I recently wrote a two-part blog series about the fallacy of requests for proposals (RFPs) as an effective means to find philanthropy advisors and the myths and facts that surround them. If you missed them, you can read the first part here and the second part here.

In both of those blogs, I stressed how important it is to find the right philanthropy advisor or consultant. I guess you could call this blog part three of the RFP series. A philanthropic advisor, with the right characteristics, can make your life easier and your giving exponentially more impactful.

They can help you with any aspect of your philanthropy, from identifying your goals, creating strategies, processes, and structures for achieving them, and determining measures for success. They can help you start a new foundation, sunset an existing one, and everything in between. A great philanthropy advisor will help you recognize what’s holding you back and help you stay accountable to achieving the life and impact you seek. And just as with any other professional advisor, you’ll want to make sure you’ve found the right fit.

But how do you find one? Here are six ways you can find the right philanthropy advisor or consultant for you:

  1. Continuously source advisors and consultants
  2.  Use a Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
  3. Seek referrals from colleagues
  4. Intentionally find and build relationships with diverse consultants 
  5. Utilize philanthropy consultant directories
  6. Be open and honest with prospective philanthropy advisors

Read the full article about finding the right philanthropic advisor by Kris Putnam-Walkerly at Putnam Consulting.