Calling all Pro Bono Photographers

By Joshua Winata on September 29, 2010 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Attention, pro bono photographers!

Our friends at PhotoPhilanthropy are hosting the 2010 Activist Awards to promote photography as a tool "to inspire hope and understanding and to connect people around the world." Here's the promotion from their Web site:

"The PhotoPhilanthropy Activist Award identifies outstanding work done by photographers in collaboration with non-profit organizations worldwide and awards prizes ranging from $1,000-$15,000. In our first year, over 200 photographers from 63 different countries submitted work.

This year, PhotoPhilanthropy will be honoring professional, amateur, and student photographers, and a new category for community-based organizations. Each photographer whose work is accepted receives a page on our website and exposure to a growing audience of concerned and committed global citizens."

This is a great opportunity for our pro bono photographers to showcase their work, bring a little extra attention to our beloved nonprofit organizations, and maybe win some cash along the way. Click to enter your submission at the PhotoPhilanthropy Web site.

Don't have an entry for this year's contest? Sign up for one of Taproot's pro bono projects and get your photo essay ready for 2011!

Five Excuses for Not Doing It Pro Bono

By Joshua Winata on September 28, 2010 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

At Taproot Foundation, we've got a million reasons why you should do it pro bono: networking opportunities, social change, professional development, etc. From this side of the pro bono movement, it's baffling to me why everyone isn't clamoring to jump on board and use their skills to for the greater public good.

Tapping the Taproot network in an informal survey, here are a few of the excuses we've heard (and my arguments against them).

1. "I don't have enough time."

This, of course, is the classic excuse. The common misconception is that professionals, especially high-performers, are too busy for pro bono engagements. But what we've seen over and over again is that achievers in any organization find time to go after the opportunities they want to pursue. The legal profession plainly illustrates this by going so far as to expect top lawyers to offer some services pro bono.

Once we had a woman serve on a Taproot engagement while she was pregnant. She gave birth, joined the conference call the next day, and finished out the project. While we're definitely not recommending you put your health on the line, it just goes to show you can make room in your life for the things you deem important.

We understand the challenge of maintaining a well-balanced life. Be intentional about realistically scaling your commitment and being upfront about the contributions you'll be able to make, and you will be surprised to find that nonprofits and fellow pro bono junkies are usually willing to consider your needs, too. That said, also be considerate of the time and effort being put toward hosting you as a volunteer and make sure you stick with your commitment.

2. "I'm unemployed right now, so I have to concentrate all my energy on looking for a job."

Prospective employers don't care about how many hours you spent job hunting - they want to know your skills have stayed sharp and relevant. So spend some of that valuable time in between positions exercising your abilities by serving a nonprofit AND making a difference in your community. Pro bono work is one of the best things professionals can do for themselves while unemployed. Besides, who knows what kind of networking opportunities you might encounter on your next pro bono project?

3. "I hate my job. Why would I want to spend my free time doing it?"

It's sad but true: we've actually heard this from prospective pro bono consultants. So you've got the talent but not the drive. The reality is not everyone loves their workplace. But a pro bono engagement might be just the thing you need to re-infuse your career with passion and purpose. We've heard from our consultants that they appreciate stepping back from their daily grind and exercising autonomy and creativity on new and challenging projects, allowing them to love what they do again.

Even if that fails, skills-based volunteering can also be a great platform from which to network with people from other fields and open doors to unexpected opportunities - just make sure you're contributing meaningful and quality work along the way.

4. "I'm really bad at what I do. I don't want to make a nonprofit suffer."

Looks like you've got some soul-searching of your own to do before taking the plunge into pro bono service. Take some time to discover the things in which you do excel and actually enjoy. Then harness those skills and find ways to use them for the public good.

5. "Wait, do you do drug screening? Because then I might have to wait while before I can get involved."

Seriously, our recruitment team has heard it all. No, we don't conduct screenings, but please don't do drugs.

