flashcards
Communicating the Business Value of Pro Bono
in Professional Schools
The value of pro bono
77%
of nonprofits believe skilled volunteers could
significantly improve their organization’s business
practices, but only 12% have been able to put
volunteers to use in that way
86%
of nonprofit executives said it is a top priority for
them to improve their organization’s ability to run
effectively
$19.51/hr
Is the average cash equivalent for traditional
volunteer service
$120/hr
is the average value of the cash equivalent
donation of pro bono service
The following flashcards are
intended to provide content
and usage tips to help you
effectively communicate
the business value of pro
bono service within your
University.
How to use these cards
Use the slide as a flashcard to
provide you with benefits and
proof points from which to pick
and choose in crafting your
business case
Refer to the notes section for
context and comments on usage
and speaking points
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Enhanced Reputation in
Community
Pro bono service deepens
your school’s reputation as a
good community member,
and enhances ties, relations,
reputation, and stature with
the local community.
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
How does pro bono service make this possible?
Pro Bono Service:
• Helps schools stay visible in the community, even
in the face of cutbacks
• Demonstrates the value of your school’s core
competencies
• Expresses your school’s commitment to public
service and the needs of underserved communities
• Develops stronger relationships with Alumni, and
can partner them with students on pro bono
projects
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Recruiting Benefits for
Universities
Universities can leverage pro
bono opportunities as a draw
for prospective students.
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Incoming students look for pro bono service to:
• Address their growing interest in creating a positive
social impact
• Be a part of experiential learning, a key part of
pedagogy
• Translate their classroom knowledge into practical,
real-world application
• Expand their network and collaborate with faculty
and various departments
• Distinguish the university as a socially aware leader in
the community
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Recruiting Benefits for
Graduates
Universities can give their
graduates an edge by leveraging
pro bono opportunities as a draw
for prospective employers.
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Schools should encourage students to include their pro
bono experience when recruiting for jobs to
demonstrate:
• Proven results through real-world consulting projects
• Going beyond theory and applying their learnings
• A distinguishing experience from their peers
Pro bono also helps students network by:
• Showing their commitment to ideals and creating a
positive impact
• Providing a powerful networking tool for students
through project teams and clients
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Improved Collaboration and
Communication
On pro bono projects, students have
the opportunity to work with faculty
and peers from different
departments, disciplines, and
graduate schools.
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Pro bono service:
• Helps to break down silos and nurture communication
and connectedness across schools within a university
• Builds and strengthens relationships among students in
different professional school programs
• Reflects real-world teams that need a mix of skills and
multidisciplinary understandings in order to solve
complex problems
• Provides students with a new point of view into
different aspects of problem-solving they might not
otherwise see as part of their regular studies
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Examples of Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Thought
Leadership
Innovation
How does pro bono service make this possible?
Pro Bono Service:
• Helps schools stay visible in the community, even
in the face of cutbacks
• Demonstrates the value of your school’s core
competencies
Pro bono service offers
• Expresses
your school’s
commitment
to public
universities
a way
to cement
service and the needs of low-income people in the
their status as thought leaders in
community
the
community.
• Develops
stronger
relationships with Alumni, and
can partner them with students on pro bono
projects
Leverage Thought Leaders
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Thought
Leadership
Innovation
How
does
pro bono service make this possible?
Pro
bono
programs:
Pro Bono Service:
• Allow faculty to apply research in the community, with
• student
Helps schools
stay visible
in the community, even
teams acting
as ambassadors
in the face of cutbacks
• Expose these ideas to influential business and non-profit
• Demonstrates the value of your school’s core
leaders
who will then spread the experience throughout
competencies
the community
• Expresses your school’s commitment to public
• Serve
as aand
waythe
for needs
facultyof
advisors
to incorporate
service
low-income
people in the
student
projects as real-world test labs for their theories
community
•• InDevelops
return, faculty
mayrelationships
get course releases
or a lighter
stronger
with Alumni,
and
can partner
them with students on pro bono
teaching
workload
projects
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Opportunity for Innovation
“At stake is the next generation of
professionals and a world class
innovation infrastructure”
--Sean O’Connor, Professor and Faculty
Director, Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
University of Washington School of Law
Reputation
Recruiting
Collaboration Job
Placement
Innovation
Through interdisciplinary pro bono projects:
• Students receive real world experience working on
cross-functional teams, and exposure to different fields,
work styles, and processes
• Faculty and students expand their networks to
community leaders and peers from different schools or
disciplines
• Schools can expand independent study or lab class
options
• Students can bolster their credentials and work
experience in their resumes
FAQ
What resources are required to start a pro bono program at my
University?
