The Big EQ Campaign is focused on bringing education on emotional intelligence to people on a mass scale. EQuip Our Kids!, a sub-campaign of The Big EQ, is a public education nonprofit focused on mobilizing support for emotional intelligence and social skills training in schools. Through Taproot, they have worked with volunteer project directors who have helped coordinate their efforts across 10+ projects!
Social-emotional learning in schools is a game changer
Emotional Intelligence is the crucial ability to deal with ourselves, our relationship with others, and our lives in a healthy, caring and productive way. There is so much brilliant work that affirms the importance of social-emotional learning programs, but there’s still a lack of public support and little to no pressure on schools to use them. We step in to mobilize parents and the general public behind programming that is so clearly for the public good. Our goal at The Big EQ/EQuip Our Kids! Campaign is to become the first-ever mass advertising, marketing, and organizing campaign promoting the inclusion of social and emotional intelligence and skills in every school’s curriculum.
Diverse skills are needed to support our work
As a newer organization, it is a real challenge to raise money to compensate our staff. Pro bono has helped fill our personnel/talent gap in amazing ways! The variety and quality of talent provided by Taproot’s skilled volunteers, as well as additional support from friends and associates, has allowed us to grow and make a mark that would otherwise have been impossible.
One major way Taproot has supported our work is by providing several volunteer project directors. These directors took on responsibilities with projects including membership, meeting coordination, event management, editorial content, some revenue potential, research on target prospects, marketing assistance, and public and press relations. Because one of our biggest internal challenges is paying for staff and expertise, having pro bono support in coordinating work across so many project areas has made a major impact on our initiatives.
My advice to other nonprofit leaders is to stay persistent and don’t be afraid to ask for help. State your case clearly for it and to check with your staff if you have any issues or needs.
Pro bono support helps us help more kids
I’m so inspired when I see steady growth in our support and influence. When I visit schools with the EQ programs and practices we support, I get to see the remarkable kids who participate in them. With the increased support we’ve gotten from skilled volunteers, we’re going to be able to bring the same kind of training to many more kids.
I’d love to thank everyone who has volunteered their skills to help support our work— it’s already making a big difference in the lives of students and their families. Bless you all for bringing your great capacities, intelligence, competence, and excellent human-relating skills to advance our mission and operations.
How could pro bono help your organization? Join the movement now!
