pro bono volunteering

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Effective Engagement of Pro Bono Volunteers

Great Talent for the Greater Good

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Welcome

Presenters David Roll, Founder, Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation and

senior partner, Steptoe & Johnson Gretchen Van der Veer, Acting ED, President’s Council for

Service and Civic Participation & Dir. Leadership Development & Training, Corp. for National and Community Service

Eleanor Rutland, COO, Venture Philanthropy Partners

Who’s Who in the Room? What’s Your Hope for Take-Away?

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What We Hope to Accomplish…

Participants will: Understand how business and professional services

can benefit nonprofits/social entrepreneurs Understand how nonprofits/social entrepreneurs can

partner with business and professional services Gain and share best practices on both sides Provide input on how to better facilitate more pro

bono, better matches and greater benefits Where to go if you’re looking for a partner

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Background

What is pro bono? Professional quality services delivered in the

public interest without the expectation of fee 2008 Pro Bono Roundtable

Sponsored by the Taproot Foundation

“Harnessing talent and value at the intersection of business and nonprofits”

2008 ABillion+Change Campaign, President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation

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Background (cont.)

Is this a new concept? No. Pro bono publico is Latin phrase meaning

“for the public good.” Has been around for many years in legal profession.

Increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms.

Recently becoming more and more structured part of corporate social responsibility efforts.

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Current State of the “Supply”

Legal profession (extrapolation to other professional services firms) Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation State of PB in large American law firms before

meltdown Effect of the current economic meltdown on PB Supply of pro bono or low cost lawyers is way up

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Current State of the “Supply” (cont.)

Corporate America 80% of US corporations provide financial

contributions to nonprofits2009 Deloitte Survey

50% of US corporations provide business skills/pro bono (up from 42% in 2008)

2009 Deloitte Survey and Indiana University Survey Business leaders “get” that new strategies are

needed to help communities adapt to new technologies, knowledge, & skills

2008 Business Civic Leadership Center Report Big Companies more likely to use a wider array of

community investment strategies 2008 Business Civic Leadership Center Report

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Corporate America (cont.) Economic crisis and President’s Call to Service

fueling new interest Social Innovation Fund Millenials A Billion+Change campaign

President’s Council for Service and Civic Participation Three year effort kicked-off in December 2007 23 Corporations have pledged $500 million worth of

pro bono to date

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Current Contributors to A Billion+Change

Accenture Booz Allen Hamilton Butler Rubin Saltarelli & Boyd Capital One Citi Deloitte Entrepreneur Foundation General Electric Harvard Business School

(HBS) Community Partners IBM Intel

ING Americas KPMG LexisNexis Manning Selvage & Lee McKenna Long & Aldridge Monitor Group National Geographic Society Pfizer Public Architecture Taproot Foundation Target UPS

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Current State of the “Demand”

Interest and commitments on the supply side are up, is there an equal demand for the increased supply?

Are nonprofits benefiting from the increased interest and availability of pro bono consultants?

How are nonprofits / social innovators making use of partners in the corporate and professional services sector?

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Current Environment

Increase in Supply of Resources

Increase in Demand for Services in the Nonprofit Sector

Tightened Budgets of Nonprofit Sector (due to Resource Constraints)

Greater Demand for Pro Bono Resources?

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The Challenge

Few nonprofits think of pro bono resources as a form of currency Corporations generally provide financial contributions to nonprofit, but

few provide the business skills/knowledge of their workforce

Corporations view financial donations as more effective than skilled volunteer support

Nonprofits value monetary donations greater than skilled volunteer support

Nonprofits and Corporations better equipped – and more culturally aligned to manage cash gifts

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The Challenge (cont’d.)

Contradiction between value placed on skilled volunteerism and the alignment between supply and demand Grant makers’ efforts to contribute skilled volunteer support are not in

sync with value Nonprofits state a greater need for skilled volunteerism – but efforts to

seek it are inconsistent with need

Barriers to giving and receiving pro bono services Lack of infrastructure and capacity to manage and train volunteers Perception that there is no demand for skilled volunteers Lack of knowledge among nonprofits in securing pro bono projects

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VPP Engagements

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Lessons Learned

Biggest problem – 501c3s Flakey Lawyers/Flakey clients The problem of offering “free” services Social entrepreneurs sometimes don’t fit the

PB guidelines of law firms Appreciation of cultural differences Establishing long-term relationships Finding right lawyer with right expertise

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Lessons Learned

Fit is important

Align expectations

Clarify scope

Ensure expertise and opportunity are in sync

Project vs talent gap

Plan for exit

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Lessons Learned (cont’d.)

Transfer knowledge

Quantify value

Engage the Board

Put it in writing

Create a pipeline of opportunities

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Existing Resources

LawForChange™ Billion + Change page http://

www.nationalserviceresources.org/probono Corporate Partnership page

http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/program-management/corporate-partnerships

www.Serve.gov – for volunteering opportunities Intermediary organizations (Taproot, Common

Impact, Venture Philanthropy Parners, etc._

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What Resources are Needed?

Matching service? What would it look like? Other tools or technologies? What can be done to better facilitate the

effective engagement of pro bono volunteers on behalf of nonprofits or social entrepreneurs?

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Thank you!

Gretchen Van der Veer

[email protected]

David Roll

[email protected]

Eleanor Rutland

[email protected]