We’ve come to an end, ladies and gentlemen (and those who have yet to make up your minds). We’ve talked about never working for free again, never working against your education and training, working on your own terms and educating yourself as you go along. We’ve found places to look for pro bono opportunities, places to find contracts and ways to deal with difficulties. We even found ways to trumpet your success to the masses. What could possibly be left?

Well…to be honest with you…not much. I don’t know about you guys but I’m exhausted. Except maybe one thing. Because there’s one big secret about this entire series:

I’m not getting paid to do this. Not a single word. Not a single line.

I took this series on for about four separate reasons. I wanted to write for BoDo because I believe in BoDo. I wanted to learn about online blogging, online publishing and online writing. I wanted to expand my knowledge of Web 2.0 as more than a catchphrase. And I wanted a creative outlet to write about something I loved.

To this endeavor I brought to the table over ten years of experience and endless hours of college and real-world education. I know nonprofits - good, bad and ugly, inside and out. I know freelance work. I know people. I know writing for the public. I know kung fu.

But there were many things I didn’t know when I started. I didn’t know about timed publishing, but I learned very quickly; I didn’t comprehend the vagaries of HTML, but I picked it up as I went along; I didn’t know how time-consuming responding to comments would be (nor how much fun it was!) but I threw myself into it with glee; I had no idea how WordPress worked, but I made it happen.

Did I benefit from this series? You bet your sweet tuckus I did.

I currently work for a very large, very nice, very professional non-profit that decided to upgrade their website. We were called in to a meeting about the redesign where we were asked the following questions:

“Have you ever worked with CSS and online publishing?” Why, yes I do…now.

“Do you have any experience with HTML editing?” Why, yes I do…now.

“Do you know about tagging? How about SEO.” Why, yes I do…now.

I could keep going, but you get the drift. I learned. I grew. I’ve expanded my understanding of the creation of an online presence exponentially. All because I was willing to say yes - to working pro bono on my terms, on my time and in my way.

And I have triumphed. I’ve added nearly a dozen lines to my professional resume, my career skill-set and my personal growth. I even picked up a dozen freelance writing gigs along the way that did make money. I didn’t make a dime on this series and yet I’m richer for every word I put into it. I’ve gathered something that can never ever be taken away, devalued or spent.

Maybe you think “I don’t have time to work for free.” Hogwash; I pull a 40-hour workweek and a full set of weekend activities and managed just fine. Perhaps you think “Well, that’s great for you, but I’m not a writer — I’m a different type of creative individual.” Rubbish again; whether you write, code, design, illustrate or sing jingles you can follow these articles and reap the benefits just as I did.

There are millions of reasons to say no to a new project. Some of them are even believable. But those reasons are just a million little fears made manifest in the smoke of your insecurity. The fear of what-might-happen is the most subtle and insidious poison ever manufactured inside the human mind. The easiest way to combat that fear is simple; step into the unknown and it will not follow.

Work pro-bono to free your mind. Once you get past the minutiae, you’re free to focus on the bigger and better things. They’ll make you bigger, better people. And, young or old, newbie or veteran — the rules still apply. Always get something back, even if you work for free. Treat your pro-bono work and clients like paid jobs and they’ll return the favor. Make a contract to protect everyone’s best interests (with a few extra steps in there to save your own skin). Ask questions. Learn about things you didn’t know before. When the work is done, show the world. Bigger and better, folks…bigger and better.

I wish the best of all things to all of you who have taken on a project pro bono. To my collaborators and friends: Jeff Fisher, Tamar Wallace, Calvin Lee, Jay Wickham and the unflagging support of my editor-in-chief and cheerleader Catherine Morley, I thank you from the bottom of my big fat motherly heart. And to those of you still on the fence - just go ahead and say yes to pro bono! The worst that can happen is that you’ll learn something about yourself, your world and your work.

I encourage you to ask questions and leave comments and tell me how you feel, what you think, and let me know what I’ve missed or just to say hello. In the meantime and every time - be gentle with yourself.

Thanks, and ciao for now.

This series has been dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

I have absolute faith in you, reader; I know that you have assessed your own skills, scouted your pro bono project, met with and agreed on contracts, and created something incredible. And while your pro bono website, or advertising copy, or printed piece is beautiful, functional and delivered on time to the joy of all concerned, there is no time to rest. Now comes the hardest (and simplest) part of your work: making your creation work for you.

I know, I know — it sounds very confusing. I’m sure you’re wondering why you shouldn’t just take your samples and webshots, stuff them in your portfolio and walk away. But why should your work - a living, breathing, workable item - be sentenced to suffocate inside your zippered binder under a veneer of plastic sheeting? Don’t leave your future to chance; market your success ASAP.

Imagine if you will, two equally matched creatives in an interview. Both have good portfolios, both possess the skills necessary, both are capable. But when your potential boss says “tell me about your work,” and you can say “Well, I’ve been featured in three publications and was nominated (or won!) an award for my pro bono project,” then you’re hired! It’s not just about design, folks; it’s about whether you can bring honor to your work and your workplace. Marketing yourself will not only get your work seen and your style known - it will also get you a job.

Why is this hard? Because artists and creatives are often the last people to consider their work worthy of note or award. Admit it — where others see something of beauty, you can only point out the flaws, or the missteps, or the “oh, if only I had…” thoughts that pervade your head. My advice? GET OVER IT. Get over your own doubts and get to work.

First and foremost, make absolutely sure you’ve secured several copies of your pro-bono work. The source files alone aren’t going to cut it. You need tangible evidence. If it’s a website, you’re a bit luckier — you can take screenshots or place online links from your website. Grab as many copies of printwork, video, flash files and any copy you’ve written for your own benefit. And once you’ve gathered your work, it’s time to start.

