To Pro Bono or Not Pro Bono: A Nonprofit Technology Manager’s Conundrum
I’m sure this post will ruffle some feathers.
Any criticism toward pro bono work always elicits an emotional response. And of course it would...there are a lot of amazing organizations offering their time and expertise generously to advance nonprofit and mission-driven organizations at no charge. We should only be thankful, right? And running a consulting practice, of course I would have a bias against pro bono work as it has a direct impact on my livelihood. But the truth is, I fully support nonprofits engaging pro bono consultants for their technology projects. In fact, I have been both a recipient of it and a provider of it. You have to admit, with most nonprofits strapped for cash and grant money tightly restricted, funding for technology projects is extremely limited...so “free” is definitely a compelling alternative.
But for every pro bono project I’ve seen run successfully, I’ve seen twice as many utter disasters. Our team here at OneTenth has personally cleaned up a lot of them. And while nonprofits think they may be saving money with the pro bono option, a project gone wrong can cost twice as much (if not more) to undo and untangle.
To reiterate, I’m all for nonprofits taking on pro bono consultants for their technology projects, but it should be done intelligently and strategically. Here are my top five questions every nonprofit technology manager must ask themselves before they embark on a pro bono project.
Does your pro bono consultant have the right expertise? If you’re looking to implement Tableau and your pro bono consultant is an expert in nonprofit analytics ...fantastic! If you're looking to refine your high-touch fundraising strategy and your consultant is a retired major gift officer...awesome! But if they don’t have the right experience...stay away! I wouldn’t let my plumber tinker with my electrical problem even if they offer to do it for free - and that’s just my home. So I surely wouldn’t take a chance on a non-expert solving my nonprofit’s problems when it could impact the services we offer to hundreds or thousands of beneficiaries. I know there are many good-hearted volunteers who may be experts in a certain technology or have a lot of experience in the corporate world, but we all know that technology alone does not solve problems in the nonprofit space nor do corporate successes always translate. Here at OneTenth, we don't start any project without a solid understanding of the nonprofit’s mission, fundraising methodology and gift processing practices. Consultants need to understand the nonprofit sector and apply lessons and best practices from working with other nonprofits. I am passionate about this because this where I’ve seen the most pro bono projects go awry. So many newbies enter the nonprofit space with a “how hard can it be?” attitude, only to leave as quickly as they came to return to the safer corporate world :)
Do you have a statement of work in place? The best pro bono projects I’ve seen are the ones that are treated like paid engagements - there’s always a statement of work in place. It should include clear expectations for the consultant and client, a defined scope of what’s to be accomplished, well-defined timelines, and an escalation path if things go off-track. Schedules will inevitably be longer, as this work (expectedly) will not be a top priority for your consultant, but the timelines should account for that. As with any project, a defined scope of work with clear expectations are essential. While the consultant’s services may be free, your time is not. Be sure to manage tightly against a thorough statement of work.
How time-sensitive is your project? Your consultant is likely juggling several projects, and it’s inevitable that your pro bono project will fall low on the priority list. This should be expected. So if your CRM needs to be migrated by the end of June, or you’ll be stuck paying for another year of license fees, do not hire a pro bono consultant to lead your data migration. But if there’s a new app you’d like to integrate to your CRM and it's a project you’ve had on the back-burner for a while, this may be a perfect fit!
How much does the project impact your day to day operations? A good pro bono project is typically on the periphery of your core systems. An add-on, integration, enhancement etc.. I would stay away from projects that fundamentally change the way you do business i.e. new data model, transitioning CRMs, financial systems, front-facing customer portal etc. If your consultant needs to re-focus on other efforts for a few weeks or months, you don’t want to be left high and dry with no solution, or even worse, a half-solution. A good pro bono project is something that can be paused or stopped without any significant impact to day to day operations.
When is enough, enough? I’ve seen too many nonprofits suffer from a combination of these pitfalls, but the worst pitfall of all is letting these problems fester without any action. I get it...it’s tough, you don’t want to seem ungrateful for free work and often personal relationships are involved. But as I mentioned, your time is not free. And babysitting a poorly executed project can keep you from higher value tasks that your nonprofit needs. Schedule several check-points throughout the project to review progress against the statement of work and make go/no-go decisions of moving forward at the end of each meeting. And you should never be afraid to pull the plug if the project is not delivering the value you anticipated or in the time you need it. When hundreds of thousands of dollars are invested in a project, I understand how it’s tough to walk away when things go wrong, but we shouldn’t have that same hesitation with pro bono projects. Ending a project early could be the smartest move you make.
With nonprofits struggling due to the global pandemic and the threat of an upcoming recession, I am confident that we will see a wave of generosity from consultants, vendors, and corporations willing to offer their time and expertise for the public good. And for that, I am grateful. But let’s consider these questions above to ensure that such projects are smart, strategic and setting your nonprofit up for success!
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Rubin Singh is the CEO and Founder of OneTenth Consulting - Follow on Twitter @RubinSingh