Resource consulting is a form of consultation in which the consultant works to identify the best outside resource(s) to address issues identified by a client. At the point where the client chooses a resource(s) the resource consultant steps away from the relationship. The primary function of a resource consultant is to enable a client to identify and then use best resources.
In its most simplistic form, resource consulting can be the identification of simple services such as local trades (plumbers, electricians, garbage pickup, etc.) ala services like Angie's List. These might be identified as issues with technical fixes (i.e. Ron Heifetz, Leadership Without Easy Answers) - clearly identifiable problems with clearly identifiable fixes. Resource consulting has great effect with adaptive issues - those with less clearly identifiable problems and multiple ways of addressing them.
For instance, a local church makes an inquiry about a leaking roof in its sanctuary. It is a major issue for the congregation because water is leaking on the church's expensive pipe organ. The technical fix would be to provide the name of a roofer well versed in the type of roof this church has. However, in the process of conversation with a resource consultant it becomes clear that the reason for the leaking roof is that a relative of one of the church's leaders, who does residential and not commercial work, was hired to re-roof the building several years ago. As the consultant digs deeper it comes to light that the church's governing board has no way to address the issue without causing major conflict and has a dysfunctional decision-making process. So while the resource consultant makes suggestions for the actual repairs she also makes suggestions about addressing governance and leadership issues to avoid this problem in the future.
Resource consulting was named in 1998 by the Indianapolis Center for Congregations, as a way to name the type of consulting work it was doing in contrast to the normative type of consulting that occurs in the congregation, business, and non profit world.