Now it’s time write and submit a press release about your work. Some of you will leap at the chance to write something, and others will cringe. Don’t fret! Writing a press release is not about genius or writing prowess. If it were, newspapers would be staffed with novelists. Your press release should be neat and concise. It should consist of what every basic Journalism class refers to as “the five W’s”:

• Who: This is always going to be you. Yes! It’s all about you! Finally!

• What: This is all about your project. A website for non-profit basket weavers! Illustration for a major children’s hospital! Printed brochures about non-profit basket weavers weaving hats for kids in hospitals!
• When: When did this happen? When will it happen? When will it end?
• Where: Is this on the web? Is it available for download or mailing? Can people visit a place and get a copy?
• Why: Why was this project needed? Why did you take it on? Why did you do it for free?

Now, let me be very clear about the aforementioned five W’s: This is not a WAY to write a press release. This is an ORDER. If it were a way to write them, press releases would sound like caveman speech: “Sally Smith make ad for public library Monday, to make kids happy. Go to library and get one. Need to market library.”

There are literally hundreds of websites out there featuring hundreds of ways to write press releases, and I won’t go into them here. Any way that you may write them, from simple to complex, your next move is to submit them to as many news sources that you can find. I recommend starting in your area and working your way outwards. Research your local newspapers and business journals for methods of submission (many of them accept online submissions now, but nothing replaces the old fashioned phone call to make sure that you’re sending it to the right person.) If your pro bono work is website based, I’d recommend hitting up the tech-section of your local press. If your work is about re-branding, look for the business editors. Remember; the more interesting you can make your work, the greater chance of being published.

After you’ve sent out releases to the local market, you need to widen your circle to include design publications and online resources. For that, I’ve enlisted the help of self-professed “media ‘ho’” Calvin Lee, owner of Mayhem Studios. More than just a talented designer across multiple mediums, Lee is a master at getting noticed. In a recent interview with Freelanceswitch.com, , Cal gave an excellent response to the question of why self-promotion is such a necessity:

If you’re a freelancer, self-promotion is a must. How else do you expect a potential client to know about you? Most new designers—even some pros—don’t view self-promotion as an option. Many frown upon self-promoting, as it’s bragging and name-dropping. In a way, it’s bragging but to me it’s more about letting people know who I am and what I can do to help them.”

Quoted from Freelanceswitch.com,

Cal’s list is a wealth of resources; some require a fee and others do not, but if you’ve got a little investment capital it’s worth the investment. Enjoy these links.

For self-marketing, I post to many online press release web sites. PRWeb and PRLeap are the big boys of on-line press releases news wire. They used to be free but they are a little too expensive now. They start at around $80 and up.

Plus all the traditional ways of sending your press releases: local/national news papers and industry related news papers/magazines.

A few free press release web site you can post to.

+ PR Compass
+ Free Press Release
+ 24/7 Press Release
+ PR Log
+ 1888 Press Release
+ Click Press
+ Free News Release
+ I-Newswire
+ PR
+ PR 9

Portfolio, design, and social networking sites that have an option to post your news.

+ Create Magazine
+ Design Related
+ Area of Design
+ Dexigner
+ Facebook
+ Myspace
+ Meetup

Then there are Social Bookmarking sites that can drive a lot of traffic to your site.

+ Digg
+ Del.icio.us
+ Stumble Upon
+ Technorati
+ Furl
+ Ma.gnolia

A few other ways

+ Blogging - Will bring traffic to your site
+ E-newsletters - You can send e-newsletters to your current contact list and clients you want to work with.
+ Forums - Tooting on forums can bring great returns. Like getting into books, articles, interviews, clients, etc. Just look at me!

Many thanks to Cal for all his work and generosity in sharing!

In closing, just a few more tiny bits of advice:

• Work on your self-promotion just as hard as you do your creative work. It will pay off, trust me!

• Make sure you get some official boilerplate from the organization you worked for. This will save you a little time and a lot of grief when writing.
• Remember when I said you should have some scans and copies of your work? You can submit high rez JPGs and TIFFs with your release if you’d like. (this is especially useful for billboards and high-end promotional items, and especially nice with online publications) Not all places will accept them, but it never hurts to ask.
• Do NOT send your release and then forget about it. Marketing is about give and take; you need to follow up with an email or a phone call when possible. If you feel uncomfortable calling people to promote yourself, this is a great opportunity to learn how to do it. Remember - these people want a good story — they NEED a good story. You’re trying to help them find one!
• On the same note, don’t stalk the media. If they didn’t run your story about writing fortune cookie notes for the local Catholic Bake Sale, don’t call and ask why they don’t love you. Believe me when I tell you that media-stalkers who call or email nonstop, are pushy and aggressive, and make life hard for the press will be blacklisted. Be friendly, courteous and honest; and they’ll return the favor.
• When your media releases get published, make sure you collect and file them in your portfolio.

Marketing yourself is a great tool to polish your writing and sales skills, and it adds that extra dash of credibility to your portfolio. Like I said at the very top of this article, your self-promotion is the cherry atop your mound of yummy design skills. And the best part is, you can talk about yourself all day long! What could be better than that?

Up next: A walk down memory lane: a rehash of the Working Pro Bono Series. Join me as we bring a chapter to a close and open a few new doors for you to peek through!

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

When I started out as a freelance designer, it was based on personal need; I’d been unceremoniously canned from a job after I taught a bubbly marketing co-worker how to use Illustrator. My boss had said “You should teach her everything you know, and in return she can teach you everything she knows!” I probably should have known something was up when I realized that she wasn’t teaching me any marketing skills, but I was young and stupid. The moment she learned the rudimentary bones of the design software, I was sailed off the back steps. There were official reasons, of course, and in the end I found myself walking out of the building, box of personal items in hand and a slightly dazed look of bewilderment on my face.