While many programs are founded solely run by students, we find the
strongest programs have dedicated faculty support. That’s why we’ve
created these flashcards, so you can obtain University buy in to support
your programs. Check out our design for impact framework on the Pro
Bono Action Tank website at:
http://www.probonoactiontank.org/pdf/resources/DesignforImpactProf
Schools.pdf
What is the typical size of a pro bono program?
Many programs start small and eventually grow over time. While there
is no set size, your initial consulting team should be made up of at least
5 people.
FAQ
What other groups can help me get this started?
Many student groups and nonprofits offer support to students
interested in pro bono including: campusCATALYST, A Billion + Change,
The American Bar Association, Pubic Architecture, and Net Impact .
Professional clubs at your university can also offer guidance (eg.
Consulting Club, Marketing Club, Design Club, etc), while your school’s
community involvement department can direct you to community
partners.
Do you have other examples of pro bono programs in Universities?
Yes! You can find an online showcase of these programs at:
www.probonoactiontank.org/school/
If you’d like to have your program featured, just let us know at:
pbat-school@taprootfoundation.org.
About the Communications Toolkit
At the inaugural 2010 Chicago Summit on Pro Bono in
Professional Schools, leading universities from the area
gathered to discuss the value of pro bono service in
professional schools and the challenges they face in fostering
the pro bono movement. One of the key challenges
identified was the need to communicate the business case
for pro bono service to administrators and faculty in order
to build internal buy-in. The Taproot Foundation and its Pro
Bono Action Tank are committed to developing a
communications toolkit as a key initiative of its schools
program to help students and staff overcome this challenge.
This guide is the result of that effort.
About the Communications Toolkit
We want your feedback
Help us continue to build the business case that meets your needs. Do you
have more data? Do you have more examples or stories to tell? Are there
other questions you need help answering or objections you need help
addressing?
We want to hear from you
Please contact us at pbat-school@taprootfoundation.org with questions,
comments and additions.
About the Pro Bono Action Tank
Creating a market for pro bono services
Established in 2008 by the Taproot Foundation, the Pro Bono Action Tank is leading the
effort to increase access to high-quality pro bono services for public benefit
organizations working to address our society’s social, environmental and economic
issues.
We work to inspire and enable the business community to engage in pro bono service,
develop standards to ensure high-quality service delivery, and make it easier for
public benefit organizations to access the professional expertise they need to
achieve their missions.
For more information, visit www.probonoactiontank.org
Resources
Sources referenced in these flashcards:
1.
“Taproot Foundation Survey of Nonprofits”, The Taproot Foundation, 2008.
2.
“The Dollar Valuation for Pro Bono Service”, CECP and The Taproot Foundation, 2009.
3.
“The Dollar Valuation for Pro Bono Service”, CECP and The Taproot Foundation, 2009.
4.
“2007 Volunteer IMPACT Study”, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, 2007.
5.
“MBA Graduates Want to Work for Caring and Ethical Employers”, Stanford Graduate School of Business,
2004.
6.
Interview with Dr. Patrick Murphy, Assistant Professor of entrepreneurship at DePaul University’s Kellstadt
Graduate School of Business, 24 March 2010.
7.
Interview with Ashley Zwick, Managing Director of the Nonprofit and Public Management Center at the
University of Michigan, 15 April 2010.
8.
Interview with Pam Schilling, Associate Director of Career Management at the University of Chicago Booth
School of Business, 19 March 2010.
9.
Interview with Margaret Duval, Pro Bono and Community Service Initiative Coordinator at DePaul Law
School, 23 March 2010.