Volunteering: Giving of your Time, Talents and Treasures

When I left the paid workforce many years ago to raise three children, I got involved with several non-profit organizations that over the years have provided interesting and challenging professional and personal development opportunities. For those interested in pursing this type of unpaid work, I have a few suggestions on how to make your experience as rewarding as mine has been.

The first step is to identify issues that really inspire you to want to change the world, the country, your state or your community. Find an issue that you are passionate about and truly interested in learning more about. Having lived and worked in Asia for several years, I was inspired to help improve the lives of women in developing countries. In particular, I focused on giving them choices related to their reproductive health and providing educational opportunity for them. Research has shown that if you educate a woman, you educate the next generation of children.

Once you have your issue, then it’s important to identify the organizations that work in that field. You should also understand the geographic scope of the organization’s work. Some work globally, some locally, and some everywhere in between. Again, let your personal interests direct how far reaching you want an organization to be. Non-profit organizations are both large and small and usually measured based on their expense budget rather than their revenues. The internet is an excellent source for gathering information on various organizations. Another excellent source of information is from Charity Navigator. It is the nation’s largest and most reputable independent charity evaluator that investigates the fiscal viability and performance of over 5,000 non-profit organizations. Its rating system measures the efficiency and sustainability of charities objectively and without bias.

Now that you have your issue and a list of organizations you want to get involved with, it’s time for you to introduce yourself. An important question to ask yourself at this stage is how much of a time commitment do you want to make. Non-profit organizations need three important things from donors, supporters and board members. First and foremost is your “Treasure” which is financial support. So, one easy and not-so-time consuming way to get involved is to write a check, a very valuable and important contribution to non-profits. Making a financial contribution will generally put you on the donor mailing list so you will get regular updates and information about the organization.

If you’re looking to get more involved with the organization as a volunteer or potential board member then you’ll need to do a little more homework. Get a list of the current board members, see if you know any of them or have a connection through alumni associations, business, or other activities. Contact the board member to introduce yourself and explain how you would like to get involved and your unique “Talents”. One of the important roles for current board members is to identify other potential board members. You may be asked to send your resume and perhaps be interviewed by a board nominating committee. Describe your specific skills and explain how you might assist the organization. Organizations are always looking for new members who offer a specific skill set (legal, marketing, finance, accounting) and technical expertise related to the non-profit’s area. You can also contact the organization’s development or fundraising director to introduce yourself and evaluate ways to get involved.

A great way to get introduced to non-profit organizations is through volunteer consulting assignments, or giving your “Time.” My alumni organization (Harvard Business School Community Partners in San Francisco) ran a program that matched MBA professionals interested in doing consulting for non-profits to non-profits looking for consulting resources. After 4-6 month assignments working with the organizations, many of the volunteer consultants were invited to become board members. The volunteer consultants had a chance to work with senior management of the non-profits, understand the issues facing the organization and get to know the type of work they were involved with. In a successful project, it’s a win-win for the organization and the consultants. I was a volunteer consultant for several non-profits and later joined the board of one of the organizations that I had worked with on a project.

Before agreeing to join a board, make sure you understand what is expected of you. All boards expect a financial commitment to the organization. Ask for the terms of reference for board members and other information related to meetings, expenses, fundraising and committee assignments.

Currently, I serve as Chair of the Board of EngenderHealth, an organization that works in over 40 countries to improve the health and well being of people by transforming the quality of health care in the poorest communities in the world. In this role, I have been involved in many high level and challenging activities including recruiting and hiring a new president with extensive experience in the field, strengthening the organization’s finance and accounting functions including working with the independent auditor, and broadening the organization’s individual donor base. This volunteer work has sharpened my professional skills and been extremely rewarding, I urge you to find your passion and get involved!