Tap into one of Miami’s overlooked assets — its people — to help challenged nonprofits thrive | Opinion

Nonprofit leaders of organizations large and small in Miami are facing the same challenge: How will they meet the urgent needs of their communities with fewer resources than ever before while a global pandemic wreaks havoc on traditional in-person volunteer opportunities?

As April, which is National Volunteer Month, comes to a close, the community should realize that volunteering now is as important as ever — especially when we go beyond engaging people’s time and tap their special talents.

We probably won’t see volunteer groups running street clean-ups or painting school cafeterias this year. As recently reported, the pandemic has had a devastating impact on the nonprofit sector, decreasing access to hands-on volunteers, funding and other resources. At the same time, community needs have increased, as well as its reliance on nonprofit programming.

But there is a powerful and effective form of volunteering that has gained in popularity during the pandemic. It empowers nonprofits to fully realize their mission; it’s a tool for extending their reach despite dwindling resources — and it’s been around since the inception of our nation’s legal system: pro bono.

“Pro bono” isn’t just a term in the legal community, it applies to any specialized service done for the common good.

Taproot Foundation has been facilitating pro bono service projects for 20 years, connecting nonprofits with business professionals who donate their time and knowledge in a particular area of business. Like the core root of a plant that inspires our name, Taproot nourishes social-change organizations by connecting them with the expertise and insights of skilled volunteers, enabling both to thrive.

These partnerships get things done behind the scenes. The finance, marketing, design, IT, HR, and strategy projects these nonprofits can accomplish with volunteer support help them get over hurdles and expand their community impact. Taproot ensures that nonprofits have full and free access to the resources they need, regardless of budget or staff size, all pro bono.

Miami is primed with the talent and commitment needed to expand these partnerships. Our people have transformed a community labeled 10 years ago as “the least civically engaged metropolitan area in the United States.” In the past year alone, more than 2,000 Miami professionals signed up to volunteer through Taproot Plus, an online marketplace launched by Taproot Foundation in 2014 that makes it easier for nonprofits to find the right volunteers for their specific projects.

Perhaps it was a direct response to COVID-19, or simply a desire to feel more connected in an isolating time. Whatever their personal reasons, these Miamians reflect the start of a remarkable trend in Miami of engaging in our community more and doing so through skills-based volunteering with local nonprofits.

Miami nonprofits have a tool to meet the critical needs of our community, and it’s a tool that can easily be used virtually. Pro bono is a real, effective and no-cost way nonprofits can leverage all the resources available to them. And we know it works. Taproot Plus saw a 25 percent to 30 percent increase in projects submitted by nonprofits in 2020; and 93 percent of Taproot Plus volunteers say the platform has made it easier to donate their professional skills.

Miamians have a means to put their talents to work building an equitable community that supports and celebrates every resident by supporting one another. Pro bono is a remarkable and effective tool we can use to get there together.

Suzanna Valdez is chief impact officer for Taproot Foundation, a national nonprofit that connects nonprofits and social change organizations with volunteers who share their time and professional abilities.