So, I took two things with me from that job; a complete list of business contacts in the area and a severance check that bought me the Adobe Design Suite for my newly purchased iMac. The business of self-employment and self-promotion I learned along the way. I made some horrible choices and some excellent ones, landed some regular customers, occasional freelance jobs, random contracts, and eventually worked my way back into mainstream jobs with non-profits or low-profits. I took the long way around and have the scars to prove it.

Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to read the rest of this post with the absolute comfort that each of the following scenarios has occurred to me, and I made equal amounts of craptastic choices and good conscientious ones. In short, I’m not telling you anything theoretical. All of these things happened to me. Listen and learn.

Pitfall One: Being afraid
I set up the meeting, showed the portfolio, got the appropriate wows and was asked to build a series of web graphics. Ecstatic that I was actually working, I drafted up a quickie contract and bid and shipped it off. They called and said “well, sounds about right.” They didn’t sign the contract, but I was afraid that if I pressed the issue they wouldn’t hire me. The web graphics job started at four graphics, bloated to eight, then ten, then sprouted rollovers, animated buttons, revisions, and a complete scrap and redesign. All along the way I was frightened to say “we need to talk about the price” because I thought they’d refuse to pay for the work, or worse - not use my graphics. In the end, I got paid 200 dollars for 40 hours of work (the real number of hours was closer to 80). The website ran for four years, generating close to a million dollars in revenue.

Lesson learned? Fear is a useless commodity. If you undertake a pro bono project, you are offering your skills for temporary usage. Don’t be tempted to pad the project out of fear of rejection or your own feelings of inadequacy, and especially don’t give in to those “camel in the tent” situations. If you feel manipulated, threatened or just plain worried that they won’t like you, then you’re thinking about them a lot more than they’re thinking about you. This story also involves failure to sign a contract; I might as well have handed them the keys to my house. Your pro bono contract is your shield and sword, and will keep you from fear, apprehension and project creep.

Pitfall Two: The Jesus Complex
I was hired as a theatre director for a kids group in my early dewy youth. When I was introduced to the board of directors, it was as a shining beacon of hope, cradling between my hands some renewed sense of purpose for all; a mighty rock by which they could strengthen the world. They had lost two other people before me, both of which promised to do great things and failed miserably. According to them, I was the solution to their woes. In the span of a year, I went from saviour to the source of all evil, mainly because I was unable to bring in enough money to keep the place afloat. Never mind that I was literally given a zero budget, no resources and a group of kids so jaded they knew I was being fired before I did. I had been placed so high on the pedestal that the fall proved fatal, and I basically had to pack my bags and leave town as yet another failed promise.

Lesson learned? If you take a project and are heralded as the ultimate solution to the woes of an organization, take rapid stock of the situation and decide if you wish to continue. Any group that will hang its entire hope on a new logo or new website is an organization looking for the next person to blame for their failure to thrive. Be very clear that your efforts will enhance their business, but not save it. I’ve said this before: any organization that clutches at you will eventually drag you under as well.

Pitfall Three: Stupid choices yield poor results
This is pretty broad, but it’s important. I was referred to a very small job: designing a small 200×70 pixel graphic for a very small website. It was just one little graphic, but the man running the site was pretty well-connected within the business community and I thought it was an excellent way to showcase my work to a broader audience. So I wrote up a bid and a tiny contract saying I’d generate three or four ideas for him.

About ten minutes after that email went out, I received a phone call from the client. “C’mon,” the guy said “I’m not gonna sign a contract for something like this…it’s just a quick graphic.” It was my second or third freelance gig and I was more concerned about getting a good reputation as an easy to work with designer. So I let it slide. A few days later I sent him four samples, each with the word “SAMPLE” across the front.

The phone rings again. “C’mon, now… I can’t tell if I like them with that big word across the front, and I need to see how it looks on the website.” Once again, I helpfully took the security off my files and mailed them back. Magically he stopped returning my calls, and, equally mysterious in nature, all four of my images showed up on his website. When I finally heard from him, his email reply was “I feel like 65 dollars for a single graphic is too much, so I am paying you 45 dollars and keeping all the files. Thank you.”

Lesson here? Pretty self-explanatory, but the first is to follow protocol, which includes signing a contract, securing your files and not bending to anyone who finds your complex desire for contracts and design plans absurd. If an organization which you intend to do pro bono work with laughs at your contract, politely and positively discuss why a contract is beneficial to all involved. If the laughter turns into refusal, then say “Thank you for the time you’ve given me, and I wish your company the very best,” then pick up your things and depart the building. If they demand that you give them source files, multiple samples, non-protected imagery or fonts, then point them to the contract and ask them if they wish to continue or not. Keep in mind that you’re offering a service, and if you don’t value it, nobody else will, either.

Pitfall Four: Death by Committee
This one is pretty long, but it’s vital. Remember the story of my firing at the very beginning of this page? It was my first experience working with a committee-style work environment. It sounds ludicrous, but it’s dead truth; I found myself with six supervisors. Any design, any brochure, any logo was to be approved by all six of these people. I literally found myself running around the building with a sign-off sheet begging for people to approve the latest revision, which would then return to the big boss, who would axe the edits made by the other six people, and then demand that I send it back around. It was a hell mercifully cut short by my firing (remember how I said that there were official reasons? One of them was “inability to produce materials in a timely fashion.”) Since then, I’ve learned quite a bit about swimming the shark-infested waters of design-by-committee.

Lesson learned? If the organization you’re working for has 14 people on their “Design Committee,” then don’t work with the committee. If this sounds absurdly simple, remember your contract, which states that they should provide a single point of contact for you to work through. Let them wrangle and finagle meetings of 14 people without you. This serves two purposes: they will have to come to a consensus before they deal with you, saving a lot of time on drafts and revisions, and it also keeps you from being considered an employee. You’re a guest at this table; don’t become such a familiar face that they ask you to bring the donuts and coffee.

