Building Capacity Through Pro Bono Partnerships
What is pro bono?
Pro bono is a type of skills-based volunteering where professionals donate their time and expertise—like marketing, IT, or HR—to benefit nonprofit organizations for the public good.
How We Work With You!
We collaborate with companies and nonprofits to build pro bono experiences that empower employees to use their skills for community impact, while advancing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and engagement goals. When working with a corporate partner, we take a fully customized consultative approach to the creation of an internal corporate pro bono program.
Contact Pro Bono TeamShort-term Consultation
What it is: Short-term consultation sessions allow volunteers – functional area experts – to give the organization undivided attention. Whether they seek thought partnership, support in troubleshooting a specific challenge, or a deep brainstorm on a new strategic initiative. This engagement provides the space to do just that. Many nonprofits are unable to staff roles in all (or sometimes any) foundational functional areas, such as marketing, technology, human resources, finance, etc., and greatly benefit from being able to consult with trained, seasoned professionals.
1-Day Projects
What it is: Connected Day is a day-long, hackathon-style event that brings volunteers and teams together to solve real challenges for nonprofits. The event matches organizations needing capacity-building support with skilled volunteers who offer expertise pro bono.
1-Day Plus
What it is: Connect& is similar in format to a Connected Day, but book-ended with a deep Scoping session and a Finalize session to review the deliverables after implementation. Pairing nonprofits with corporate volunteer teams in multiple ways allows for more robust deliverables and stronger relationships than just offering one day.
Long-Term Engagements
What it is: Multi-week programming is customized to fit a company’s needs robust volunteer and community-centered goals. We take a consultative approach to be sure that the opportunity we design fits within your business objectives and company values, is within budget, is captivating for employees, reaches organizations the company or foundation already supports, or provides space to meet partners' needs, and – ultimately – makes an impact in the community.
Sponsorship
What it is: Connected for Change events are an opportunity for professionals to help create solutions to pressing challenges faced by nonprofits. HandsOn Twin Cities connects nonprofits needing capacity-building support with a team of experts who give their time pro bono to collaborate with the nonprofit and develop tangible deliverables to activate solutions to their challenge. We partner with companies to prioritize their nonprofit partners for projects and create space for their workforce to participate in meaningful engagements.
Connect with UsWe collaborate with companies and nonprofits to build pro bono experiences that empower employees to use their skills for community impact, while advancing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and engagement goals. When working with a corporate partner, we take a fully customized consultative approach to the creation of an internal corporate pro bono program.
Connected for Change
Connected For Change is a day-long, hackathon-style workshop that leverages corporate-sector talent for social-sector needs. We pair nonprofits in need of capacity-building support with a team of experts in their field who give their time pro bono to tackle challenges and develop tangible solutions. We offer four events per year within the following functional areas: Finance, HR, Marketing, and Technology. Participation is free of charge.
Learn morePro Bono Workshops
The Pro Bono Advisory team and consultant volunteers create and facilitate workshops to complement, enhance, and educate nonprofit organizations in the skills-based landscape. These interactive workshops focus on the best practices of pro bono and will also guide you through the creation of your own scope of work to help hone your needs, set expectations, and identify the right pro bono volunteer expertise. Examples of focus include scoping, marketing, data, and technology. Participation is free of charge.
Contact Pro Bono TeamDid you know?
Our Volunteer Opportunity Database connects more than 800 nonprofit organizations with volunteers eager to make a difference. Beyond traditional hands-on roles, you can also post pro bono opportunities, unlocking incredible skills that can strengthen your organization. Whether you need one-time help, ongoing support, or specialized expertise, our database helps you find the right match. Best of all, registering your organization and posting opportunities is free of charge.
Submit opportunitiesConnected for Change
This virtual day-long hack-a-thon style series seeks individuals with professional expertise in areas such as Finance, HR, Strategy, Marketing, or Technology, and invites them to apply to share their skills through Connected for Change. Participants can choose from various proposed projects with a nonprofit partner whose needs align with their experience and interests. Project teams are made up of anyone from the community with an interest and are sized from 2-4 volunteers.
