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Executive Service Corps
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What are ESC's areas of expertise? What geographic area does ESC serve? What are the unique benefits that ESC consultants can provide? How much does ESC charge for a consulting project? Who at ESC will manage the project? How are members of the consulting team selected? Can the organization select the consultants who will work on the project? How can we be sure ESC Consultants’ practices will be current? What can a client do if the project is not proceeding as desired? Does ESC help with implementation of its recommendations? How long will it take to complete a consulting project? How does ESC measure the outcomes of its consulting services?What about project confidentiality? Can ESC help with fundraising? Would any ESC volunteers be available to serve on agency boards? What follow up is there after the project is over? How often do clients return for repeat business?
What are ESC's areas of expertise?ESC is the largest provider of assistance to nonprofits, schools and government organizations in the Chicago area providing consulting services on governance, management, and leadership issues and coaching services to enhance individual performance. Our main areas of expertise include strategic planning, board development, performance coaching, executive transition management, emergency succession planning, endowment planning, marketing, focus group facilitation, human resources, and financial management. Click here to view a list of our services and for additional information. What geographic area does ESC serve?The ESC of Chicago serves nonprofits, schools and governments located in the Chicago metropolitan area. Please contact us if you are unsure of whether you can be served. Click here to find an ESC near you. What are the unique benefits that ESC consultants can provide?ESC assures superb quality outcomes through the use of highly motivated, objective consultants. They bring wisdom and maturity gained from their successful business and professional experience. In addition, they are trained in best and current practices, in consulting, coaching, and specialized skill areas. ESC customizes the approach to each client's unique situation. The cost is modest--well below market rates because the consultants donate their time. Can ESC provide references?Yes. While it is ESC policy not to disclose confidential client information, many clients have given their permission to be used as references. ESC will be pleased to furnish the names of those clients upon request. Please contact us to discuss your interest and obtain appropriate references. How much does ESC charge for a consulting project?The fee charged for a specific assignment is based upon the agency's operating budget, scope of the work to be done, and an estimate of the resources ESC will deploy to complete the project. The key element in determining our fee is a thorough assessment where project specifics are discussed (i.e. goals, objectives, parameters, and timeframe). Since the consultants' time is donated, and ESC receives funding elsewhere, you can be sure that the fee will be less than market rate. Who at ESC will manage the project?A Project Manager (a consultant with proven ESC experience) is vested with the primary responsibility for managing the consultancy and the client relationship. The Project Manager for each consulting engagement is selected based on the particular needs of the client as well as the skills and training of the volunteer. The Project Manager and an ESC Regional Administrator meet with a potential client to discuss their concerns. We spend time and effort in gaining an understanding of their organization and their needs before we recommend what and how we can assist them in meeting their goals. The Project Manager plans the work program, leads the consultant team to ensure that the project is on track and running smoothly and is responsible for the preparation of the final report. He or she will be the primary contact during the course of the project and will provide the client with periodic progress reports. How are members of the consulting team selected?Consultants are selected on the basis of the skills and
experience needed to meet the particular requirements of the client.
In selecting the consulting team, Project Managers can draw on the
expertise of more than 200 consultants in specialties ranging from board
development to human resources to facilities management to name just a few. Can the organization select the consultants that will work on the project?Typically, consultants are assigned based on the match of skills to client needs. However, if a client has a request for a particular consultant, if that consultant is available he or she will be asked to consider that assignment. If that consultant is unavailable, the client has the option of waiting for that consultant or meeting with another with similar skills and background. In the event that a consultant is assigned and the client is not comfortable with the “fit” the client only needs to inform the Project Manager, Regional Administrator, or Vice President of Consulting, and another consultant with appropriate skills will be designated. How can we be sure ESC Consultants’ practices will be current?ESC is well known and respected for its extensive training programs. ESC consultants have mandatory training to build an understanding of the nonprofit environment as well as develop “best practice” consulting skills. Further, to assure consistent implementation of current quality practices, ESC provides continuing professional development in key service areas. ESC has Practice Groups for its largest consulting practices made up of the volunteers who consult in these areas and these groups meet throughout the year and bring in other experts currently in the field to update ESC consultants on the trends and changes in the field. What can a client do if the project is not proceeding as desired?It is ESC’s expectation that the consulting project will run smoothly. In the unlikely event that there might be a concern about project progress or consultant performance, direct communication with the Project Manager should normally lead to solving the problem. Further, clients are encouraged to share any concerns with the Regional Administrator or Vice President of Consulting. ESC’s goal is to satisfy every client. Does ESC help with implementation of its recommendations?ESC volunteers are dedicated to
the concept that their efforts help clients achieve and sustain needed changes.
Typically, the ESC report will be written to be outcome oriented and
guide How long will it take to complete a consulting project?Each project has its own unique requirements and time frame. These will be discussed at an assessment meeting, and the agreed-upon time frame will be incorporated in the consulting agreement. If it is anticipated that there will be deviations from the time frame, the Project Manager and client will discuss the reasons for the delay and come to agreement upon a revised time frame. How does ESC measure the outcomes of its consulting services?ESC has a multi-faceted approach to measuring the impact of our consulting work on the client organizations. In governance services, we take a baseline measure of the agency's status against pre-determined standards; measure again at the end of the project, and a third time 9-12 months after the conclusion of the work. For management consultations, we measure tangible outcomes such as knowledge gained, practices/services improved or practices newly implemented. This outcome measurement approach allows ESC to document the impact of our consultations and at the same time to demonstrate clearly to clients the benefits received from the services provided. What about project confidentiality?All of the work involved in a consulting project is confidential in nature. This includes both the overall details of the project as well as information collected during any internal client interviewing (wherein individual responses are not attributed to any individual, but integrated with the content of all interviews and data). ESC will only use a client as a reference with the client's permission. Can ESC help with fundraising?ESC does not raise funds on behalf of a nonprofit agency. However, ESC consultants are trained and experienced to develop and review fund development plans and programs and work with organizations for comprehensive revenue assessment and planning. Further, ESC works most effectively in management areas that contribute directly to a successful fund development program, such as board development, endowment planning, strategic planning, marketing, and business plans for developing or enhancing earned income opportunities. Would any ESC volunteers be available to serve on agency boards?Many of the ESC of Chicago volunteers serve on boards and committees of other nonprofit organizations; however, this is an individual choice of our volunteers. As a matter of policy, we will not assign a volunteer to consult on any project where he or she serves on the board of that organization. This is done to assure that ESC consultants remain independent and objective. What follow up is there after the project is over?Follow-up is dependent on the nature of the consultancy
and the relationship of the consultant and the client. In many instances,
several months following completion of the project, an ESC consultant will
How often do clients return for repeat business?ESC welcomes repeat business. In fact, more than half of our assignments each year involve agencies with whom we have previously worked. ESC encourages clients to return with an additional request for assistance in any leadership, governance, or management area of need. Just contact us to see how we can be of continuing or additional service.
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