Have you ever considered that gifts of time can come in all sizes - even in little packets of 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there? I recently wrote a guest post for the Philanthropy Journal about microvolunteering, which explores how this idea is playing out online. Here's a little taste...
In recent years, a new volunteer trend has been gaining popularity: websites that match skilled professionals with specific nonprofit projects, especially short-term and virtual projects.
Does your nonprofit need a new logo design? Feedback on a grant application? A Spanish translation of your brochure? If you've got a specific, skills-based, short-term project (i.e. requiring 25 hours or fewer), one of these matching websites could find you a volunteer with just the right talents.
While there are a lot of volunteer-matching websites and services out there, the following are geared toward connections with skilled professionals, focus on short-term projects and are available nationwide for free.
Sparked
Sparked.com calls itself "the world's first microvolunteering network." All submitted projects must be limited to a very specific task, preferably something that can be completed remotely and in one sitting.
Also, it's not a one-on-one match. In true crowdsourcing style, Sparked is like a free Crowdspring for small nonprofit projects. Your project may receive multiple solutions, and you'll work within this volunteer pool to achieve the final result.
Sparked features a wide range of skilled volunteers, from designers to fundraisers to HR professionals.
Examples of successful Sparked projects can be viewed on the organization's website.
The Community Corps
Whether because of time, knowledge or funding, 40 percent of U.S. nonprofits are struggling to keep up with the technology they need.
The Community Corps is on a mission to fill in those IT gaps via professionals who can help with social media, system networking, website development and more...
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