IN THIS ISSUE
PRO BONO WEEK: COMING SOON
COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT + PRO BONO
BRIDGING THE LEADERSHIP GAP
JOIN THE DEBATE: GLOBAL VS. LOCAL
CORPORATE SPOTLIGHT: 

HILLSHIRE BRANDS BRINGS PRO BONO TO FOOD BANKS  

Hillshire Brands has exemplified a strategic approach to fighting hunger in its communities through pro bono service. Hillshire partners with Feeding America's network of member food banks to broaden the company's impact in communities where their employees live and work. In partnership with the Taproot Foundation, Hillshire designed a pro bono program that deepens its partnerships with Feeding America food banks and amplifies the impact of grantmaking, food donations, and hands-on volunteering. In pro bono projects ranging from warehouse safety assessments, to supply chain consulting, to process improvement, to financial modeling, Hillshire employees have shared their invaluable expertise to help food banks better achieve their mission to feed the community. Moreover, Feeding America has leveraged these projects as case studies to train its member food banks across the country on how to effectively leverage pro bono support. Want to learn more? Read about the pro bono projects here.  

 

READ ABOUT THE PRO BONO PROJECTS HERE 

SAVE THE DATE!


 

"I'm a Corporation - How Can I Get Involved in Pro Bono Week?"

 

Pro Bono Week is coming soon! But wait, what is Pro Bono Week?

Pro Bono Week 2014, taking place October 19 - 25, is a global campaign that celebrates and activates pro bono service across all professions that use their talents to make a difference. While we work in partnership with the American Bar Association, we look beyond the legal field to shine a light on all business professionals who provide pro bono support to social change organizations throughout the year. By taking advantage of a concentrated week to showcase a critical mass of pro bono service across industries, regions and program models, the pro bono movement becomes greater than just the sum of its parts. And we want you to join us in celebrating!

 

So what can you do as a company to celebrate Pro Bono Week?

Pro Bono Week is an opportunity to either highlight the amazing work you or your employees are already doing in the community, or dip your toe in the pro bono waters for the first time. Here are a few ways you can get involved:

  • Include #PBW14 in your social media campaign. This is the easiest way to get involved. We have already taken care of key messaging for you - simply click here for some ideas for sharing your stories during Pro Bono Week.
  • Use Pro Bono Week as a platform to promote existing activities. Do you already have something planned during the week of October 19 - 25? Launching a pro bono program, or hosting a pro bono workshop or marathon event? Write a blog, article or Tweet about it to join the Pro Bono Week buzz!
  • Showcase your pro bono all-stars internally. If you have an intranet or internal newsletter, highlight an employee who has gone above and beyond in pro bono over the past year in honor of Pro Bono Week.
  • Spark some friendly competition. Challenge your employees to get involved during Pro Bono Week. Share pro bono opportunities, or ask them to meet with a nonprofit partner and talk about how they can use their skills to get involved for a length of time that feels feasible to them.
  • Hold an information session for employees. If you already have efforts in place for pro bono, hold a Lunch & Learn to talk about what you are doing and reach a new group of employees. If employees are new to pro bono, you can introduce them to the concept of pro bono and how they can get involved individually in the community.
  • Get creative. Think of your own ideas for how you can be a part of the pro bono movement. The possibilities are endless!

Pro Bono Week is about companies, intermediaries and individuals celebrating the power of our collective impact when we bridge professional skills with community needs. We hope you will join us in these efforts!  

How Engaging Your Employees in Pro Bono Consulting Can Help You Earn CRA Credit

Think that the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) has nothing to do with you?  Well, if your financial services company delivers pro bono service to the community, you may want to think again. 


Here's the scoop.  If you work at a financial services company that provides pro bono to nonprofits serving low-income communities, you may be missing out on getting CRA credit for the good work you're doing.  The Community Reinvest Act, or CRA, offers a variety of opportunities for both companies and nonprofits to benefit from quality pro bono work through its CRA credit policy.


Still wondering what CRA is and how your company can get it?  

  

BRIDGING THE LEADERSHIP GAP: Developing High Potential Talent Through Pro Bono Service
How can companies use pro bono service to accelerate the development of top talent?

You asked, and Taproot responded by exploring this important topic in a recent webinar with ACCP, which featured findings from the field and a case study on GlaxoSmithKline's innovative approach to developing leaders.

Miss the conversation? We have you covered. We've compiled top takeaways to help you develop a game plan for integrating pro bono into your company's leadership development strategy. 


JOIN THE DEBATE
LOCAL VS. GLOBAL

To go abroad or not to go abroad?

 

That is the question. Literally. That is the question Taproot Advisory Services hears from many companies as they consider their pro bono program focus.  This single question begets many others, including: How do you decide where and when to go international? How do you best balance an international focus with a local one? How and where do you decide to double-down and make a concerted effort to affect your more immediate local environments and communities?


 

Spoiler alert: This blog will not answer those questions. But it will provide some more information about what we've seen when it comes to the international vs local debate.


CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE 

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