• Nonprofits
  • Corporate
  • Volunteers
  • Resources
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • About

95% of Nonprofit Professionals Reported That Pro Bono Service Improved Their Organization’s Effectiveness Last Year. Were You One of Them?

a child playing
Oct 26th, 2016 Nonprofit Management, Service Area: Strategy, Social Impact

Originally published on 3BL Media.

Taproot Foundation’s State of Pro Bono Service Survey shows that pro bono service helps nonprofits improve their organization’s effectiveness. Here’s how one Silicon Valley social services organization benefited.

This week, Taproot Foundation released findings from the 2016 State of Pro Bono Service Survey showing that 95% of nonprofit professionals report pro bono service improved their organization’s effectiveness. These improvements were cited most often in cost or resource savings, efficiency, and quality of operations or services. For Bryan Neider, CEO of Gatepath in Silicon Valley, pro bono resulted in actionable information and analysis to sharpen the strategic direction of his organization, without taking a toll on monetary resources.

Gatepath is a nonprofit that has been serving the Silicon Valley special needs community for 95 years. They offer a broad variety of programs, including early intervention and pediatric therapy services, as well as vocational training and employment services to foster greater independence for their diverse beneficiaries. In the face of a systemic funding crisis for Californians with developmental disabilities, Gatepath chartered an ambitious agenda to expand their services and increase collaboration with other nonprofits to meet critical demands in the region. To ensure Gatepath’s continued growth, they needed a comprehensive analysis of what services were available in the region and thoughtful recommendations from experienced strategists to inform their decisions.

Last year, Taproot Foundation connected Gatepath to a team of six pro bono strategy consultants. Over several months, the consultants took time to understand Gatepath’s mission, culture, and challenges, performed discovery interviews with key internal and external stakeholders, and compiled research and analysis on potential collaborators in their field.

“The quality of work done by the Taproot skilled volunteers was exceptional. Having worked with many large, top-tier consulting firms in my “for profit” career, I can confidently say, the Taproot skilled volunteer team was one of the best teams I’ve worked with. They were outstanding,” said Bryan Neider, CEO of Gatepath.

The impact of pro bono service extends well beyond the duration of the service itself. “In the current unstable funding environment we are seeing children and adults with developmental disabilities being cut off from services they need and that can’t happen. Expansion of Gatepath’s services is an imperative,” said Bryan. “With the work this pro bono team has done for us, we now know exactly what gaps exist in our services and have prioritized specific opportunities to act on so that Gatepath can better serve all people with special needs in our region and thrive as an organization.”

Pro bono service set Gatepath on a clear path toward achieving their mission to “turn disabilities into possibilities” for more people with special needs.

Ready to see how pro bono service can improve your organization’s effectiveness? Post a short-term project on Taproot Plus to find out.
Business man running with laptop
Aug 3rd, 2022 Nonprofit Management, Volunteer Management

The Fastest Way to Connect Your Nonprofit with Volunteers

By Kimberly Swartz, Director of Community Engagement, Taproot Foundation Could your organization benefit from advice from a marketing, HR, IT,...

Honoring the origins of the pro bono movement in the fight for civil rights
Jan 12th, 2023 Social Impact, Volunteer Consulting

How Martin Luther King Jr. Inspired the Pro Bono Movement

Battling for civil rights through pro bono service On Monday, January 16, America celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a...

Let’s stay in touch

Sign up to receive news and updates about pro bono service.

Join
    • Nonprofits
    • Corporate
    • Volunteers
    • FAQs
    • Resources
    • Case Studies
    • Blog
    • Press
    • About
    • Taproot Plus
    • Events
    • Supporters
    • Donate
    • Careers
    • Contact us
    • Terms

Helping nonprofits and social change organizations solve critical societal challenges via pro bono.

2023 Taproot FoundationTerms Privacy