Challenges and Opportunities- Aaron Hurst
Aaron Hurst is founder and president of the Taproot Foundation, a nonprofit organization that puts together business professionals to provide free assistance in marketing, human resources and information technology for nonprofit organizations. Hurst grew up inside and outside "the establishment," living in a teepee in Colorado with his parents while being influenced by his grandfather, Joseph E. Slater. Slater, who graduated from Palo Alto High School and UC Berkeley, wrote the initial report that became the blueprint for the Peace Corps. Slater was also president of the Aspen Institute, then an organization that brought business executives together to discuss ethics and -society.
Hurst traveled the country with his parents, went to college and worked in both the corporate world and for nonprofits. He enjoys abstract painting and playing tennis. He started Taproot in 2001 on his credit card, working as a volunteer for 18 months until he raised the money to pay himself and hire a staff. Taproot now has a budget of more than $1 million, has involved more than 1,500 business executives and awarded more than $10 million in pro bono services to nonprofits. He was recently elected an Ashoka Fellow, a lifetime international distinction that provides financial support and professional services to social entrepreneurs.
Hurst talked to Examiner Business Editor Albert C. Pacciorini about the Taproot Foundation and its future.
How does Taproot work?
The Taproot Foundation engages teams of business professionals to do pro bono work for nonprofits. Instead of grants of cash, we give grants of services … human capital instead of financial capital. We partner with local foundations that underwrite the cost for us to manage our pro bono work for grantees. We focus on marketing, HR, IT — if you're renaming your nonprofit, installing an HR performance management system. … We really focus on helping them execute their strategy rather than develop their core.
The days of large-employee corporations doing civic good seem diminished. Who is stepping up to the plate?
It's a different structure because of the way careers are structured now. People don't have as long a career at one company. It doesn't make sense to give someone a year off anymore. [Taproot volunteers] just spend a couple hours a week. We find there's a lot of generosity out there.
Besides foundations, who are some of your corporate supporters?
Time-Warner, Cisco, The Gap, Lehman Bros. in New York. Monster.com donated $300,000 of inventory on their job board. We find with our program, volunteers come on their own direction, not the company's.
How can you motivate corporate executives to participate?
A lot of it for them is to work with their peers from other companies. They get to know and broaden their passion as professionals and broaden their general network. We really give them a chance to use their skills in a new environment that strengthens and challenges them.
What are the challenges the Taproot Foundation faces?
Attracting and retaining top talent with nonprofit pay scales. It's a challenge and it limits the market. As we scale up to become a national organization and build the infrastructure to support a national organization, one of challenges for nonprofits overall is there's little investment in infrastructure. … In general, we're very aggressively looking to recruit volunteers in the Bay Area and New York. They can visit the Web site (www.taprootfoundation.org), fill out an application and be scheduled for the next orientation. … Identifying captains within the companies to act as evangelists. They are the most effective means of recruitment [of business volunteers].
Future plans?
A couple of different things. Expand the office. Deepen penetration in our markets. Move from 60 projects in the Bay Area to 200 projects in a year. Make the pro bono work systemic within the corporate community.
You have offices in San Francisco and New York? Why and where are you headed next?
We plan to open offices in Chicago and Boston in the next 18 months. I've lived here for the last eight years. This is where I was. San Francisco is one of the largest and healthiest nonprofit communities in the country, with a generous and well-developed philanthropic community.
Do you have a favorite anecdote about a nonprofit you've helped?
One of my favorite stories is about a brochure developed for Community Awareness and Treatment Services. It's an umbrella organization of a number of fantastic nonprofits in the Bay Area. They saw their government funding cut in the last couple of years, and needed to reach out. The brochure increased giving 50 percent in the following year. The brochure was handed out to homeless people on the street. A lot of them are scared to seek assistance. [The brochure] was professionally done and made them feel safe. It says a lot about the power of a piece of paper.
PROFILE - Aaron Hurst
Age: 31
Family: Wife (Kara Hurst) and daughter due in October.
Hometown: Aspen, Colo.
Education: Bachelor's degree from University of Michigan in service learning
Now reading: "1776," by David McCullough
Favorite quote: "True happiness involves the full use of one's power and talents," John W. Gardner
Inspirational figure: My grandfather, Joseph E. Slater