Between the Rock and an Egg: Social Investment in China

By Aaron Hurst on September 22, 2010 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I just got back from the International Advisory Board meeting of CiYUAN, a three-year initiative to increase social investment in China. It was my first time to visit the country and certainly my first introduction to the nation's nonprofit sector.

To be honest, I didn't even know there was a nonprofit sector in China. What is the role of a nonprofit sector in a society where the government takes such broad ownership of the welfare of its citizens? It isn't to run hospitals, schools or other services? It isn't to keep the government accountable?

The exciting news is that the answer is a work in progress. There is emerging individual wealth that seeks to be philanthropic and an increasing desire by the government to capture these resources to better support the overwhelming needs of society.

The structure that has been produced sums up the awkwardness of the current state in the evolution of the sector.

Most countries have what are referred to as 'nongovernment organizations' (NGOs). China has innovated on this idea to create what they call GONGOs, or Government-Organized Nongovernmental Organizations (a clear oxymoron). These organizations operate under the charter of the Chinese government, which processes all their donations. This provides the state with the control they desire over the funds and activities of these groups. 

The result, one GONGO leader shared, is a relationship that she describe as being between an egg without a shell (GONGO) and a rock (government). There is no room for negotiation. You do as you are told or get squashed.

This has stifled innovation and forced many would-be nonprofits to go underground or to take on a corporate identity with the burden of taxation.

But innovation is not at the core of the Chinese society -- a country built on the idea of 'power through unity'. One local leader illustrated this well by sharing the common Chinese saying, 'the first bird out of the house is killed,' to explain the culture of risk-taking.

And yet, there are still many birds in China that are willing to be the first to step out of the house. There are social entrepreneurs who are taking the risk and finding success. They believe so deeply in their country and their neighbors that they are sticking their neck out and making it work.

What is so inspiring about these social entrepreneurs is not only that they are taking great risks and overcoming the constant battle between their shell-less egg and the rock, but that they have the optimism to think they can make a difference in a country where there is so much overwhelming need.

I left China wanting to do anything I can to help these heroes but also feeling renewed confidence in our collective ability to effect change. If these brave Chinese leaders can succeed despite the overwhelming needs and challenges they face, surely we can do better in America.

The next time you feel overwhelmed or hopeless, take a deep breath, think of your peers in China and find a way to push through.

About CiYUAN
BSR's three-year CiYuan (China Philanthropy Incubator) initiative builds innovative cross-sector partnerships to enhance the value of social investment in China. With guidance from international and Chinese leaders in the field, CiYuan improves the capacity of local foundations and NGOs to serve as durable and effective partners with business. Ultimately, CiYuan will integrate philanthropy with core business strategy, foster collaboration, and inspire innovation.

Avoiding "Third World America" through Pro Bono Service

By Joshua Winata on September 20, 2010 9:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post just released her book Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning the Middle Class and Betraying the American Dream. In this read, she makes the jarring argument that the United States is on course to becoming a third-world country in the face problems like rising unemployment, increasing foreclosure, and declining upward mobility. But there are solutions, she says, in "the resilience, the creativity, and the acts of compassion taking place all across America."

The Huffington Post has cited pro bono service as one of the ways that we can get involved in saving America from its current "free fall." Featured this week in the special Third World America section of their Web site, Taproot Foundation founder Aaron Hurst points out the "desperate need" for skilled volunteers. At Taproot, we've seen a 35 percent increase in nonprofit demand over last year, and we are anticipating another 20 percent increase for the coming year. Yet there has been a decrease in volunteers. Click here to read the full article at the Huffington Post.

If you'd like to sign up to be a pro bono consultant, check out the online application on our Web site.

Finding the Best Talent

By Aaron Hurst on September 17, 2010 8:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of my early mentors advised me to try to always hire people who are passionate about their craft--whether it be human resources, strategy or design. She shared that in her experience, people who love their profession not only do better work, but are also more productive, and they bring out the best in everyone around them.

