Working Pro Bono for Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit Volunteers Offer Skills and Strategies, Everybody Wins

Nov 1, 2009

3 ideas for skilled professionals seeking opportunities to help nonprofits: create a grant program, hook into an existing volunteer network or offer a pro bono marathon.

As nonprofit organizations are increasingly understaffed and underfunded, business professionals can help by providing pro bono services. Partnerships may grow naturally out of existing relationships between pro bono service providers and charities. In other cases, volunteers may need to be more creative to find the right fit.

Create a Pro Bono Grant Program like the We Inspire Grant

“With my passion for the community, nonprofits often ask me to donate pro-bono design,” blogs Emily Rawitsch on the website for Florida-based Studio Orange Design. “Yet the problem with doing a one-off piece is that it really doesn’t address the business challenges of an organization. For design to be effective, it must be well-planned and consistent.”

Rawitsch is joining with Fred Boyle of Subtle Technology and Tiffany Manning of Tiffany Manning Photography to create the We Inspire Grant Program. Nonprofits are invited to apply for We Inspire’s one-year grant of creative services (up to $75,000 of work) from the talented trio. We Inspire will accept applications through Jan. 15, 2010. (See the website for more details, including the application.)

Hook Into a Volunteer Network like Taproot Foundation

The Taproot Foundation, founded in 2001, is the United States’ largest nonprofit consulting firm. Taproot recruits business professionals to serve as pro bono consultants in the areas of marketing, technology, strategy management and human resources, then places the professionals on project teams. Nonprofit organizations receive grants of services for defined projects.

Professionals agree to donate between three and five hours per week for a project lasting six months. While most of the work is done virtually, professionals also participate in weekly team conference calls and monthly in-person meetings with clients.

Offer a Pro Bono Marathon like Goodstock

Five years ago, Madison, Wis.-based advertising agency Knupp & Watson created Goodstock, an effort they call “24 hours of love and advertising” to challenge the agency to give as much as possible in the short period. Now, other agencies are joining Knupp & Watson in the pro bono marathon.

“For Goodstock, our agencies will pull all-nighters to complete multiple projects for a total of 23 organizations … Ads, brochures, website, press kits, logos, social media strategies, fundraising ideas and much more. You name it, we’ll do it to help needy nonprofits … attract attention, donations and volunteers,” say Andy Wallman and Judi Wax in the October 15, 2009 Advertising Age post “Goodstock: The 24-Hour Pro Bono Marathon.”

One of the greatest benefits of organizing pro bono work through a formal program is the ability to better manage projects and measure impact of contributions. This creates a win-win environment for both the volunteer and the nonprofit.

The copyright of the article Working Pro Bono for Nonprofit Organizations in Non-Profit Management is owned by Molly Schar. Permission to republish Working Pro Bono for Nonprofit Organizations in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.