Pro Bono Services Versus Dollars?

This is a choice Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation, seems to have decided for all nonprofits. Her answer? Pro bono labor.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) agrees. He was recently quoted in Business Week stating that only with pro bono technical assistance can nonprofit organizations build capacity.

These two extraordinarily wealthy and influential voices have the potential to change the face of giving. But the idea that pro bono services could replace donations is unfathomable. While sometimes helpful, pro bono work rarely provides consistent high quality service. Corporate volunteers are no substitute for full-time employees, whom nonprofits cannot hire without money.

The bottom line is nonprofits need money. While some nonprofits might prefer a donor to spend his or her time contributing professional services instead of building a house or helping distribute food, if that same donor wanted to instead make a substantial donation, it is hard to believe that any nonprofit would choose the temporary service, whether professional or not.

We want to hear from you. Would your nonprofit pick pro bono services over money?