Get updatedShare Your Skills with Us!
Do you have skillsets that you'd like to share with nonprofits as a workshop? In partnership with us, volunteers have run their in-person and virtual workshops, like marketing and data, for nonprofits.
Share your skillsVolunteer on Your Own Time
Find pro bono volunteer opportunities with direct community impact, such as board member, photographer, marketer, and more. Use your skills and expertise and help nonprofits in need of capacity-building and support.
Browse OpportunitiesOur Impact Since 2018:
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801 pro bono projects completed for nonprofits and small businesses
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4,099 pro bono volunteers engaged
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96,421 hours of pro bono service completed
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$18,641,590 value of service provided
Examples of projects
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12-week pro bono project: Target worked with Bladed Love in general accounting and moved manual entries to automation and found efficient tools to manage finances.
Short Term Consultation: Boston Scientific worked with Accompany Doula Care to complete an operations assessment.
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1-Day Engagement: Securian employees partnered with Joseph's Coat to revamp their employee handbook.
8-week project: Xcel Energy employees worked with RTL Foundation in Colorado to build an internship program.
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12-week project: General Mills employees worked with The Good Acre built a growth strategy, marketing and e-commerce tactics to make the case for adding a new role, for two programs that did not have any marketing plan.
1-Day Engagement: Anderson Windows and Doors volunteers helped Open Arms of Minnesota with their social media strategy to boost engagement.
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8-week Engagement: Thrivent worked with Northside Achievement Zone to create a comprehensive safety and security plan.
8-Week Engagement: Allianz Life worked with the Asian Economic Development Association Recommendations on entering the digital space for facilitating online courses for students
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1-Day Plus: Andersen Windows and Doors worked with Phyliss Wheatly Community Center on CRM recommendations and a roadmap for implementation.
1-Day Engagement: Connected for Change: Tech Day where community volunteers worked with Sparkpath improved an event ticketing system from two-steps to one-step.
“The Pro Bono Advisory Team at HandsOn took our concept and brought their expertise to help design a program that delivers impact to the community and our team members. Beyond design, the knowledge and skills they possess in implementation, program management, all the way through evaluation, was critical in standing up a sustainable program with measurable results.”
Jenny, Target
About our program
Launched in 2018, HandsOn Twin Cities’ Pro Bono Advisory Program connects nonprofits with skilled volunteers who bring professional expertise to help organizations grow and thrive. Many nonprofits operate with limited staff and resources, making it hard to access specialized knowledge in areas like marketing, finance, HR, or strategic planning. Pro bono support fills these gaps, strengthening organizations and the communities they serve.
Past & Present Corporate Partners:
Our work in action!
Literature Review on Pro Bono Outcomes
To evaluate effectiveness and provide accountability to partners, clients, and volunteers, we partnered with Wilder Research to develop a review of pro bono programs and their outcomes.
Nonprofit
Impact
Xcel Energy partnered with WomenVenture to strengthen the lending experience for women entrepreneurs. Read our case study about this 8-week pro bono project!
The Benefits of Pro Bono Volunteering for Professionals
There are many benefits to volunteers, nonprofits, and small businesses when undertaking pro bono volunteerism. In our blog, we list some of those benefits.
Corporate Partner
Spotlight
Andersen Windows & Doors turned the challenges of the pandemic into an opportunity to innovate, launching a pro bono volunteer program in partnership with HandsOn Twin Cities. Read about it!
“This was our third Connected Day as a nonprofit participant, and our first focused on a non-technical topic/issue. It was exceptional! The volunteers were a perfect match for what we needed to accomplish. They are experts in their field, brought tools and training to the discussion, and were excellent listeners!”
Connected for Change Nonprofit Participant
Is your company looking to make a bigger impact?
Contact Joy Altmann, Managing Director, Pro Bono Advisory Program.