One of the most critical resources that any nonprofit struggles to have enough of is time – between handling the normal day-to-day tasks, dealing with unexpected crises, managing staff and staffing issues, preparing reports and communications with Board members, tracking and assessing finances, trying to squeeze in a few minutes for long-range/strategic planning, and any of a multitude of other responsibilities, it’s no wonder that many nonprofit employees are overworked and still feeling like they aren’t getting enough done. For small and mid-sized nonprofits especially, this may be compounded by not being able to access the staffing that would be ideal.

So, what’s the solution? Someone could probably write a whole dissertation about nonprofit sustainability, scalability, and adaptability (and maybe a few other “-bility”s!), but in the meantime, we at The Capacity Lab think that it’s important for nonprofits to be able to have access to expertise that can help promote best practices, take work off the shoulders of existing staff and leaders, and let organizations explore new ideas and different directions. For organizations that are struggling to justify the cost of a full-time staff person, we are exploring two solutions to help bring those expert resources into organizations – shared services, and the use of skilled consultants/contractors.

What are shared services?

Shared services refers to a collaboration between two or more organizations to partner on splitting the cost and management of a resource. That resource could be a shared space, a technology or tool, or a person’s time and expertise. There are many resources that local organizations could benefit from having access to, that they don’t necessarily need for a full forty hours per week. Finding partners to help carry the load can help with budgetary concerns and also deepen relationships with community partners. Once in place, a relationship like this is a long-term and durable solution that helps to maximize the effectiveness of potentially limited resources within the community.

Consultants/Contractors are people with a necessary expertise who will help to accomplish specific tasks within the organization, but not actually be a part of the organization. Unlike shared services, this tends to be a shorter-term solution that can help to ease the work burden to allow time to think through a more sustainable approach. There are some instances, like working with a payroll company, where it may be a longer-term solution, but generally this is about off-loading a responsibility instead of building the capacity to handle it internally. Consultants and contractors are often limited in the scope of what they can take on, and can’t be managed or directed in the same way that a staff member can, so it is a less flexible arrangement.

How can The Capacity Lab help?

The Capacity Lab can help organizations that are interested in pursuing shared services arrangements or connecting with skilled experts. We can and can help facilitate the process and make it as painless as possible.

When it comes to skilled experts who can help you build capacity, some examples might include, but aren’t limited to strategic planning, social media/marketing, Board development/retention, HR policies and compliance, and IT assessment. If your organization is interested in connecting with a consultant/contractor, but doesn’t know where to start, reach out to The Capacity Lab’s Project Director, Noah Goodling, at ngoodling@thecapacitylab.org.

We are constantly building up our network of trusted consultants and contractors, and would be happy to help connect you with a resource that may be able to set your organization in a positive direction!