That being said, you will have to meet all of the committee members, and usually at the very first meeting about the project. Be kind; realize that many non-profit (and some for-profit) employees are terrified of making decisions alone for fear of being blamed if things go sour, and be merciful. Rescue these folks from themselves. Don’t ask if they want to “throw out ideas” or if they’d like to “make suggestions before we start.” This is like tossing chickens into a pit of alligators. You’ll never get out of the room alive.

Instead, say something like “Has this committee discussed the website/logo/design item?” Nine times out of ten they will all look at each other uncomfortably; nobody expected homework. When you see this look, you can say “Well - I’ve created a questionnaire -” and hand a single copy to your Point of Contact. “And if you all work together, I’ll have a clear idea of your opinions and ideas.” Spend the remainder of this first meeting giving a project overview, a timeline and due dates. Don’t take more than 20 minutes. At the close of this meeting, make it clear that you will only need to meet with a few select staff at the next meeting (or even just the point of contact). Save the next full committee meeting for your in-person concept presentation.

These are the four major pitfalls of working - either for free or for pay - that I’ve had the joy and shame of experiencing myself. There are a host of smaller ones I’ve picked up through the years, like never taking more than three copies of a design, regardless of how many people are in the room; using designspeak in a roomful of nondesigners; treating yourself like a subordinate through self-deprecating humor; always remembering to dress like the people you’re working with at any meeting you may have.

I invite you to chime in with your “lessons learned.” Let your painful experiences light the way for some newbie, folks…because it is only through sharing our trials that we can avoid the pitfalls we’d never see on our own.

That’s it for me. Thanks for listening and feel free to share your stories. I look forward to them.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

Your desire to do pro bono work is testament to the type of person you are: compassionate, enterprising, willing to learn, teach and grow.

This combination of admirable qualities is guaranteed to get you in trouble in your professional life. Trust me on this; no matter how clean and pure your creative well is, there’s somebody out there ready to pee in it.

Everybody has their horror stories about the client who wouldn’t pay, or the one who wouldn’t go away, or the ones who wanted to keep you forever. And keep in mind that these people are paying customers (except the ones who don’t). Tragically, most of these stories end with the same question and answer:

“Did you have a contract?”

“Well….no.”

Remember our mantra “Always get something back?” A contract is the 250-pound bodyguard that allows you to get yours. It’s a warm blankie that keeps you from getting frozen out. It’s the cease-fire that keeps you from getting shot. It’s the pet goldfish that never has to be flushed. Your creative brief should be cheery, happy and helpful. Your concept presentation should be a joyous hippie-fest of naked love.

But your pro bono contract should have teeth…at both ends. Your contract should be attached to a project agreement that details exactly what you’re doing for this organization. And by “details exactly” I mean that you should have an intricate explanation of the project, starting with the overall idea and working down to the nitty-gritty. “Build a website” and “design a logo” are not acceptable. “Creation of ten to twelve webpages, including a Welcome Page, About Us, Contact Page, 404 page, etc.” and “Create an identity package including a logo and corresponding letterhead, flexible second-page, business card and envelope,” is probably a good start.

You may feel like you’re over-reaching when you produce a contract for your project. You might even feel like you’re not “big enough” for one. Get that idea out of your head once and for all. Contracts protect your client from making the embarrassing mistake of thinking you’re an employee. They affix a concrete monetary amount to the endeavor. They keep the money on their side of the table and the creative expression on yours. Most importantly they allow you both to land on your feet and walk away if things go wrong.

The following is a sample contract for pro-bono work. Special thanks to Catherine Morley of BoDo and Designers Who Blog, Faith Martin, Calvin Lee of Mayhem Studios, who were generous with their experience. It is, by nature, a generic contract and should be adopted and adapted. I know it looks lengthy, but think of it like a bath towel at the gym; in a roomful of people you’ll always end up wishing for more than less.

Pro Bono Project Agreement

The individual providing services will be (Insert Name Here), referred to in this contract as “the Creative.” If the Creative is working with a team of other professionals, then all information will be communicated through the Creative. All efforts will be made to provide appropriate and successful solutions to meet the communication needs of the organization.

One member of the Company is to be assigned as sole liaison between the Creative and client. This person is (insert name here). In case of communication delay or difficulty, the secondary contact is (insert name here).

A Creative Brief compiled, approved and signed by all members of the Design Team will be required to provide insight into the criteria used to provide the solution. All members of staff that desire creative input will be required to attend any meetings where concepts or comprehensives are presented.

The designer reserves the right to present concepts and/or comprehensives to the assembled staff in person.

A project budget must be submitted to the designer before work can begin.

A total project or monthly time-cap will be determined for this project. The project will end upon the date specified in the contract under the production timeline. Exceptions will be determined on a per project basis.

The number of original concepts presented and revisions provided for this project will be agreed upon before work commences.

Agreed-upon number concepts for Project: (insert quantity here).

After a concept is selected, the revision process begins. Revision is defined by the Creative as a variation which constitutes a significant change to the form, content, or components of the selected concept.

NOTE: revisions are a natural part of the design process, but excessive revisions creates an endless loop between the Creative and the Organization, and may lead to a project stall. The Creative agrees to notify the organization if the project revision process is approaching a stall point, upon which the project will be halted until the Creative and the Organization determine the best course of action.

Agreed-upon number revisions for chosen concept: (insert quantity here).

Project Name:
Date Requested:
Project Manager:
Primary Contact:
Secondary Contact:
Business Address:

Additional Contributors (if any):
Photographer:
Copywriter:
Programmer:
Illustrator:
Printer:

Estimated commercial cost of project based on the Design Brief: $0000.00

Design & Layout: Pro Bono

Project Hours Estimate: (# of estimated hours) @ ($ 00.00) per hour.

All project estimates are solely dependent on the organizations ability to provide the necessary project material in the format requested and in a timely fashion.

Purchase of any fonts, third-party services and stock artwork used in the final concept will be billed to the organization.

