March 15, 2013 | Read Time: 2 minutes
As more governments move toward democracy and greater privatization, nongovernmental organizations are popping up in new places—and the worldwide marketplace for consultants to nonprofits is heating up. For instance, some consulting companies now define themselves through a global mission, with international markets and services. And large consulting firms like Accenture have extended their global reach to encompass nonprofits as well as businesses and government.
In addition, existing nonprofit groups, especially giant international organizations are growing fast and need specialized consulting services for new challenges.
Greater individual wealth going to countries outside of Europe and North America has helped fuel this revolution. Bill Gates has been focusing on worldwide concerns, and a growing number of other philanthropists from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East are supporting NGOs.
That means nonprofits in many parts of the globe have the resources to invest in innovation and are inventing new methodologies and tools to meet their needs.
In our book, Global Fundraising: How the World Is Changing the Rules of Philanthropy, coming out next week, Bernard Ross and I and our c0-authors write about the fact that nonprofits are innovating as never before. That brings opportunities but also mandates changes in what we consultants pay attention to: Some consultants are equipping themselves to assist the unique needs of the rapidly growing number of mega-charities, and innovations that emerge in other parts of the world can affect domestic charities later on.
In some respects, other countries are way ahead of the United States. Internet fundraising took off in Argentina with Greenpeace almost 12 years ago, largely because the mail didn’t work. And giving from mobile devices is huge in Kenya and Qatar because landlines are unreliable and mobile phones work just fine.
Even those of us without global ambitions cannot afford to ignore this trend. If anything, we are behind. The relative geographic isolation of the United States and our historically strong independent sector have made it easy for us to look inward rather than outward. Yet even if one has no plans to work outside of U.S. borders, the innovations and trends from other places can have significant potential for domestic clients.
How are you addressing this change in your own practice? What are you reading? Where do you have memberships? Are you learning new skills or languages? Are you hiring differently? Offering new services? Changing your business model?
