Most nonprofits face growing pains at some point — especially when they seek to increase the scale of their work. Enlisting pro bono help is often a smart solution.
Eleven years ago we launched the Morgan Stanley Strategy Challenge, an annual program that matches nonprofits with volunteer teams of our employees.
Each nonprofit works with our consultants over a 10-week period to develop an action plan focused on solving a mission-critical issue.
The program has since helped more than 125 nonprofits expand and improve their organizations while also showcasing some of our firm’s rising talent.
We’ve learned a few things over the past decade about how charities can make the most of their time with volunteer consultants. Based on our experience, here are eight ways to ensure these collaborations are successful for all involved.
1. Be specific. This isn’t a time to ask vague or open-ended questions. The strategic challenge you present should have clear parameters and seek a concrete conclusion.
For example, one major challenge many nonprofits face is figuring out how to execute an idea on a larger scale. Let’s say you’re debating whether to expand geographically or increase your services. You should consider questions like whether to branch out to an adjacent city or add a certain activity, rather than asking broader queries such as “Should I expand?” or “Should I add services?” Limiting the scope of the engagement to a well-defined challenge gives your volunteers a discrete problem to focus on.
2. Be realistic. Your pro bono consultants are helping you on top of their regular job responsibilities, and a few weeks or months isn’t much time for them to tackle your organization’s most complex problems. This is why it’s so important to set a clear goal.
The project also must have an appropriate scope. The time frame should be sufficient for your staff and consultants to create an action plan, taking into account the size of the team, hours your volunteers can spend on the project, and available information.
3. Be available. The saying “You get what you give” is true here. We’ve found that nonprofits that fully invest their staff’s time in our Strategy Challenge — opening their doors to the volunteers and providing the necessary data and documentation — get the best results.
This is partly because the employees are part of the process. They can take ownership of the project and help to guide the outcome. In addition, being available enables your volunteers to really get to know your organization and its culture and gain the context and insights they need to give you tailored advice.
4. Load up on data. It’s important to go into the project with research and numbers that show you’ve been thinking about the problem. You also should have a few ideas to share with the volunteers. Plenty of quantitative analysts can help you with this.
In addition, gathering data and analytics that support your project is vital for winning over your trustees. It’s simple: Showing them the facts makes the plan easier for you and the consultants to sell. Over the long term, getting buy-in from your board is the best way to ensure the project materializes.
5. Be flexible. You probably have an idea of how to solve your nonprofit’s challenges, especially if you’re the founder. You may think the consultants will review your case and agree with you, but they could instead suggest a different approach.
Don’t take this personally. When you decide to let others in on your thinking, make sure you’re ready to accept both positive and constructive feedback. Your volunteers may advise you that it isn’t the right time to take a certain step or move in a particular direction; this could ultimately save you time, money, and headaches.
6. Avoid mission creep. Although the consultants are working with you on a specific project within defined time constraints, perhaps you can’t help but notice how smart and skilled they are. You may be tempted to ask them to help solve other issues at your organization. After all, they’re already in your office, and it’s easy enough to run something by them.
Try to resist this temptation. You don’t want to overload your pro bono team. And, even though they might want to, they probably won’t be able to handle the additional work. Be careful not to stray from your initial mandate by piling more issues onto your volunteers, which can detract from your shared goals and compromise the results.
7. Think long term. The tone you set during your work with the volunteers opens the door to the future. Many consultants forge enduring personal connections with the organizations they support during a volunteer engagement. Over time, they build a rapport with leaders and staff and gain faith in the nonprofit’s mission, which leads to continued involvement long after the project is complete. Cultivating this relationship gives you a chance to seek guidance and mentoring down the road.
8. Don’t solicit donations from your consultants. Since you’re taking the long view, remember that a pro bono consulting arrangement is just that — an opportunity to get free expert advice many groups would pay a lot for. This isn’t about raising money from the volunteers or their contacts, so hold off on asking for financial support during the project.
In the future, these consultants may choose to support your cause and could one day be in a position to ask their friends, colleagues, and business associates to do the same. But don’t assume too much. Let your mission and the strength of your organization do the talking, rather than trying to hard-sell these volunteers.
Remember, specific questions are easier to address than vague ones, reasonable expectations are more easily met than exhaustive lists of demands, and everyone involved probably wants the same thing: to make human connections and contribute meaningfully to a good cause.
Have faith in the process, and you — as well as your pro bono partners — will come out ahead.
Joan Steinberg is global head of community affairs and president of the Morgan Stanley Foundation.