Printing fees: paid for by (name of organization)

Specifics from Creative Brief

Project Objectives:
Distribution:
Creative Considerations:
Look and feel desired:
Current organization colors are:
Current Organization Fonts:

Production Specifications & Schedule

Submission of materials to the Creative: Rules and Guidelines.
Please read the following rules and guidelines carefully. Failure to comply with these requirements may delay your project.

Text

Please deliver all text based information as a text-only word processing file prepared as follows:

• Open and Save a document in your word processing program in the text-only format (.txt)
• Type all information as one file (don’t use text boxes).
• Do not use: Indents, Tabs, Underlines, extra spaces or symbols.
• Specialized symbols, like accent marks, tildes, or scientific designators are an exception to the rule and the Creative should be notified of their usage and supplied with a print-version of select symbols.
• Space once after a period.
• Please use Courier, Arial, or Times New Roman for your text.
• Utilize or signify appropriate capitalization, punctuation, bold, or italics.
• Double-space or triple-space between paragraphs or other sections you wish to be set apart or formatted in a special manner.
• Put notations or instructions in where necessary. For instance: (Empty page) (Form goes here) (Photo to be provided as digital, hard copy or whatever may apply) etc.
• Please provide a hardcopy proof of your text for comparison purposes.

The Creative is not responsible for ensuring proper grammar, spelling or citation of references. Please have your team provide proofreading and quality control for all text.

Graphics

Graphics may be submitted on a Compact Disc or via email. Please read the following guidelines for submission carefully.

If your project is Web-based:

The following formats and qualities are acceptable for Web usage:

• Photos - original professionally developed and printed hard copies
• Digital Camera - medium quality or higher.

Formats that are appropriate or can be converted for print media are

• TIFF, JPEG, EPS, GIF, PNG
• Files from vector-programs such as Illustrator, Freehand or CorelDraw
• Files from raster-program files such as Photoshop.

If your project is print-based:

The following formats and qualities are acceptable:

• Photos - original professionally developed and printed hard copy.
• Digital Camera - Highest resolution available

Formats that are appropriate or can be converted for print media are

• TIFF, uncompressed JPEG, EPS
• Files from vector-programs such as Illustrator, Freehand or CorelDraw
• Files from raster-program files such as Photoshop.

Graphics files embedded in word processing files (including Word, Powerpoint, PDF, Publisher, Excel or Keynote are incompatible formats and will be rejected. Graphics files from Websites, camera phones or screen captures are unacceptable and will be rejected.

Deliverables = content, graphics, photographs or information needed to complete the project. Please be aware that pro bono work must be a secondary consideration when scheduling work. If the schedule below does not seem realistic and you feel you will need more time, please note an alternate schedule date next to the suggested schedule date.

Deliverables from (name of organization): (date)

(Print Jobs Only) Delivery of Digital Files to Printer:

Final Delivery of digital files and/or (other project items) to (name of organization):

Completion/delivery of project: The estimated completion date of this project is:

Legal Requirements

Editor’s Note: Laws are not the same everywhere; check your state or government guidelines to ensure you’re not infringing on any rules!

Client assumes all responsibility for use of any artwork, copyrighted material or trademark/s provided by the client or by direction or request of the client to the designer for use in the project.

(Initial here______)

Signed proofs protect the Organization and Creative equally, and are required before work can be completed. The Client agrees to accept responsibility for reviewing text for grammatical and spelling errors, fact-checking, color and image approval.

(Initial here ______)

(Print Jobs Only) There may be slight color variations between proofs and finished jobs. Final color is dependent upon the printing equipment and paper stock used. (Laser is not as accurate as Offset. Designated color-matching systems, such as Pantone can be specified, but not always duplicated on laser printers).

Reproduction rights:

Any work of the designer, whether original or using previously established design elements, is considered a new work of art and therefore sole rights to that art and all native electronic files (ie: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Quark Xpress or Pagemaker) remain the sole property of the designer. If a creative proposal is not accepted as presented, the artwork, whole or in part remains the legal property of the designer.

The designer hereby grants that the following conditions shall apply to this project:

(Editor’s note: this is a great place to specify exactly what you’re giving and what you’re keeping in regards to rights, below are a few samples; you may need to tweak them depending upon the type of work you’re doing.)

(Initial here______)

REPRODUCTION OF WORK:

__ The client assumes full reproduction rights upon completion of the project.

__ One-time reproduction rights for the specified project, at the agreed fee, are granted to the client. Any other usage must be negotiated.

__ All reproduction rights on the copyrighted work are retained by the designer. The work may not be reproduced in any form without consent from the designer.

__ The designer retains personal rights to use the completed project and any preliminary designs for the purpose of design competitions, future publications on design, educational purposes and the marketing of the designer’s business. Where applicable the client will be given any necessary credit for usage of the project elements.

The Designer reserves the right to use examples of this project in portfolios, design publications, educational materials, competitions and for marketing purposes. When used for these purposes and where applicable, the client will be given credit for usage of the project elements.

(Initial here______)

Credit Line: A “Design & Layout by Xxxx” credit line may be inserted (at the discretion of the creative) on the publication or Website in an appropriate location.

(Initial here______)

Client-supplied hard copy photographs will be returned upon completion of the project. In addition, all photographs, text, and concepts originating with the Organization remain the property of the Organization

All preparatory materials purchased or created for use in the project remain the property of the Creative.

In the event that the Creative and the Organization conclude that the project has reached a point where continuance is no longer desirable, this project is subject to a mutually agreed upon termination. In the event of cancellation of this assignment, ownership of all concepts, sketches, programming and revisions shall be retained by the designer.

Acceptance of agreement: The above, specifications and conditions are hereby accepted. The Creative is authorized to execute the project as outlined in this agreement. Proposal is accepted as outline above.

