Pro Bono: The Good & The Bad
Increasingly, nonprofits find themselves in a situation where they need to develop programs and scale quickly—and to do so with the limited resources on hand. No one wants to get caught without a strategic plan in this scenario. The reality is that only about half of the small to midsized nonprofits ($500,000 to $20 Million in revenues) in the U.S. have a strategic plan, according to an article penned by James W. Shepard, Jr. He writes that the majority of those that do often make critical decisions without access to important data and analysis. So what can you do if your organization simply cannot afford a staffer (or more), especially in the face of an overwhelming need? Many organizations turn to nonprofit staffing agencies for temp solutions. This provides immediate help without hiring permanent, full-time staff. Kristi Lewis, Temp Services Manager for PNP Staffing Group, says the average size of nonprofit organizations using temps has 10-15 staff members. Organizations with over 100 employees also turn to PNP as they adjust to workload fluctuations, critical situations and seasonal needs. PNP also offers project-based assistance. The Taproot Foundation connects nonprofits and social change organizations with skilled volunteers who share their expertise pro…