Have you heard about the best kept secret on Taproot Plus? Let’s introduce you to Sessions!
Taproot Plus Sessions are one-hour, one-time virtual consultation calls with experienced business professionals. They’re an amazing way for nonprofits, small businesses, or public schools to quickly problem-solve, brainstorm creative ideas, or plan for ambitious projects. And, just like the rest of Taproot’s pro bono programs, Sessions are available completely free of cost for our community members.
Sessions may be our quickest, most flexible form of pro bono—but these consultations pack a big punch. Request a call in any topic: social media, accounting, technology, and more. Taproot will get to work finding you a qualified volunteer partner!
Need ideas before setting up your first Session? Scroll through for examples of topics that consistently lead to success for Taproot’s nonprofit and small business partners. Then, head to Taproot Plus to request a Session with a Taproot skilled volunteer.
HR & Leadership Development
Interview Assistance
Planning on hiring a new staff member? A recruitment pro can give expert advice on how to improve your standard interview format or tailor questions that will help identify the perfect candidate for a particular job opening.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: An evaluation of interview questions doesn’t have to stop with staff hiring. You could also request that a pro bono consultant share recommendations for optimizing board member or volunteer interviews.
Building a Board
If you’re a start-up nonprofit, one of your first to-do list items is building a strong board of directors. A Session with a Taproot volunteer can be a great help in refining board goals, defining specific member roles, or thinking through what your recruitment strategy will look like.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: Use a Session to outline a pro bono board development strategy Project! In 60-minutes, walk-through expected outcomes, what’s out-of-scope, and pinpoint the skills you’re looking for in a pro bono consultant. Once you’ve laid it out, use your Taproot Plus account to post a Project.
Marketing & Communications
Social Media Support
Social media offers great opportunities to get your mission noticed—but it can be tough to cut through the noise. Use a one-hour Session with a skilled social marketing volunteer to brainstorm creative campaigns, request feedback on what is and isn’t working with your existing content, or get recommendations on where to even begin when developing a social media strategy.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: Go into this consultation with an idea of what your organization hopes to accomplish with social media. Even having some rough goals will help your volunteer give more actionable advice.
Improving Outreach
How successful has your outreach been at getting community members or supporters engaged in your programs? What communications channels have been working well and which haven’t been so successful? Partner with a skilled volunteer for a quick consultation to answer these questions or others that get to the heart of making your outreach super effective.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: Feel free to get specific during Taproot Plus Sessions! Request a consult in CAN-SPAM rules, updating a Mailchimp newsletter template, or something even more granular. Sessions are great for these types of questions.
Advertising Advice
A consultation with an advertising professional can help set your organization up for success when it comes to making the most of Google Ads, paid social media content, media placements, and more. If you already have solid advertising fundamentals in place, use an hour Session to bounce creative ad campaign ideas off a verified pro!
Pro Bono Pro Tip: If your nonprofit hasn’t applied for a Google Ads Grant yet—start there before requesting general advertising support! Google Ads set-up and staff training on how to navigate the platform makes for a great Taproot Plus Project.
Business Planning & Development
Starting a Business Plan
Think of a business plan as your organization’s roadmap. As you make your plan of action and map out the structure you need to meet those goals, volunteers can offer advice each step of the way.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: Strategy conversations can be very blue-sky and winding in nature, so be crystal clear with your volunteer partner with what you wish to accomplish during your business planning Session. 60 minutes can go by quickly!
Project Management Tips
If you’re considering diving into an in-depth project soon (pro bono or something in-house), take a moment to get organized by connecting with a project management professional. A Session with an experienced volunteer can get you the clarity you need to set clear project goals, communications expectations, implementation plans, and more.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: Sessions are a great way to prepare for successful management of a full-length Taproot Plus Project. This conversation can assist you in setting up the scope of your Project—or what activities will be out of scope.
Information Technology
Salesforce Support
Don’t have a Salesforce or CRM expert on staff? Jump on a call with a volunteer instead! Sessions are a fantastic way to assess whether Salesforce could be a solution for your organization’s challenges or answer questions on making the most of this powerful tool.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: This Session idea applies to other CRM platforms as well! It’s possible to request volunteer support for Microsoft, HubSpot, SAP, Oracle, etc.
Decoding Web Development Needs
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to website development—you’re not alone. This is one of the most-requested needs that Taproot gets from nonprofits. We always recommend starting your process with a consultation call. Request a Session with an experienced development professional to talk through your site needs or for advice on what to look for in a long-term volunteer partner, paid contractor, or firm.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: Building a new website or updating an existing one can be a massive undertaking. See if your Session volunteer can offer suggestions on how to break up the work into more bite-sized tasks. Those discreet Projects will be a great way to attract short-term volunteers!
Tech Recommendations
On the hunt for a tech tool that could help your team or programs work more efficiently? Tap into advice from someone who lives and breathes technology! An hour Session is more than enough time for you to share about the issues you’re experiencing, and for a volunteer to offer informed recommendations for sites or software that can help solve them.
Pro Bono Pro Tip: If you’re considering moving a fundraiser or program online and need ideas for platforms to use or how to navigate them—those questions are also a perfect fit for a tech Session.
