This is the FIRST "how-to" book for the field of grants consulting. If you are looking for a start-up guide to enter this emerging home-based business, then this book is the one for you! This book is for budding entrepreneurs who are amazed, dazed and even crazed trying to figure out how to break into the field and make a full-time living writing grants and doing other grants-related consulting. It's short, but detailed and hits the target as the leader of "how-to" books in the consulting field!

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The book (really more of a workbook in format and presentation) documents a path to successful nonprofit-sector consulting that combines the chutzpah of a used car salesman with an entrepreneur's business savvy, but neglects the professionalism and non-financial rewards that a successful practice has to offer.

...P>The work is a disappointment when looking at the potential breadth and depth of the subject matter implied in the title. The book is expensive ($49.00) for its meager saddle-stitched format. Some very good and insightful information is presented in a style heavily mixed with cheerleading "you can do it" boosterism and self-important, mundane pull-quotes, always attributed to the author herself.

It is important to note that this book teaches one nothing about how to write a successful grant application. It is assumed that the reader is already experienced at grantsmanship, or is pursuing a separate road to acquire that knowledge. This assumption is never stated in the promotional material or the cover text of the shrink-wrapped volume. This oversight is serious, especially when considering the "you can do it, too!" tone of the text on the back cover.

Ms. Browning does a good job of identifying the materials and equipment necessary to starting a home-based business, but "dates" her material by recommending particular products and specifications for computers and peripherals. She does a good job of providing some tables and checklists for helping the reader identify their expertise and probable target market for clients. However, be wary of the opinions and statements about the legalities surrounding setting up a business in one's home; some communities' ordinances and covenants are not as tolerant as Ms. Browning implies.

As good and relevant as some of the basic advice may be, I cringed when I read about her marketing techniques. The idea of monthly direct mail and telephone follow-up is a reasonable, though unusual, professional client recruitment strategy (the telephone follow-up is key). It's more appropriate for recruiting speaking and teaching engagements than for specific grants preparation assignments, though this distinction is never explored.

However, the practice she follows and recommends of dropping business cards on workshop and conference tables, resource racks -- and even airplane seats and office restrooms where nonprofits have office space -- does damage to the professional image that most nonprofit-sector consultants work to project. Of course, the author's company name, with three dollar signs in place of the letter "S," is another indicator that a professional image is not being cultivated. Most readers, especially those with a grounding in the nonprofit sector and therefore those most likely to benefit from a book on the topic, will not see themselves in such a blatant promotional/sales role and will need to seek alternate strategies, equally effective, with which they (and their clients) are more comfortable.

Building a consulting practice in the field of grantsmanship can be a rewarding experience in many ways, and can take many forms. This slim "book" (really a workbook format) focuses on one person's success and fails to present the broader picture, additional information, and illustrative experiences that the reader should expect for the title and the price.

26 of 27 found the following review helpful:

Falls short of expectationsSep 11, 2003

The author did a terrific job in her other book "Grant Writing For Dummies". I expected more of the same in her "Consultant" book. The book is little more than a desktop published brochure. It is particularly irksome given the hefty price of $50 for a 60 page printout. This stikes me as little more than opportunism by the author.

My advice is to stick with her "Dummies" book. "How to Become a Grant Writing Consultant" falls short of the mark.

21 of 21 found the following review helpful:

Overpriced for the contentJan 03, 2003
By L. Phan "LP"
This is the only book I've ever read where the author actually quotes herself. Too much of the book is Bev singing the praises of Bev and selling her other books and workshops. It has some useful information, but overall it is overpriced for the content. One of her chapters is a half page long! The only reason I bought it is because there is a lack of information about setting rates for consulting, and this was addressed in her book in a straightforward manner.

26 of 28 found the following review helpful:

Oh PLEASE!Jun 17, 2002

$49 for a 62 page book of Bev congratulating Bev, Bev singing the praises of Bev, and Bev subtly or not-so-subtly recommending Bev's training courses and workshops.

Expert advice regarding such issues as general business equipment you need - computer, fax machine, separate business phone, etc. The kind of thing that if you can't figure out for yourself you better keep your day job forever. But nothing about core skills such as researching potential funders.

An entire chapter bragging about how much money she made with her marketing newsletter, but no practical advice about what might be included in such a newsletter.

Yes, there were nuggets here and there. But they were VERY few and far between. The rest was just Bev loving Bev.

Guess she's fairly savvy, though. I spent 49 bucks for a book that looks like the cheap, self-published pamphlet it is.

25 of 27 found the following review helpful:

A Disappointment and A Waste of [money]Feb 01, 2003

This book was not worth [money]. There were 62 pages with a large font (perhaps size 14 or 16) with a paperback, stapled binding. The book is anecdotal and has a conversational tone. The language format chosen is surprising given the fact that the author is a professional writer. The book not only sounds home-made, but looks it. The graphics and layout looked as if the book was published on Microsoft Publisher. I wish that I had seen this in a bookstore because I certainly wouldn't have wasted the money.

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