Things to Consider When Setting Your Rate
- Don’t undervalue yourself.
Social impact work is important—don’t let “budget” be an excuse for underpaying expert work.
- Value your experience.
You bring specialist skills and unique lived experience—these are worth a premium.
- Pushback is normal.
If an organization hesitates at your rate, it’s a negotiation, not a reflection of your value.
- Consider scope and risk.
Urgent projects, out-of-scope work, or clients needing fast responses should be quoted higher rates.
- Factor in ALL your costs.
Expenses, professional development, insurance, software, and downtime are all part of a sustainable rate.
- Update your rates regularly.
Your expertise grows and so should your rates—don’t get stuck at year-one pricing!
