The Foundation Review has issued a Call for Papers for an issue focused on philanthropy consulting. The March 2015 themed issue, co-edited by the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers,  will explore quality, trends and impact in a significant component of philanthropic practice. Abstracts of up to 250 words are due by May 15, 2014. If a full paper is invited, it will be due by August 15, 2014 for consideration for publication. Papers are invited on topics including, but not limited to:

• Scope and scale. To what extent do grantmakers and funder networks retain consultants, and for what purposes?
• Role. Why do foundations hire philanthropy consultants? What are the roles of philanthropy consultants? How do roles vary by grantmaker type, size, lifecycle?
• Value and impact. What value have grantmakers recognized from engaging philanthropy consultants? What impact have consultants had on the work of funders and the philanthropic sector as a whole?
• Quality and effectiveness. What constitutes quality in philanthropy consulting? What are the characteristics of effective consultants and consulting engagements?
• Capacity. How does the field of philanthropy support or invest in philanthropy consulting? What efforts exist to ensure diversity within the consulting field and to support career pipelines for future consultants?
• Trends. What trends do we anticipate in the field of philanthropy in the U.S. and globally, and how can consultants add value?, will explore quality, trends and impact in a significant component of philanthropic practice.

I am the Chair the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers and will serve as co-editor of this journal issue. I encourage you to share this announcement with your colleagues, and to consider submitting an abstract.  Learn more about the Call for Papers  here. Kris Putnam-Walkerly is a philanthropy expert and consultant. If you found this blog post useful, please subscribe. On Twitter? Follow me @Philanthropy411.