come back for additional services?
ESCC welcomes "repeat business." We encourage you to come back to ESCC with a request for assistance in any managerial areas of need. Just give us a call and we’ll get a new project started: 513-791-6230.
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