Do you want to know what’s going on below the surface?

Whether you realize it or not, your Fiscal Sponsor Organization more like a business that most other nonprofits.

  • You have services that you provide in exchange for fees.
  • And unlike most nonprofits, your “customers” (those receiving the benefits of your services) are the same people that are paying for those services — your Projects.
Given that your Projects, and potential Projects (applicants), are so critical to your success, how much time and effort do you put into understanding their needs, motivations and goals?
Maybe your organization spends a lot of time on these activities, maybe not.
But either way, you likely don’t know as much as you should — and this is holding your organization back.
What if you truly understood:
  • What attracted projects to your organization in the first place?
  • What were the deeper motivations behind why they decide to leave?
  • Are there things you could be doing to attract more of the types of projects your organization wants?
  • What could you be doing better to help your projects grow and succeed?
  • And how can develop stronger relationships with them?

As more organizations get into fiscal sponsorship and the sector gets more competitive, it’s going to be critical to understand how the people who interact with you and your staff view your organization so you can be making the right changes and not waste your time and resources.

How can we help?

We’ve partnered with an award-winning research firm to develop a set of tools and programs specifically for fiscal sponsors so that you can better understand:

  • The true reasons why past projects have left your program (separated and/or transferred)
  • Your current projects’ attitudes and opinions about your program and its services
  • How your community stakeholders view your organization, specifically your fiscal sponsorship program – what advantages/disadvantages does it provide over the other options available to them?

While you likely conduct exit interviews, and ask “what could we do better?”, people are often reticent to give their real thoughts or opinions in responding to questions like these.

We will provide research instruments based on research best practices designed to get the answers to questions you might not know to ask and probe on top of mind responses to garner more depth, interpret and synthesize results.

By having a third party work with you to understand your organization’s – and your projects’ – unique situations, and then gather, compile, and interpret information that can help you course correct based on experience, improve project relations, project retention and/or you’re your organization’s marketing/communications activities.

The Deep Dive is one of our most flexible services with a range of options for different budgets and program sizes. But please note: Each engagement is focused on one target group (i.e. past projects, current projects or community stakeholders).

It can be as simple as us providing you with the research tools to conduct your own interviews — and as comprehensive as us developing custom tools, conducting the research, analyzing the data and presenting your team with actionable insights and recommendations.

Choose the Services to Fit Your Budget:

Just the Tools

  • Standard Research Tools – Schulman Consulting provides an interview guide, along with recommendations on how to properly conduct these interviews. You take it from there. Fee: $2,500
OR
  • Customized Research Tools – We co-develops a customized survey and interview guide based on specific input from your organization. You take it from there. Approximate Fee: $5,000
Tools + Data Collection
  • Schulman Consulting co-develops customized research tools and does the outreach to current and former projects (up to 15 people total). We conduct the interviews. You then receive the raw, anonymized data and interview transcripts. Approximate Fee: $12,000 

Tools + Data Collection + Analysis

  • Everything included in “Tools + Data Collection” plus a detailed analysis of the collected data to provide actionable insights and recommendations. This service culminates in a live, in-person or web-based presentation detailing the findings, insights and recommendations. Approximate Fee: $20,000

Length of Engagement: We can usually get the introductory call scheduled within two weeks or so, and if we move forward, the length of these engagements vary depending on level of service. If we are just providing off-the-shelf tools, we can usually complete the project in a week or two. If we are providing the tools, data collection and analysis, the project will likely take 3-5 months.

About Our Partner

Jessica Broome Research (JBR) is a strategic research partner that helps clients run more effectively by helping them better understand their customers, prospects, employees, and stakeholders. JBR develops and executes a variety of research strategies, from traditional client satisfaction surveys to cutting-edge digital research, that unlock information about target audiences and inform brand strategies, product design, and overall organizational strategy.

Jessica brings top academic research training and 15 years of “real world” experience of work with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies and top public relations agencies to local governments and non-profits, providing invaluable insights about customers and other target audiences that drive business success. Prior to starting Jessica Broome Research in 2008, Jessica was the director of measurement at MS&L; before that, she was a research account director at Ogilvy. She has a PhD in Survey Methodology from the University of Michigan, where she teaches questionnaire design each summer.

Still have questions about this service? Please see the FAQ below or email us at hello@schulmanconsulting.com.

If you’re ready to get started, click the “book now” button below to set up an introductory call.

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FAQ

What is the Fiscal Sponsor Deep Dive?

  • The Fiscal Sponsor Deep Dive is a research-based consulting engagement to help leaders of fiscal sponsors better understand different aspects of how current projects, former projects or community stakeholders view the organization.

Who is the Fiscal Sponsor Deep Dive for?

  • The Fiscal Sponsor Deep Dive is Fiscal Sponsors that want to better understand their “customers” and improve how they operate.

How does this engagement begin?

  • Once you schedule your introductory call we’ll get on the phone for 20 minutes to talk through your current situation. After that call, based on what level of service you move forward with, we’ll take the appropriate next steps.

How come I’ve never seen anything like this before?

  • Good question. Today, more than ever before, there are more options for startup nonprofits — and offering fiscal sponsorship is being seen by more and more nonprofits as a way to help those in their communities successfully start new projects. However, there haven’t been many focused, systemized service offerings to help Sponsor organizations take their programs to the next level. And Schulman Consulting, along with our partner, Jessica Broome Research, are uniquely qualified to assist fiscal sponsors in this manner.

How much does the Fiscal Sponsor Deep Dive cost?

What are the payment terms for the Fiscal Sponsor Deep Dive?

  • Again, this depends on the level of engagement you choose. If your total fee is less than $5,000, full payment is requested prior to delivery of any materials. For projects over $5,000, a portion (usually 1/3 or 1/2) is made prior to work getting started, another payment is made at a logical point during the middle of the project and a final payment is made upon completion of the work and delivery of all materials..

What if I’m not happy with the results?

  • Our goal is to provide you the tools, information and peace of mind to understand what it takes to run a successful fiscal sponsorship program — and actually do it. Our success is based on your success. If we start a project and determine that we can’t provide you with actionable recommendations, we will refund your money. If we get to the end of the project and you’re not satisfied with the results, we will make best efforts, to provide you with the information and resources that meet your needs.

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