The document outlines strategies for engaging pro bono volunteers in nonprofit organizations to maximize expertise and impact while addressing potential pitfalls in volunteer management. Key recommendations include clear communication, stakeholder involvement, detailed project design, and regular evaluation to ensure successful integration of volunteers into meaningful roles. Resources such as position descriptions and support strategies for both volunteers and staff are also highlighted to facilitate effective collaboration.

1. Saturday March 25th
Jennifer Bennett, CVA
VolunteerMatch
Liza J Dyer, CVA
Multnomah County Library
How to Engage Pro Bono
Volunteers to Get the
Expertise You Need
#17NTCvoluntech

2. Slides and Notes
Slides and collaboration notes for this session:
http://po.st/17NTCvoluntech
2
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3. Imagine what your organization could
accomplish if you weren’t limited to the
time and talent of paid staff?
3
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4. Nonprofits Have the Need
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4

5. Volunteers Have the Skills
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5
Among
my career
skills
49%
36%
33%
30%
35%
24%
29%
28%
Computers/hardware/software
Operations/project management
HR/recruitment and training
Strategic planning
Marketing/communications
Information technology
Program development
Fundraising/development
Have
done as
volunteer
28%
18%
16%
16%
22%
12%
18%
32%
VolunteerMatch Volunteers
Gap
-21
-18
-17
-14
-13
-12
-11
+4
Source: Hart Consulting and VolunteerMatch Survey - 2010

6. Impactful…
Pro Bono volunteers can
• Bring specific skills and expertise
• Provide singular focus on
projects
• Expand the capacity of paid staff
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7. But not easy…
There can be pitfalls
• Wrong volunteer for the
role/organization
• Unreasonable scope
• Volunteers improperly screened
– paid staff improperly prepared
Previous bad experiences can
influence staff attitudes and
enthusiasm
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8. 8
Integrating Pro Bono Volunteers
Keys for building buy-in
• Communicate to others – paid and volunteer
staff
• Agree on skills and expertise, and screening
criteria
• Manage scope with position descriptions and
deliverables
• Clear reporting structure and decision-making
responsibilities
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9. 9
Communicate to Build Buy-In
• Identify Stakeholders
– Board, Exec. Management, Program Managers, Paid
Staff, Volunteer Staff
• Assess where each stakeholder is on the
engagement continuum
• Work with Champions - Share persuasive
information with Information Seekers
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10. 10
Involve Others in the Process
• Engage supervisors or program managers in
the process to build buy-in
– What does a volunteer need to know, do or be to
be the right volunteer?
• Clear and comprehensive position
descriptions
– Responsibilities, decision making continuum
• Interviews and screening process
– Screen for culture and fit not just for skills and
traits (and not just “people like me”)
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11. 11
Design Successful Projects
Successful projects include:
• Measurable deliverables or outcomes
• Accountabilities and responsibilities
• Timeline with evaluation
Manage scope to create more successful skills-
based opportunities for Pro Bono volunteers
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12. 12
Resources for Designing Projects
Skills-based Service Engagement Tool
https://survey.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe1/form/SV_8
0JDiNPOlFInrIp
Pro Bono Project Finder
https://www.taprootfoundation.org/get-
probono/be-powered-pro-bono/project-finder
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13. Pro Bono Volunteers at VolunteerMatch
• Deployed across most departments
• Work determined by strategic goals
• Focus on documentation & check-
ins/evaluation
• Staff submits needs – works with volunteer
engagement team to scope & manage
project
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14. VolunteerMatch: User Survey Design & Eval
• Evaluation of possible survey
tools – flexibility, cost,
reporting features
• Nonprofit and volunteer
users targeted
• Designed survey & launch
• Presented findings and
recommendations
• Re-engaged after 6 months,
1 year
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15. The Secret Menu at Multnomah County
Library
Situation: Tech-savvy person approaches your organization
for a volunteer role that requires very little technical
knowledge.
Understand how our organization’s culture influences how
we engage volunteers:
• When a volunteer with specialized skills approaches us,
how do we react?
• What organizational knowledge should be shared and
communicated?
• Know who to ask for support and who can help you gain
buy in with others #17NTCvoluntech
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16. Multnomah County Library: Email Newsletter
Software Research
Steps:
1. Recognized project was on my “to do” list for a while
2. Floated the idea with a current volunteer who was
looking for more challenging work
3. Gave the specific parameters; e.g. cost, number of
people on list, mobile compatible, etc.
4. Shared Google Doc for research, shared timeline,
encourage collaboration
5. Volunteer did well with project, now responsible for
reviewing monthly newsletter
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17. Scope a Project
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18. 18
Key Program Foundations & Documents
Ensure everyone is on the same page!
• Position description
• Agreement letter that includes a timeline
• NDA or confidentiality agreement
• Policies and procedures manual – as
appropriate
– Intellectual property, conflict resolution,
termination, etc.
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19. 19
Finding the Right Volunteer
• Recruit through appropriate channels
– VolunteerMatch, corporate partners, professional
associations
• Explore existing volunteer’s skills
• Tap into your network – donors, members,
supporters
• Screen for skills, experience, and cultural fit
• Orient to work and organization
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20. 20
Support the Volunteer/Paid Staff Relationship
Supervisors may not have much management
experience
• Start with the volunteer management basics
• Share resources – blogs, webinars, etc.
Facilitate the relationship
• Let go without checking out
• Assist in managing expectations
• Remove barriers, help solve challenges
• Design meaningful recognition
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21. 21
Evaluating Pro Bono Volunteer Engagement
There will be challenges
• Implement regular check-ins, build on them
• Share challenges and solutions across
supervisors and projects
• Solicit feedback from supervisors and
volunteers
• Share with your Information Seekers – great
information for your communication channels!
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22. 22
Putting a Plan in Place
• Identify stakeholders and strategic needs
• Invest in foundation documents and
processes
• Create clear and manageable scope
• Conduct appropriate screening and
orientation
• Develop and build-on evaluation points
• Share impact and create meaningful
recognition
#17NTCvoluntech