A resume that includes pro bono service stands out for this reason. People who use their free time to practice their craft are likely passionate professionals. They love what they do and want to use their jobs to make sure organizations that can't afford their services can still access them. Why else would someone engage in pro bono service on top of a 50+ hour-work week?

Plus it shows they clearly can multi-task, adapt to working with diverse teams and settings, and all while giving a damn about the community.

So, next time you are interviewing candidates for a job, ask them if they 'do it pro bono.'

The Greatest Job in the World

By Joshua Winata on September 14, 2010 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From the surrounding patches, you might have gathered the quote pictured above, found on the wall of the FDNY Store, refers to the noble field of firefighting. But there are days when I feel I have one of the greatest job in the world at the Taproot Foundation just because I get to help worthy organization like this one effectively do what they do best: serve the public. Although peddling pro bono is definitely a behind-the-scenes role, the results can be spectacular and rewarding when you pull back the curtain.

Opening night for me came about a week after I joined the Taproot team as marketing coordinator. Part of my orientation included a tour of nonprofit organizations throughout New York City that had benefited from Taproot's Service Grant. When my colleagues and I first heard we'd have to reserve a whole day for this field trip, we were a bit hesitant because our schedules were already jam-packed with meetings, and this seemed irrelevant and low-priority in the face of our quickly-growing to-do lists. What this experience did, however, was transcend our daily tasks and reveal in a powerful way the motivation behind why we do what we do.

Our first stop was the Museum at Eldridge Street, an organization housed in a historic synagogue that showcases with tours, exhibits, and events the culture and history of immigrants in the Lower East Side. They had just finished a 20-year restoration project and called on Taproot to help them develop new key messages that helped the organization transition and define its identity as both a working house of worship and a flourishing museum. In addition to a fascinating and lively tour of the exquisite building, we also got to speak with Executive Director Bonnie Dimun, a powerful and sassy woman who told riveting stories; we hung on her every word throughout the hour-long conversation. She candidly explained the very real challenges, financial and otherwise, facing the nonprofit world, and how the pro bono work they received is leading to more funding opportunities and better marketing tactics. As we walked through the museum, it became apparent how important organizations like this are in single-handedly preserving the legacy and lessons of such a unique community.

Later that day we connected with some of our clients at the FDNY Foundation, which provides public education and support to New York City's fire department. They are currently involved in a Web site redevelopment project with Taproot. We met at the FDNY Store and were treated to an interactive fire safety course, which sounded like pretty standard fare -- until we entered their education center, which looks like an elaborate Disneyland set replete with smoke machines, intricate light displays, surround sound, and multimedia presentations. I had no idea that fire safety could be so thrilling, and I actually learned valuable tips. With the Service Grant the FDNY Foundation received, even more New Yorkers will have the chance to learn potentially life-saving information, thanks to the new educational Web site that is being developed pro bono.

In Memory of 9/11

By Aaron Hurst on September 10, 2010 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Spend this weekend in memory of those who lost and sacrificed their lives nine years ago. In honor of the events of 9/11, please remember to serve.

Happy Labor Day!

By Aaron Hurst on September 7, 2010 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Labor Day is the official holiday of the Taproot Foundation. We believe that labor, or work, is transformational for the economy, for the community and for individuals. It is how we express ourselves in the world and how we achieve the impossible.

In his blog post about Labor Day, Steve McCallion, executive creative director at Ziba Design, proposes infusing this overlooked holiday with traditions like shopping for American-made goods, celebrating American workers on a national scale and exposing children or workers in transition to different careers. To add to the list, why not sign up for a pro bono project and be inspired by the difference each and every sector can make to enhance our society? The results of the labor of our pro bono consultants and nonprofit clients motivates our own daily labors.

As you begin this Labor Day week, we ask that you reflect on your own labors. Are you realizing your potential? Are you making the difference you are capable of making in the world?

If the answer to either question is 'no,' we want to hear from you. Apply to become a pro bono consultant to use your talents for the greater good. Apply to receive pro bono support to help your nonprofit realize its potential.

This Labor Day, MAKE IT MATTER.