Pro Bono International
The nonprofit sector is growing worldwide. Simultaneously, nonprofits' need for professional capacity in HR, strategy, marketing, technology and other fields is also growing. In the US, this need is increasingly satisfied by pro bono professionals who provide their skills and knowledge every day. More than $15 billion in pro bono services are already delivered annually. In other countries, the power...
Read MorePro Bono Uber Alles
In Munich today, 100 people are joining the BMW Stiftung (Foundation) for an event on pro bono service . It is the first of two large events in Germany this week to kick off a partnership between Taproot, BMW Stiftung and Phineo to inspire the pro bono movement in German-speaking Europe. When we met two years ago I told Markus...
Read MorePro Bono Sino-USA Forum
Two years ago I was in China and helped develop a partnership between HP, Narada Foundation, BSR, Taproot and Huizeren, a leading capacity building organization in China. Last week I returned to China for the Pro Bono Sino-US Forum. Here, top companies (international and domestic) gathered over several days to discuss the progress Huizeren has made in driving pro bono...
Read MorePRO BONO ADVENTURES OF ARMIN: WEEK 8
This week I had the chance to speak to Teresa Coles, Senior Partner at Riggs Partners - a marketing, advertising and communications consultancy. But actually she is much more than that: She is one of the funders of a fascinating program called CreateAthon . CreateAthon offers pro bono marketing services to nonprofits in a 24-hour, work-around-the-clock creative marathon. Eventually, this...
Read MoreThe Pro Bono Adventures of Armin: Week 4
Continuing my world tour of pro bono I spoke to Alejandro and Eduardo of AED Costa Rica. They have thoroughly assessed the pro bono environment in Costa Rica for almost 2 years and are about to launch a national pro bono online platform. The platform is designed as a fully automated tool matching unskilled volunteers with nonprofits and social projects....
Read MoreRedesigning the Social Sector
Next month, Ci Yuan is convening leaders from across the U.S. social sector to take a critical look at the assumptions we all use to ground our work. This will both generate a report for the Chinese government and social sector but also, hopefully, spark some dialogue about how we may need to change here in the U.S. There are...
Read MoreNational Arts Advocacy Day
In these times of economic challenges, it easy to prioritize basic human services over culture. As a result, the arts community has been hit incredibly hard. We at Taproot believe culture is critical to our communities, arts education is core to our children, and that the arts improve our daily lives. It is not a nice-to-have but a must-have. Every...
Read MoreWhat We Can Learn From German Leadership
Interview with Markus Hipp: Executive Director of the BMW Foundation Markus Hipp is the Executive Director of the BMW Foundation, headquartered in Germany. He began his career in philanthropy at the Robert Bosch Foundation. I recently spoke with Markus about his work and his perception of German vs. American leadership. Here's an excerpt from the interview: AARON: What’s the difference...
Read MoreUse Your Skills, Save Penguins
The oil spill off the coast of Tauranga has been devastating wildlife in the coastal areas of New Zealand. Now, there's a way for you to help from the comfort of your couch or rocking chair: knit pro bono! Penguin pjs protect the little creatures caught in the spill from ingesting oil gathered in their feathers. While the toxic sludge...
Read MoreDo It Pro Bono…In Tokyo
Pro bono in Tokyo For a couple of years, we've been advising our friends in Japan, who have taken the pro bono movement international with the 2009 launch of Service Grant Tokyo. Now it looks like the student has become the master. Today we received a gift from our overseas counterpart: a book in Japanese about how to "do it...
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