23. 23
Questions?
Remember:
Complete your session evaluation
http://nten.org/17ntc-evals/
Slides and collaboration notes for this session:
http://po.st/17NTCvoluntech
#17NTCvoluntech

24. Thanks for Attending!
Jennifer Bennett, CVA
Sr. Manager, Education &
Training
VolunteerMatch
jbennett@volunteermatch.org
@JenBennettCVA
Liza J Dyer, CVA
Program Coordinator,
Volunteer Services
Multnomah County Library
lizaj@multcolib.org
@lizaface
#17NTCvoluntech
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25. Market Research User Survey Project Goals and Timeline
Summary
VolunteerMatch, the web’s largest volunteer engagement network, is looking for a talented
pro-bono market research specialist to help us determine the satisfaction of our volunteer
users. Every month 800K volunteers visit our site looking for a great place to volunteer. We
want to develop a short pop-up survey on our site to determine how successfully we are at
showing them the right volunteer opportunities, if their experience on VolunteerMatch met
their expectations, and determine our Net Promoter Score. This project will be led by
Volunteer working with VolunteerMatch’s Product Management Team.
Project Participants Volunteer, Product Manager
Project Name Market Research User Survey
Begin Date 1/21/15
End Date 3/18/15
Scope of Work and Deliverables
Over the next few weeks the following work will be done by Volunteer working with the
Product Management Team:
Responsibility or Deliverable Led By Timeline
Research pop-up survey tools and recommend
most appropriate tool.
Week 1
Finalize initial survey questions. Week 1
Develop survey launch plan and methodology –
including sample size, users seeing the survey,
and how long the survey will run.
Week 2
Implement the survey on VolunteerMatch. Week 2
Monitor survey activity. Week 2 - 3
Analyze survey results Week 3
Develop 2​nd​
survey and create methodology. Week 4
Deploy 2​nd​
survey. Week 4
Monitor 2​nd​
survey activity. Week 5 - 6
Analyze survey results. Week 6
Develop summary of survey results and make
recommendations to improve user’s experience
on VolunteerMatch.
Week 8
Work Schedule
Most of the work on this project will take place independently and may be completed either
off-site or in the VolunteerMatch office. This work will take place over 6-8 weeks and will take
no more than 5 hours a week.

26. The project participants will check in at least once a week either in person or by phone. Email
and shared resources will be used between meetings to keep the project on schedule.
All questions about the project scope, deliverables, and any final decision making processes will
be directed to Susan Briggs.
Assumptions
All work on this project will be done in accordance and compliance with VolunteerMatch’s
Volunteer Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Signatures
I acknowledge that I have reviewed this project plan and responsible for the agreed upon work.
Volunteer Name (Printed)_______________________
Volunteer Signature _____________________________
Date ____/____/_______
VolunteerMatch Name (Printed)_______________________
Volunteer Signature _____________________________
Date ____/____/_______