Nonprofit Consultants, This Is How We Fight Back

We’re living through a crisis right now — one we can’t afford to ignore. Nonprofit organizations are being gutted. Government funding is being slashed. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is under attack. The work so many of us have spent our lives building is being unraveled right in front of us.

If you're a nonprofit consultant, you’ve probably felt it too: Projects delayed. Budgets frozen. Fewer RFPs. Clients taking longer to make decisions — or going silent altogether. Some of us are wondering quietly: What now? Are we even going to be able to sustain ourselves? Will anyone even be hiring consultants when nonprofits are laying off their own staff?

Here’s the truth: Yes. But only if we fight back and fight smart.

1. Your Work Isn’t a Luxury. It’s Critical Infrastructure.

When funding gets tight, it’s easy to think consultants are the first thing to go. Sometimes we are. We’re often seen as a luxury — the first line item to cut when budgets shrink.

But the reality is that strong strategy, leadership support, fundraising plans, and DEIB work aren’t extras. They’re survival tools. In moments like this, organizations that make it through are the ones that double down on getting the right support — and sometimes, that means bringing in consultants because internal teams are already stretched thin or have been laid off. We’re not just filling gaps. We’re helping rebuild the foundation so that organizations can weather the storm.

Here are specific ways you can support right now:

• Strategic Planning: Help organizations reassess and pivot their missions or programs under new funding realities.

• Interim Leadership Support: Filling in temporarily isn’t just filling a seat. You’re giving the staff breathing room. You’re giving funders a reason to stay. You’re keeping programs alive when everything else feels like it’s falling apart. If you’ve been a CEO, ED, COO, Development Director, or Finance Officer, you already know how isolating those leadership roles can feel.

• Board Development: Strengthen boards so they can fundraise, advocate, and lead better.

• DEIB Realignment: Support organizations in protecting their DEIB commitments even as external funding pressures them to abandon them.

2. Be Strategic About Where You Put Your Energy

We have to name the hard truth: Some nonprofits will not survive this political moment. Not because they don't deserve to, but because the system (tied to oppression) was never built to sustain the sector in the first place.

Here’s how you can show up:

• Scenario Planning: Help organizations map out survival options — not just "best case," but "worst case" and "most likely case" scenarios.

• Board Strengthening: Support orgs to build boards that can actually fundraise, not just advise.

• Messaging Support: Help orgs tell the story of why they matter, especially now, to individual donors and foundations.

• Program Prioritization: Support EDs and leadership teams in making the hard calls about what to keep and what to let go.

3. If You Have Fundraising Skills, Now Is the Time to Take Action

There’s an urgent, critical need to help nonprofits that have historically relied heavily on government grants but haven’t yet built strong individual giving programs. Many nonprofits have depended on government grants because that’s what was available. Now those grants are disappearing — and a lot of orgs don’t have the infrastructure to survive without them.

That’s where you come in. If you know how to build donor pipelines, coach development staff, or run fundraising campaigns, your skills could literally be the difference between an organization surviving or closing its doors. And for those with grant writing skills, help organizations apply for rapid-response grants, capacity-building funds, or bridge funding.

Support organizations in setting up systems. Teach them how to fundraise from individuals. Show them how to tell their story.

4. More Ways You Can Fight Back

We can’t do everything for everyone. But there are a lot of ways to offer meaningful support that keeps you sustainable too:

• Skill-Share Workshops: Offer short, affordable workshops on budgeting, fundraising, financial forecasting, storytelling, or board development — especially for small nonprofits.

• Peer Support Circles: Create free or low-cost spaces for EDs, Development Directors, or Program Managers to connect, share challenges, and strategize.

• Coalition Consulting: Team up with other consultants to offer bundled services to smaller nonprofits that can’t afford multiple contracts but still need critical support.

• Advocacy Training: Help nonprofits understand how they can still legally advocate under 501(c)(3) restrictions.

Small actions matter. Small actions build resilience. Small actions can keep movements alive.

Sustainability for You

That said — helping doesn't mean working for free. You need to pay your bills too. If you're doing financially well or stable enough, you might choose to offer low-bono support for a few high-impact organizations you believe in. But your expertise is valuable, and fair compensation is part of the ecosystem of equity and sustainability we’re trying to build. Low-bono should still be sustainable for you — because if you can't stay afloat, you won't be able to help any other nonprofits.

Final Thoughts

The nonprofit sector is going to look very different over the next few years. Some organizations will sunset. Others will sustain themselves and emerge stronger.

As consultants, we’re not bystanders. We are builders, shapers, and sustainers.

If you're trying to figure out how to navigate this moment, you're not alone. There’s no single roadmap. But what I know for sure is: we fight back by showing up. By staying sustainable. By staying connected.

Let’s get to work.

The work ahead is hard, but we’re not meant to do it alone.If you’re growing your consulting practice and looking for grounded support, I’m here — you can learn more at www.jessli.com.