Client’s signature_____________________

Creative’s signature_________________________

Date ______/______/______

And that’s about it. Tune in next time as we address common and not-so-common issues that may arise while working with your client, problem-solving, troubleshooting and ways to get what you need when you need it. Ciao for now, and stay dedicated to getting something back!

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This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

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Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro bono

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Hello, I’m the Pro bono Camel!

Um…hello? What are you doing with your head in my tent?

What, me? Oh, well you offered to help me out here by letting me into your campsite, but it’s a wee bit cold out here, so I figured I’d just get my nose out of the cold.

Oh, sure! By all means! Let me just move some things around…wait a minute…I see a hoof in the tent, too.

Oh, shucks…yeah…my right hoof is kind of cold. Do you mind?

Um…no, I guess not…

Good! We’re getting along smashingly! Of course, it seems silly to have one hot hoof and one cold hoof. I’ll just slide the other one in here. Can you make some room?

Well, um…it’s a small tent, Mr. Camel…

Are you saying that one hoof is fine, but both are too much? C’mon…

Well, I guess…wait a minute…there’s a LOT more of you in here…

My hoofs are attached to the front half of me, silly! Ooch over…and is there enough coffee for everyone?

Um, let me check the pot…

Lovely! My, what a nice painting! I can’t quite see all of it though…let me just….

Whoa whoa whoa…um…you’ll have to back up a bit. I can’t have all of you in here at once!

Really? It doesn’t SEEM crowded. And we love your work! Do you have any more? And I won’t say no to one of those powdered donuts.

Wait…wait a sec. I’m good with the nose and the hoofs, but the rest of you isn’t gonna fit in here.

I seem to be very cozy, thanks for worrying about me. Are the powdered donuts fresh?

They…uh…well, they’re powdered donuts…I don’t think they’re actually fresh ever.

Oh, too bad. Maybe you should run to the store for more. You’ll have to leave from the other side of the tent, though. No room in here…you should have thought about that before inviting me in, silly tent-dweller!

Has this ever happened to you? Probably not, unless you’re living in a tent near a high camel-traffic area. But if you’ve ever taken on a client, you’ve invariably dealt with the dreaded “project creep”. Perhaps it’s a logo redesign that turns into stationery and business cards, or a website that suddenly needs a shopping cart.

With a paying client, you have some leverage over project creep by charging extra for extra services. But unless you take charge, pro bono work has no built-in defense systems. And as a result, you’ll hear horror stories about the free project that ended up costing a fortune, either in lost time or actual money. Worst of all, any attempt to push the project back into its original confines is often met with disbelief and anger; after all, you were the one who offered to help in the first place, right?

The solution to the camel in the tent scenario is simple: build a fence. The solution to pro bono project creep is the well-defined contract. Before you put pen to paper or mouse to the pad, create your contract. Outline exactly what you’re willing to do as well as contingencies for any additional work. Don’t leave anything open to chance.

You might be saying “gee, a contract? But I’m only writing a few press releases.” or “I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle…I’m only refreshing their old logo, and besides, I’m not really a professional yet.” This thinking is pure rubbish and you know it; it’s the creative equivalent of handing a car thief your keys and saying “Now don’t steal it, please.”

If you don’t value your time, nobody else will. A contract is a visible, tangible expression of both your creative value as well as a proclamation of how much respect you give to your client. It’s also excellent practice for those clients who will one day pay you cold hard cash.

For example, if you agree to write a series of press releases, first decide exactly how many press releases, how long it should take to write them and when and where they’ll be released. Give yourself a due date on every single one and add a few extra hours for editing and wrapup. If your potential client makes decisions by committee, demand a single representative of your pro bono client as your liaison. Create an escape clause that allows you to end your work arrangement if you find yourself incompatible. Put a pricetag on your work to let them know they’re receiving a commodity as valuable as anything else in the world bought or sold. In short, prepare for rain while the sun shines, and you’ll never get wet.

There’s an old saying in the business world: Contracts protect everyone. Nevertheless you may find yourself at the end of a cold hard stare when you present your local volunteer rose pruning society a three page contract outlining the particulars of branding their annual tea party. People view contracts with distrust because so many of them are evil convoluted creatures (the contracts, not the people)

Your solution here is to make your contract as readable, as transparent, as you can make it. There’s no need to say “The party of the first part, hereinafter known as the Designer, agrees to create a physical representation of the organization of the party of the second part, hereinafter known as the LadyBugs Rose Pruners of Greater Wagga Wagga…” when simply saying “I, the Designer, agree to the creation of a marketable identity for the LRPGWW, and agree to do the following work…” will do just fine.

Present your contract, offer to explain or detail anything in question, and then have everybody sign it. And by sign it, I mean SIGN IT. Don’t fax it over, email it by or leave a copy in the mailbox. And if the LRPGWW will not sign your contract, don’t work for them.

There are some great resources out there in regards to contracts. This site has examples; so does Creative Latitude. Good contracts, like clothing, require tailoring to your specific needs. Don’t over complicate and don’t undercut yourself. Remember your most powerful tool is your gut instinct. Remember that your contract keeps you safe and makes for a healthy relationship for all involved. If you doubt that, remember there’s a coffee-drinking, powdered donut eating camel ready to move into your tent. And nobody wants that.

Except the camel.

Next time, We’ll have a sample pro bono scenario and a contract to match. Stay tuned!

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

Invisible necktie? What’s an invisible necktie? The invisible necktie separates you from the crowd of speculative designers, designers just having fun, and pimply teens wielding a copy of Photoshop Elements with a song in their heart. The invisible necktie is the professional attitude that takes you from the corner of your dorm room or attic-corner flat, to a steel-and-glass office space with a window. Or, if you prefer, a flat overlooking the Thames.

The Invisible necktie is a mindset and a process. A professional process. And it’s doubly important with a pro bono client.

