The purpose of the pro bono interview is for a nonprofit leader and volunteer to assess if they would be a good match for working on a Taproot Plus Project together. Use this time to learn more about a volunteer’s background, talk about your organization, and share more details about your Project need. Here are five best practices to keep in mind during your call:
1. Vet the volunteer like you would anyone coming to work for your organization.
Before you accept a volunteer’s application for your Project, make sure their professional background and skills match your needs. You’re welcome to ask for their resume, examples of prior work, and references. We encourage nonprofits and volunteers to approach Projects the same way they would a paid partnership!
2. Make sure expectations are clear for what success looks like for the Project.
Volunteers are looking for clarity about Taproot Plus Project goals and their role in the process. The scope of work doesn’t need to be outlined during the interview, but you want to ensure there’s a shared understanding of the Project outcome. Setting expectations up front leads to a strong Project start and helps volunteer candidates self-select out of the pro bono work if the outcome doesn’t align with their expertise or time availability.
3. Let the prospective volunteer know about your organization’s workplace culture.
A good volunteer match is about more than just a volunteer’s skills; they also need to be compatible with your organization’s culture. Keep in mind that your pro bono consultant will be joining your team for 2-12 weeks! Be prepared to share information about how you and your team work together and how you prefer to communicate, and ask a volunteer about their work style as well.
4. What resources do you have to make this Project a success?
Do your best to demonstrate your organization’s readiness for the Taproot Plus Project to a volunteer. Let them know what prep work you’ve done, any information you have ready to share, and if you’ve tried to do this Project previously on your own. These details help set the context for the Project and give a volunteer a clearer understanding of the work they’d be stepping into.
5. Learning goes both ways!
Lean on the prospective volunteer’s expertise to better understand your own need. You might reassess your own readiness for this Project or the final deliverable after the call—and that’s okay! The volunteer candidate may have insight into items you should have in place before beginning a Project, ultimately saving you time and frustration down the line. Take advantage of the volunteer’s expertise, even if it means having to adjust your plans. Even this initial interview call is a generous donation of time and expertise by the volunteer, so take advantage of all that they have to offer!
Request a Taproot Plus Project for your marketing, tech, HR, strategy, finance, or operations needs now.