Highlights from Taproot Foundation’s 2021 U.S. Pro Bono Summit

Taproot’s 2021 Pro Bono Summit provided innovative tips and facilitated open discussions between corporate pro bono practitioners to share best practices and challenges in developing skills-based volunteering opportunities.

Key takeaways from the five webinars touched on critical aspects of capacity-building, board development, DEI in pro bono support, and more.

Building trust while building capacity

In the first session, “Transforming Impact Through Meaningful Capacity Building,” panelists from Taproot Foundation, The Prudential Foundation, Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) and Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District (LPPCD) shared their experiences designing an innovative program called The Newark Nonprofit Capacity Accelerator.

They worked together to confront challenges that can undermine the potential of capacity-building programs. One technique on counter-balancing power dynamics: encourage the nonprofit to invest how they see fit, not restricting funds based on a grantmaker’s assumptions.

How to create a strong nonprofit board

The “Pro Bono + Nonprofit Boards” webinar examined the elements of a strong nonprofit board of directors. Tips included:

• Board members should specialize in critical service areas all nonprofits need to succeed: HR, marketing, technology, and strategy.
• Boards should aim to be diverse in both skills and backgrounds, reflecting the community they serve.
• They should focus on governance and advising, not day-to-day tasks.
• Most importantly, every board member should be expected to raise resources, financial or otherwise.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in pro bono programming

In “Keeping DEI Front and Center in Your Pro Bono Programming,” Kevin Nigarura, DEI Strategist from Justice Informed, spoke on why corporate programming should be linked with DEI principles and how to strengthen accessibility and inclusivity.

He reinforced that pro bono, like all capacity building, can either perpetuate or combat systemic inequities, but acknowledging these inequities is the first step to increase inclusivity.

Read more about Taproot’s 2021 U.S. Pro Bono Summit.

The 2021 U.S. Pro Bono Summit session was presented free of cost thanks to our Leadership Sponsors, PwC and RBC, and our Series Sponsors, Johnson & Johnson, 3M, and MetLife.

Taproot Foundation

Taproot Foundation

Taproot helps mission-driven organizations amplify their impact by mobilizing skilled volunteers to advance resource equity. Since 2001, our community has served over 19,000 social change organizations and provided almost 2 million hours of service worth over $300 million. By ensuring nonprofits have access to skilled resources at no cost, we facilitate HR, finance, marketing, and strategy projects that can help them achieve their mission. Volunteers get to support causes they care about in meaningful ways. And the corporations we help to develop skilled volunteering programs boost employee engagement and support their local communities and causes their teams care about.

www.taprootfoundation.org

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