 Our Approach Consulting engagements can range from a half day to longer than a year. The placement of consultants is highly individualized based upon client requirements and the project's scope. From problem definition through data gathering, analysis, recommendations, and implementation, the Center offers the highest quality of consulting services with an emphasis on client focus and organizational results.
The Center draws talent from our in-house consulting staff and from a network of highly professional and experienced consultants in Southern California representing a broad range of nonprofit experience and a variety of professional disciplines. The diverse group of professionals includes some of the leading practitioners on nonprofit management assistance in the country. Our standard rate for consulting services is determined on a sliding scale. Please inform us if your organization is not receiving a grant to fund our services and your budget is under $3 million per year. To keep your costs low and predictable, we usually bill on a "lump sum" project basis rather than by the hour. Continue to Request for Proposal Our Philosophy Organizational development and capacity building at the Center is founded on techniques that utilize both a sound research base and applied experience. We provide individuals and organizations with objective, current, and creative options for growing their capability and solving problems for the long term. We accept only those assignments in which we genuinely believe we can provide effective service, thereby making a measurable difference in the life of the organization. We work with organizations diverse in age, size, culture, and resources, and we treat all professional and volunteer clients with respect for their values, goals, and individual contributions. Our Leadership  Our consulting practice is lead by Maura Harrington, PhD, MBA.
Maura Harrington, PhD, MBA is the COO and Director of Consulting Services of the Center for Nonprofit Management of Southern California, leading the growth of the consulting and coaching practices provided to nonprofits and public agencies. Previously for more than 11 years she worked for Lodestar Management/Research, Inc., a firm specializing in applied social research, program planning, program evaluation and management services for the public and nonprofit sectors. As vice president of consulting services and senior researcher she was responsible for Lodestar’s evaluation and strategic planning consultations to private foundations, nonprofit organizations and government social service agencies. Maura has also regularly conducted workshops on participatory and evaluation methods for small nonprofit organizations as well as for the Center for Nonprofit Management, the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership and several foundations throughout California. As an adjunct professor she teaches courses on Social Work Research and Children and Family Issues in Urban America at the USC School of Social Work. As an Associate of the Achieving Styles Institute, Maura has designed and delivered leadership training workshops, designed training for trainers who use the leadership model and has conducted several research studies related to the model. Maura earned her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior (Department of Psychology) from the Claremont Graduate School, where her primary areas of research were effective leadership, Achieving Styles, managerial empowerment, managerial styles and effectiveness. She also holds an MBA from the Peter Drucker Graduate Management Center and a B.S. in Psychology from Georgetown University. She is an active member of the American Evaluation Association, the past Chair of the Independent Consulting Topical Interest Group and past the Chair the City of Pasadena Continue to Getting Started |