Many designers tend to approach their process only from the design point-of-view - sketch out some roughs, whip up a comp, do the production and “bill ‘em, Dan-O”. They may have even been taught this method in school. But, truth be told, it’s a bit myopic. The business part is being separated from the design part, when, in reality, they’re both part of the project. Also in that mix is how you work with other professionals. Quoted from Neil Tortorella’s Power of the Process

Okay, I’ve meandered long enough on the importance of the invisible necktie. Let’s find out how to tie one on.

Arrange an initial meeting: You gathered a good chunk of info from your initial research; now it’s time to get the inside scoop. Set aside anywhere between thirty minutes to an hour to meet with your pro bono client. In the initial meeting you’ll clarify information about the client’s background, what they’re trying to accomplish, the scope of their project and their overall goals. Use this time to gather additional information about their current audience and the audiences they’d like to capture, the names of their competition, any and all available resources, budgeting and timetable for completion.

BoDo has a list of project worksheets available here, and you can also find good resources at Creative Latitude and Creative Business.

It is at this initial meeting that you should discuss how (and how often) you plan to communicate with your clients. This is a chance for you to set your comfort levels and take control over your own accessibility. That’s right, at the first meeting. Often, in a feel good situation such as a pro bono, your first impulse is to hand over your telephone number and say “Call me when you need me!” Seriously, take a step back and ask yourself if you want your clients to call you at 6 a.m., noon, 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and midnight just because they wanted to add one more thing.

Ever hear of the phrase “familiarity breeds contempt?” If you make yourself constantly available, your pro bono client will mistake you for a tool instead of a craftsperson. Suddenly, that questionnaire you introduced doesn’t need to be filled out, because they can get it to you tomorrow. That vital information for the website? It can wait…you’re gonna be there tomorrow – right? Don’t make this error, or you’ll be chasing and wasting your own precious time. Budgeting your availability makes you a more valuable resource, and it reinforces the importance of deadlines for required materials. Here’s a sample layout that has worked for me:

• Three in-person meetings.
• One scheduled phone call per week (maybe two, depending on the scope of the project.
• A weekly email update to confirm your progress, and
• availability via email with a guaranteed response of some kind, perhaps even saying “You’ll always hear something back from me by the next working day.”

2. Conducting preliminary competitive and audience research for the proposal. This is the hardest part for newly minted creatives. Sometimes you just want to strap on your helmet and make a rush for the finish line, ideas flying from your head. Once again, you need to take some time and find out who your client is. This is also a chance to educate your client on the value of preliminary research gathering. Whip up a questionnaire that’s not too long, not too short, and then ask your client to fill it out to the best of their abilities. Sample questions might include the following:

• What is the current attitude towards your existing website/logo/promotional materials from the outside world?
• What do your employees think of your materials? Not just the administrators and managers, but all levels of employees.
• Name some of your favorite creative websites/promo ideas and provide samples or web addresses.
• What do you want to keep the same or have to keep the same?

Again, check out the forms on http://www.businessofdesignonline.com/downloads-forms/, Creative Latitude and Creative Business for ideas.

While you’re waiting for them to return the questionnaire, you should fill out one of your own. Look around at similar organizations that appeal to you and to others. Do footwork and gather materials of your own.

3. Find out who your team is. If you’re lucky, you won’t be alone in this project. Most not for profit organizations have marketing or public relations people who like nothing more than to help. They’re usually the same people who wait years for the higher-ups to approve changes to their existing logos, written materials or websites. Seek them out and become their compatriots in this endeavor. It will help you tremendously in the long run.

If your client doesn’t have a team formed, explain to your contact that even though the project is not yet underway, the formation of a team is vital to gathering information needed to create an informed proposal. Here’s the list:

Team Leader: Responsible for gathering answers to the questionnaires, serves as a first point of contact for all questions about the overall project. The best team leader is someone you can call on, when the project needs a kick in the pants.

Technical Support: If you’re designing a website, you want a well-informed IT member willing to sit in and outline the capabilities of the organization. The best IT person is someone who can translate tech speak for all those involved.

Quality Control: Usually a PR or marketing person that makes sure the information you’re receiving is accurate and in tune with the needs of the organization. The best person here is someone willing to review everything before it gets to you, not after you’ve printed it.

Budget and Finance: This is usually a silent teammate, but make sure someone is available to provide a clear and constant reminder that money is not infinite. Nothing’s worse than having a team leader ask you for a 30-foot billboard only to find out they can only afford a homeless guy with a cardboard sign.

Your side of the table is a lot more fluid. That’s a very pretty way of saying that you may end up being the only person there. But if you’re fortunate and your nonprofit client has the resources, you should prepare and submit requests for quotes from project associates such as photographers, writers, printers, that are willing to get involved. If you’re lucky enough to have a team ready to help out, it will bolster your client’s confidence in the project as well as create a network of people that will benefit from your involvement. Suddenly your friend the photographer has equal access to the publicity and potential clients, and they’ll return the favor one day.

4. Preparing your proposal and agreement: By this time you should have your questionnaires from your client, your own research and your invisible tie ready to go. Sit down and draft out your plan for the project. Proposals should be like a lady’s skirt; long enough to cover the important bits and short enough to garner some interest. Don’t use the words ‘revolutionize,’ ‘maximize,’ ‘energize,’ ‘revitalize’ or any words that end in -ize. Don’t talk down about the existing materials…chances are somebody in the room approved all that information once upon a time. Be brief and clear. If you’re designing a new logo, don’t “seek to maximize the potential of the client by pioneering a new identity to propel their goods and services into the future.” Try saying something like “Create an identity that is in tune with the new goals of the organization.” Create a timetable that works for you as well as your client, with enough wiggle room to either save you when the project drags or make you look like a hero for getting the project done early.

When you’re done, check with your potential client to make sure you’ve got all the necessary information and that you’re on the right track, then make a dozen copies, stuff’em in your briefcase with the rest of your research and go to step 5.

