2008: A Pro Bono Year in Review

2008 has been the greatest year in the history of the pro bono service movement! I wanted to share with you some of the key milestones from this year as 2008 comes to a close:

The Pro Bono Summit, hosted by the President’s Council, is the first event ever that focused on pro bono services across multiple fields. Billion + Change campaign launched and secured $400 million in pledges of pro bono service from corporations across the country. Leading intermediaries like the Pro Bono Institute and Public Architecture reported record levels of interest and engagement. The Taproot Foundation’s leading pro bono program launched in DC and Los Angeles. New research from Deloitte, Taproot Foundation and Common Impact expand our understanding of the field. Capital One created what is likely the first scalable, multi-functional, in-house program that sets the bar for corporate community investment.

Emerging new trends

Pro bono service is beginning to be valued as a true cash equivalent by philanthropic community.Pro bono service is spreading to in-house programs and is less and less confined to professional services firms.Pro bono service, especially in the legal profession, is moving from ‘thousand acts of kindness’ to multi-firm campaigns that address systemic issues head one.Professional services firms, following the example of Deloitte are beginning to lay the groundwork for a transparent marketplace for pro bono services with public budgets and outcomes reporting.

What a year! There is a lot to celebrate and a lot of organizations that have contributed to making this possible. Thank you for helping to harness human capital to improve the human condition.

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