Most nonprofit organizations don't come looking for fractional HR. They come looking for one thing: a hire. Jessye Kass Karlin, founder of Riverwalker Talent, has built a business on what happens after that search starts.
Her approach, as she describes it, is "would you like fries with that." A single recruitment search becomes a longer conversation about what else the organization needs once she's seen what's actually happening under the hood - and one of those conversations turned into a three-year fractional partnership that ultimately rebuilt a fifth of the client's team.
This post covers how Jessye expands recruitment relationships into fractional HR work without a hard sales pitch, the contract language she uses to prevent scope creep, and how she prices engagements on a sliding scale without discounting her own expertise.
The short answer:
Fractional HR relationships often start as a single recruitment search, not a fractional pitch. The organization sees the value of the initial work, then opts into more support once trust is established. Building boundaries and communication expectations into the contract from day one, along with tiered pricing options, is what makes those longer engagements sustainable.
How do you turn a recruitment search into a fractional HR client?
By asking, once you understand the real need, not before. Jessye's model leans on recruitment as the easiest entry point for nonprofits that are still building their understanding of fractional support. "Fractional HR is still building in its understanding and the lexicon of nonprofit work," she says, whereas a recruitment search is contained and easy to say yes to.
From there, the discovery questions she asks during a search, like what the organization is doing for onboarding or knowledge transfer when a long-tenured executive director leaves, naturally surface bigger needs the client hadn't planned for. That's the opening, not a pitch, that turns one search into an ongoing fractional relationship.
What contract language actually prevents scope creep?
Specific communication and response-time agreements, set before the work starts. Jessye's contracts spell out mutual expectations in both directions: her business hours, a 48-hour response commitment, and rules like never doing off-the-record reference checks. Clients agree to these terms up front, alongside legal and compliance language.
"People like agreements. They like to know what to expect," she says. The result is fewer boundary-testing moments later, because both sides already know what's in scope and what communication looks like.
How do you handle scope creep once it's already happening?
By offering priced options instead of a flat yes or no. Jessye's method when a client asks for something outside the agreed scope is to lay out two or three ways to handle it, each with its own price and deliverable, so the client can see the trade-off clearly rather than feeling told no. She also reframes the conversation itself: instead of saying "you'll need to pay more," she asks, "can we collaborate on a solution?"
"Just the little semantics switch really helps depressure us and helps us have that conversation." - Jessye Kass Karlin
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How do you price fractional work for nonprofits with different-sized budgets?
With a sliding scale tied to organizational budget, not a discounted hourly rate. Before quoting anything, Jessye researches a prospective client's 990s, executive compensation, and public financials to understand what they can genuinely support. Her hourly rate stays consistent, generally in the 175 to 250 dollar range, but she deliberately keeps room for one or two smaller-budget clients per quarter alongside larger organizations.
"There is a myth for themselves and externally that smaller budgets means they can't pay you your hourly rates. I don't think that's true. They can pay them. You have to negotiate them, but they can pay them." That distinction, negotiating the scope rather than discounting the rate, is what lets her serve a range of organizations without undervaluing her own expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn a one-time project into an ongoing fractional client?
Ask discovery questions that naturally surface bigger organizational needs, then offer expanded support once you understand what's actually going on. Leading with the smaller, contained project first builds the trust that makes a longer engagement possible.
What should be in a fractional consulting contract to prevent scope creep?
Clear communication agreements in both directions: response-time commitments, defined business hours, and specific boundaries around what is and isn't included. Naming these upfront reduces disputes later.
How do I raise a scope creep conversation without sounding difficult?
Offer options instead of a flat refusal. Present two or three ways to handle the additional request, each with its own price and deliverable, and frame it as collaborating on a solution rather than demanding more money.
Can I offer sliding-scale pricing without undervaluing my own work?
Yes, if the scale is based on adjusting scope rather than discounting your hourly rate. Research an organization's budget honestly, and negotiate what's included rather than what you charge per hour.
How many lower-budget clients should I take on as a fractional consultant?
There's no universal number, but capping it, such as one or two per quarter, protects your capacity to also serve organizations that can fully support your rates.
What's a communication agreement, and why does a fractional contract need one?
It's a written expectation for how and when consultant and client will communicate, such as response times and preferred channels. It replaces guesswork and personal willpower with a shared, agreed-upon standard.
How do I know if a nonprofit client is a good candidate for fractional HR beyond a single search?
Look for organizations navigating leadership transitions, rapid growth, or repeated turnover. These situations often reveal a need for ongoing support beyond a single hire.
The bottom line
Fractional HR relationships rarely start as fractional pitches. They start as a single project that earns enough trust to become something bigger. Jessye Kass Karlin's model, built on discovery-driven upsells, contract-level boundaries, and thoughtful sliding-scale pricing, shows how to grow those relationships without either overcommitting or underselling your expertise.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Apple
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify
▶️ Watch on YouTube