How to choose the right pro bono partnership

“Pro bono” comes from the Latin pro bono publico, which means “for the public good.” As leaders in the social profit sector, we’re always looking for ways to pitch in and give back, like we’ve been doing with Futurpreneur Canada as their entrepreneur coaching partner since 2017.

Of course, while we’d rather be in the position to support all of the great causes out there, like everyone else, we’re limited by time and resource availability. That’s why we chose to establish a single ongoing strategic partnership. It helps us focus our efforts and make a more significant long-term impact.

If you’d like to follow in our footsteps and pick one cause to throw max effort into, take a moment to reflect on a few considerations.

1) Are you passionate about it?

Pro bono work should represent the very best you can do because the results are so much more important than whether your client sells more widgets, and excellence comes naturally when you’re passionate about what you’re doing.

In our case, we’re passionate about helping entrepreneurs start and grow their business, create jobs and ultimately improve the economy for everybody. What are you passionate about?

2) Is your business aligned to your target cause?

If part of your corporate mission is, for example, “to provide high quality legal services to underserved communities,” you might be smarter to throw your efforts behind something to do with affordable housing than something like animal rescue.

As an entrepreneur myself, I know that much of the innovation we need to improve the world will come from entrepreneurs, which is why we support Futurpreneur and the many young socially conscious entrepreneurs making the world a better place. What kind of cause would align well with your business?

3) Is the partnership mutually beneficial?

Successful partnerships improve all parties involved. They provide access to resources, connections, and opportunities that might not otherwise be available. They build expertise in areas that may need development, helping everyone involved gain something new. So, when seeking a pro bono partner, find one that can help you as much you can help them.

For us, our Futurpreneur partnership provides entrepreneurs and start-ups with strategic marketing services they might otherwise not have access to. And it provides us with experience in new sectors. While we expand our collective experience and make new connections, our pro bono partner increases their capacity to advance their mission of helping entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. This makes it a win-win for everyone involved. What would a win/win look like for you?

4) Is it a long-term opportunity?

Pro-bono work shouldn’t be about adding a cool project to your portfolio or winning a flash-in-the-pan award. It should be about building trust and fostering mutual collaboration for the long-haul. Creating an ongoing partnership helps you provide better service over time as you get to know your partner’s organization on a deeper level. Instead of just being on the outside looking in, you become invested in seeing long-term results. You also have the opportunity to make a lasting impact, which is way more satisfying than an ‘in and out’ approach.

This isn’t about adding a cool project to your portfolio or winning a flash-in-the-pan award. It’s about building trust and fostering mutual collaboration. In fact, to do truly great work, you should invest in your partner’s success for the long-haul. Creating an ongoing partnership helps you provide better service over time as you get to know your partner’s organization on a deeper level. Instead of just being on the outside looking in, you become invested in seeing long-term results. You also have the opportunity to make a lasting impact, which is way more satisfying than an ‘in and out’ approach.

Have you done any pro bono work? We’d love to hear about your pro bono strategy. Send us a note.