flashcards Communicating the Business Value of Pro Bono in Professional Schools

The value of pro bono

of nonprofits believe skilled volunteers could significantly improve their organization’s business practices, but only 12% have been able to put volunteers to use in that way 77%

of nonprofit executives said it is a top priority for them to improve their organization’s ability to run effectively 86%

Is the average cash equivalent for traditional volunteer service $19.51/hr

is the average value of the cash equivalent donation of pro bono service $120/hr

The following flashcards are intended to provide content and usage tips to help you effectively communicate the business value of pro bono service within your University.

Use the slide as a flashcard to provide you with benefits and proof points from which to pick and choose in crafting your business case Refer to the notes section for context and comments on usage and speaking points How to use these cards

Reputation Pro bono service deepens your school’s reputation as a good community member, and enhances ties, relations, reputation, and stature with the local community. Enhanced Reputation in Community RecruitingCollaboration Job Placement Innovation

Reputation How does pro bono service make this possible? Pro Bono Service: Helps schools stay visible in the community, even in the face of cutbacks Demonstrates the value of your school’s core competencies Expresses your school’s commitment to public service and the needs of underserved communities Develops stronger relationships with Alumni, and can partner them with students on pro bono projects RecruitingCollaboration Job Placement Innovation

Reputation Recruiting Benefits for Universities Universities can leverage pro bono opportunities as a draw for prospective students. RecruitingCollaboration Job Placement Innovation

Reputation Incoming students look for pro bono service to: Address their growing interest in creating a positive social impact Be a part of experiential learning, a key part of pedagogy Translate their classroom knowledge into practical, real-world application Expand their network and collaborate with faculty and various departments Distinguish the university as a socially aware leader in the community RecruitingCollaboration Job Placement Innovation

Reputation Recruiting Benefits for Graduates RecruitingCollaboration Job Placement Universities can give their graduates an edge by leveraging pro bono opportunities as a draw for prospective employers. Innovation

Reputation RecruitingCollaboration Job Placement Schools should encourage students to include their pro bono experience when recruiting for jobs to demonstrate: Proven results through real-world consulting projects Going beyond theory and applying their learnings A distinguishing experience from their peers Pro bono also helps students network by: Showing their commitment to ideals and creating a positive impact Providing a powerful networking tool for students through project teams and clients Innovation

Reputation Recruiting Improved Collaboration and Communication On pro bono projects, students have the opportunity to work with faculty and peers from different departments, disciplines, and graduate schools. Collaboration Job Placement Innovation

Reputation RecruitingCollaboration Pro bono service: Helps to break down silos and nurture communication and connectedness across schools within a university Builds and strengthens relationships among students in different professional school programs Reflects real-world teams that need a mix of skills and multidisciplinary understandings in order to solve complex problems Provides students with a new point of view into different aspects of problem-solving they might not otherwise see as part of their regular studies Job Placement Innovation

Reputation RecruitingCollaboration Examples of Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Job Placement Innovation

Collaboration Reputation How does pro bono service make this possible? Pro Bono Service: Helps schools stay visible in the community, even in the face of cutbacks Demonstrates the value of your school’s core competencies Expresses your school’s commitment to public service and the needs of low-income people in the community Develops stronger relationships with Alumni, and can partner them with students on pro bono projects Recruiting Leverage Thought Leaders Pro bono service offers universities a way to cement their status as thought leaders in the community. Innovation Thought Leadership

Collaboration Reputation How does pro bono service make this possible? Pro Bono Service: Helps schools stay visible in the community, even in the face of cutbacks Demonstrates the value of your school’s core competencies Expresses your school’s commitment to public service and the needs of low-income people in the community Develops stronger relationships with Alumni, and can partner them with students on pro bono projects RecruitingInnovation Thought Leadership Pro bono programs: Allow faculty to apply research in the community, with student teams acting as ambassadors Expose these ideas to influential business and non-profit leaders who will then spread the experience throughout the community Serve as a way for faculty advisors to incorporate student projects as real-world test labs for their theories In return, faculty may get course releases or a lighter teaching workload

Collaboration Reputation Recruiting Job Placement Innovation Opportunity for Innovation “At stake is the next generation of professionals and a world class innovation infrastructure” --Sean O’Connor, Professor and Faculty Director, Entrepreneurial Law Clinic University of Washington School of Law

Collaboration Reputation Recruiting Job Placement Innovation Through interdisciplinary pro bono projects: Students receive real world experience working on cross-functional teams, and exposure to different fields, work styles, and processes Faculty and students expand their networks to community leaders and peers from different schools or disciplines Schools can expand independent study or lab class options Students can bolster their credentials and work experience in their resumes

FAQ What resources are required to start a pro bono program at my University? While many programs are founded solely run by students, we find the strongest programs have dedicated faculty support. That’s why we’ve created these flashcards, so you can obtain University buy in to support your programs. Check out our design for impact framework on the Pro Bono Action Tank website at: Schools.pdf What is the typical size of a pro bono program? Many programs start small and eventually grow over time. While there is no set size, your initial consulting team should be made up of at least 5 people.

FAQ What other groups can help me get this started? Many student groups and nonprofits offer support to students interested in pro bono including: campusCATALYST, A Billion + Change, The American Bar Association, Pubic Architecture, and Net Impact. Professional clubs at your university can also offer guidance (eg. Consulting Club, Marketing Club, Design Club, etc), while your school’s community involvement department can direct you to community partners. Do you have other examples of pro bono programs in Universities? Yes! You can find an online showcase of these programs at: If you’d like to have your program featured, just let us know at:

At the inaugural 2010 Chicago Summit on Pro Bono in Professional Schools, leading universities from the area gathered to discuss the value of pro bono service in professional schools and the challenges they face in fostering the pro bono movement. One of the key challenges identified was the need to communicate the business case for pro bono service to administrators and faculty in order to build internal buy-in. The Taproot Foundation and its Pro Bono Action Tank are committed to developing a communications toolkit as a key initiative of its schools program to help students and staff overcome this challenge. This guide is the result of that effort. About the Communications Toolkit

We want your feedback Help us continue to build the business case that meets your needs. Do you have more data? Do you have more examples or stories to tell? Are there other questions you need help answering or objections you need help addressing? We want to hear from you Please contact us at with questions, comments and additions.

About the Pro Bono Action Tank Creating a market for pro bono services Established in 2008 by the Taproot Foundation, the Pro Bono Action Tank is leading the effort to increase access to high-quality pro bono services for public benefit organizations working to address our society’s social, environmental and economic issues. We work to inspire and enable the business community to engage in pro bono service, develop standards to ensure high-quality service delivery, and make it easier for public benefit organizations to access the professional expertise they need to achieve their missions. For more information, visit

Sources referenced in these flashcards: 1. “Taproot Foundation Survey of Nonprofits”, The Taproot Foundation, “The Dollar Valuation for Pro Bono Service”, CECP and The Taproot Foundation, “The Dollar Valuation for Pro Bono Service”, CECP and The Taproot Foundation, “2007 Volunteer IMPACT Study”, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, “MBA Graduates Want to Work for Caring and Ethical Employers”, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Interview with Dr. Patrick Murphy, Assistant Professor of entrepreneurship at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, 24 March Interview with Ashley Zwick, Managing Director of the Nonprofit and Public Management Center at the University of Michigan, 15 April Interview with Pam Schilling, Associate Director of Career Management at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, 19 March Interview with Margaret Duval, Pro Bono and Community Service Initiative Coordinator at DePaul Law School, 23 March Resources