FAQs

Taproot loves word-of-mouth referrals! Shoot us an email for all the information you need to share pro bono marketing, HR, IT, and strategy resources with your social good network.

Pro bono service goes far beyond the legal field. It is the donation of professional services (i.e., technology, human resources, architecture, marketing, strategy, legal) benefitting organizations working to improve society.

We are a 501(c)3 organization with two key funding streams: grants from private and corporate foundations and revenue from consulting projects with companies and other organizations that want to learn about, support, or do pro bono service. Some companies and foundations sponsor pro bono services for their existing grantees. Other funders provide general operating support. We are also supported by associations, individuals, and our own volunteers.

Make a gift to the pro bono movement

Traditional volunteering, such as a beach cleanup or serving at a soup kitchen, typically addresses the need for “extra hands” – a nonprofit needs people to help deliver a program. Pro bono service, however, uses specific professional skills to focus on addressing an organization’s internal strategic and infrastructure needs (often referred to as capacity building). For example, an HR professional could engage in traditional volunteer opportunity by planting a community garden, but could also provide pro bono professional services by helping an organization draft an employee handbook.

The best way to measure the value is to use the hourly rate of the professionals involved in service. The current average hourly rate for pro bono service, as determined in partnership with CECP, is $195.

Over the course of serving thousands of nonprofits across the country and abroad and working to design pro bono programs for leading companies, Taproot has seen seen firsthand the ways in which pro bono can help a nonprofit build capacity and develop lasting relationships with volunteers. When you carefully design a project, screen for the right volunteers, and manage the work diligently, pro bono can be as effective as paid consulting (or even better!).

• Organizations must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit to participate in Taproot’s U.S. programming, with exceptions made on a case-by-case basis for organizations with a fiscal sponsor.
• Registered nonprofits and public schools in the EU, the U.K., India, and Canada are eligible to post pro bono projects on Taproot Plus.
• Nonprofits of all sizes are welcome to apply for our services. The only exceptions to this are organizations that seek to advance a religious doctrine or actively discriminate based on age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, disability, national origin, political affiliation, or religious belief.

You can post a project or get a quick consultation anytime on Taproot Plus.

If you want to join us at an in-person pro bono event or workshop, check out our events schedule.

Read about our available services. When you see a pro bono service that can meet your needs, click on the appropriate link to get started!

Taproot’s on-demand matchmaking platform connects you and your organization with 1 – 2 volunteers for virtual projects. These projects are managed by you, from selecting your skilled volunteers to managing your project. Taproot staff is available for project scoping support upfront and ongoing troubleshooting as needed. Offered to nonprofits and social change organizations in the U.S., the E.U., the U.K., India, and Canada.
Post a project on Taproot Plus

You and your organization will team up with a small group of skilled volunteers to address a challenge in person—from a scope of work all the way through to a deliverable—in one day. Offered to nonprofits and social change organizations in select cities nationwide. Create an account on Taproot Plus to be notified when a local event is accepting applications or find an event near you.

You and your organization will gather advice from skilled volunteers on key challenges across multiple areas in this half-day, round-robin workshop. Offered to nonprofits and social change organizations in select cities nationwide. Create an account on Taproot Plus to be notified when a local event is accepting applications or find an event near you. 

A Virtual Session connects you with a skilled volunteer for a one-hour virtual consulting call. This session allows you to float ideas, brainstorm, troubleshoot, or get advice from subject matter experts on topics ranging from marketing to HR to strategy and beyond. These virtual sessions are available to nonprofits and social change organizations in the U.S., the E.U., the U.K., India, and Canada.
Request a session

Our skilled volunteers are a mix of professionals— employed by companies, independent contractors, and experts who are in transition or who are retired.

Just thinking about the challenges you face within your organization can help generate a list of viable project opportunities. Taproot focuses on connecting nonprofits with professionals primarily in marketing, design, strategy, human resources, finance, and technology. Within those areas of expertise, there are many different types—and sizes—of projects that can be tackled. Find out how pro bono can help address your challenges. And if your pro bono request involves legal support, contact us.

While Taproot’s programs are offered completely cost-free to nonprofits, pro bono does require a commitment of time and occasionally other resources (such as printing budget for a brochure). It’s important to recognize that skilled volunteers and nonprofits will need to invest time and energy to make pro bono work. The returns on this investment, however, are often enormous.