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5 Tips for Managing Great Pro Bono

Published on 2/6/2020

Working with skilled volunteers on pro bono projects isn’t your typical volunteer engagement. These projects take lots of advance planning, careful selection of the right applicant for the job, and a special focus on project management. But the extra effort is well worth it. Through carefully managed pro bono projects, Taproot has seen websites built, successful crowdfunding campaigns executed, and innovative new programs designed.

Use these five tips for great pro bono project management to create your own success story:

1. Be prepared to invest time

While pro bono doesn’t have fees attached, it certainly isn’t without cost. In order for your nonprofit to walk away from a pro bono project with a successful outcome, you’ll need to invest time and energy into managing the project—and volunteers—so that it runs smoothly. Your skilled volunteers will need a few things along the way: on-boarding to get them up to speed on your mission and organizational culture, feedback from relevant team members to move the project forward, and regular check-ins to ensure you’re sticking to a set timeline (which is why Taproot recommends only taking on 1-2 pro bono projects at a time).

Pro tip: Track the time you spend managing a pro bono project so that after it wraps, you can calculate your return on investment. This data can inform which types of pro bono are most worth it for your team to take on in the future.

2. Act like a paying client

This tends to be a sticking point for nonprofits. Frankly, it can be challenging expressing honest feedback to someone who is generously donating their expertise for free. But, from Taproot’s years facilitating pro bono, we can confidently say that the best pro bono experiences—for both the nonprofit AND the volunteer—occur when the project is treated like it’s paid. Schedule regular check-ins, hold volunteers accountable for deadlines, and create a space to both give and receive feedback.

Pro tip: Take your time vetting volunteer applicants. Don’t hesitate to check resumes, request samples of past work, or ask for references. Your volunteer will be glad you’re taking the project seriously.

3. Be proactive about internal team communications

Even though you may be the lone project manager for a particular pro bono engagement, keep the rest of your internal team in the loop! Feedback for your volunteer isn’t needed from every staff member within your nonprofit, but keeping relevant people up-to-date on progress will contribute to a smoother implementation process once the project is wrapped. Without internal project buy-in, even the best pro bono projects fail.

Pro tip: When designing your project, work with your team to create an implementation plan for whatever end product your skilled volunteer delivers. Setting expectations on how staff will use this deliverable will get teammates excited for your project – and maybe inspire them to use pro bono themselves!

4. Create space for volunteers to share

Pro bono is a partnership. It doesn’t mean simply pointing to an issue your organization is facing and expecting a volunteer to solve it. There has to be time and space allowed for your volunteer to share thoughts, receive feedback, and simply feel connected to your nonprofit’s work. Active lines of communication are key for:
• Keeping the project on schedule
• Keeping the project within scope
• And, keeping the volunteer invested in the work

Pro tip: Leave room in your regular check-ins to update your volunteer on non-project specific organizational updates. Maybe your animal shelter just found homes for two of your cutest cats or your literacy program hosted a super popular teen book club – tidbits like this remind your pro bono partner of the larger mission their work is impacting and will help maintain project buy-in.

5. Celebrate

No pro bono project is complete without celebrating the awesome work you and your volunteer completed together. While recognition at the close of the project is always great, be sure to celebrate smaller successes or milestones along the way. The more your volunteer feels that their efforts were valued, the more likely it is that your nonprofit has just gained a life-long supporter.

Pro tip: For suggestions on how you can celebrate your nonprofit’s volunteer, check out Taproot's ideas for creative thank you's!

Take the next step towards managing your own pro bono project

While every nonprofit-volunteer partnership is unique, the core components of great pro bono project management remain constant. When preparing to project manage, be realistic about your own time commitment, treat the relationship like you would a paid contactor, keep your team informed on progress, allow your volunteer to share their voice, and recognize their valuable contribution to your mission.

Ready to manage your own great pro bono project? Post a request for marketing, IT, HR, strategy, or finance support now through Taproot

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