Skills-based volunteering has practical benefits for nonprofits—they get expert help tackling their toughest challenges, and for volunteers, who gain leadership skills and develop a deeper understanding of the world. For one volunteer, skills-based volunteering also led to unexpected self-discovery and a way to advance her passion for racial equity at the same time. Discover how tech marketer Liwen Xu is using her professional experience to drive change and support social good organizations making a difference in the world.
A Multifaceted Professional
SurveyMonkey Product Marketing Manager Liwen Xu spends her days driving new launches for tech business and consumer products. Liwen is also a Co-lead for Mosaic, SurveyMonkey’s Asian and Pacific Islander (API) employee resource group.
In her role, Liwen flexes numerous professional skills–storytelling, strategic planning, project management, and collaboration. She crafts the vision for a product and helps stakeholders understand how that product solves their needs. Collaboration is also crucial to manage relationships with email marketers, social media teams, broadcast teams, customers, and more. Outside of work, Liwen loves reading, writing short stories and poetry, and editing The Rumpus, a digital magazine dedicated to elevating diverse voices and stories.
Beginning Pro Bono
Since middle school, Liwen volunteered in traditional formats like helping at a senior center and local libraries. Her passion for education led her to tutor young people at a Boys & Girls Club and peers in high school and college. After joining and later creating writing groups, she started volunteering more in writing and literary pursuits. In 2021, the ‘Stop Asian Hate’ movement inspired her to join SurveyMonkey’s Mosaic group to support racial justice efforts.
Liwen learned about on-demand skills-based volunteer opportunities through Taproot Plus from SurveyMonkey’s Social Impact Team and found an opportunity with Everyday Conversations on Race, a podcast that brings people together for conversations on racial equality, human rights, and social justice. What began as an initial one-hour conversation evolved into a longer-term project where Liwen produced a series of compelling messages the nonprofit could use for funding requests. Liwen was soon invited to join Everyday Conversations on Race’s board of advisors to continue her work to help raise awareness for the podcast’s mission.
Advice for Nonprofits
Now a seasoned pro bono consultant, Liwen shares that the first impression nonprofits set with a volunteer is essential. Organizations must make a clear, concise, and compelling case for how a skills-based volunteer’s time and talents will make a difference. Having a website, clear mission statement, and responding promptly to volunteers shows that their support is needed and valued.
Liwen also recommends that nonprofits not let perfection be the enemy of good. When considering volunteer applicants, don’t expect them to have expert experience in every component of the pro bono project—if they show potential, give them a chance to make a difference with the team.
Encouraging Others to Volunteer
Liwen’s skills-based volunteer experience was eye-opening. It allowed her to work closely with a nonprofit to understand how an organization raises funds to fuel its work. Pro bono consulting was easier and more flexible than she thought, fitting around both her schedule, and adapting to the nonprofit’s needs.
The flexibility and deeply felt impact of pro bono has turned Liwen into a strong advocate for skills-based volunteering. Nonprofit success hinges on multiple professional disciplines and perspectives coming together to support a common cause. Liwen shared that she was surprised at how much meaning she gained from using her skills for a mission outside herself. Even a one-hour conversation can make a huge difference for the volunteer and their social good partner.