5. Arrange for your proposal presentation meeting. By this time, you should have your questionnaires gathered. Call up your point of contact or team leader and say. “I’m ready for the proposal presentation. When can you see me?” And you know what the best thing is? You will be. So cinch up that invisible necktie and walk through the front doors. Make your presentation. Once again, remember our lady’s skirt analogy; don’t bog them down in tech-speak. Bring samples but don’t explode your research all over the table. Outline what you’ve discovered and recap what your client has given you. Allow time for questions and answer them as well as you can.

Quick tip: If you don’t have an answer during this meeting, don’t lie. Example: a company I worked for hosted two proposals for a project. The first contractor’s reply to any question he didn’t have an answer for was “We can do that.” Imagine our surprise when “we can do that,” actually meant “We can do that, but we’ll charge you twice as much and it may not actually work.” The second contractor was a little less flashy, a little more cautious, and unafraid of saying “I don’t have a ready answer for that, but I can find you one.” That honesty that won him the contract.

After you finish this meeting, don’t be afraid if you don’t hear an answer right away. All projects are risky, and your client will want a chance to hear feedback from their team without you. Shake hands, say thank you, ask when you might expect a response, then head home and recap what worked, what didn’t and what was unexpected. Get answers to those questions that you didn’t expect and send them on to your contact person with a thank you note (by email or in print is best - that way the information can be shared.)

At this point, you’ll be surprised to know that your work is done. You have done just as much work and put forth just as much effort as any marketing/branding/advertising/design firm in the world on any project. If they pass on your offer, you’ve lost nothing but fifty sheets of paper and a little gas money. You can ask them to provide some feedback on why the project wasn’t picked up, but don’t press the issue; you’ve already gained immense knowledge in how to create a proposal. In the end, you are your own best judge. Pick up your newfound skills and find another pro bono project.

But if you DO get the call saying “we’d like to start immediately,” then you’re in for an equally wild ride. Strap yourself in and go to step 6, which is…

6. Sign your contract. Wait a minute…you don’t have a contract? Well…well, I never… *sigh* Now I’m going to have to write a whole column about why you need a contract for pro bono work…you better be lucky that I like y’all as much as I do. Stay tuned for the epic story of The Camel in the Tent: or Why You Need a Contract for Pro Bono work.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro bono

If you’re like me, you’re probably a busy person. Between that cup of vaguely foul coffee in the morning to the evening glass of water, wine or fudge ripple ice cream, your day is rife with strife.

Get up, get cleaned, shave whatever your society dictates should be smooth, jump in the car/grab the bus/get on the camel/in the canoe, combat traffic (are there camel-jams? I’m sure there are) struggle through work/school/daytime stress, make that mad fervent dash for lunch, try to schedule some bathroom time, fight the good fight for the cheap buck and do it all in reverse after the noon hour.

So, in honor of those who already work themselves ragged and still say “sure, I’ll do some pro bono…where can I find some?” Here’s your resource list.

Volunteer Organizations

This is a no-brainer. Remember the volunteer vs. pro bono conversation? While they’re not the same thing, they’re good bedfellows. A little advice though: the larger the organization, the more likely they’ve got their own design resources. In other words, don’t call up your local Red Cross and offer to redesign their logo.

You could spend days searching for the right group to work for; fortunately there are plenty of design industry groups on the web that have done a lot of the footwork for you.

Design Industry Specific Volunteer Groups:

• CreateAthon® A 24-hour, work-around the clock creative blitz during which local advertising agencies generate advertising services for local nonprofits that have little or no marketing budget.
• Designers Without Borders Founded in Kampala, Uganda in 2001 in response to the need for assistance at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts. DWB continues to deliver technology, instruction, and design consulting to schools and select non-profits in Africa.
• Design for the World An international humanitarian organization whose objective is to match the skills and commitment of volunteer designers with the needs expressed by disadvantaged populations and the organizations that serve them worldwide.
• Grassroots.org Provides nonprofit organizations with free valuable technologies and resources to increase their efficiency and productivity, and spreads important social information via a network of socially-focused websites.
• ICT Hub Suppliers Directory ICT connects voluntary and community sector organizations in England with suppliers of ICT products and services.
• iT4Communities Introduces volunteer IT professionals to charities needing IT help.
• Project M Founded by John Bielenberg, this group works to inspire young graphic designers, writers, photographers and other creative people that their work can have a positive and significant impact on the world. Their projects have taken them across America and the world.
• The Designers Accord A coalition of design and innovation firms focused on working together to create positive environmental and social impact.
• The Taproot Foundation Taproot asks volunteers to donate 3-5 hours per week on a 6-month pro bono project; most work is done virtually, with a weekly conference call with your team and one in-person meeting per month with your nonprofit client.
• WonderRoot An Atlanta-based non-profit organization committed to uniting artists and community to inspire positive social change.
• Worldstudio Foundation Guided by the belief that creativity holds enormous power for social change, Worldstudio Foundation offers both scholarships and mentoring for young creatives.

Volunteer Directories:

• energizeinc.com Websites for Volunteer Opportunities.
• Non-Profit Career Network: directory of Professional Services This directory contains a list of nonprofit organizations and their contact information in an easy access directory.
• The Australian Directory of Not for Profit Organisations Pro Bono Australia’s Directory of Not for Profit Organisations is designed to be used as a national guide to giving. It’s available online and as a booklet.
• The Global Directory Randy Tyler’s Global Directory of web sites that list online volunteer opportunities is organized by country of origin.

Volunteer Organizations:

• CoolPeopleCare A site that lists meaningful events in nearly every American city, including 5k runs, volunteer opportunities, lectures and fund-raising dinners.
• 1-800-Volunteer.org A national (US) database of volunteer opportunities powered by a volunteer management system for non-profits.
• idealist.org Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site for people and organizations to exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives.
• NetAid Educating, inspiring and empowering young people to fight global poverty. NetAid is an initiative of Mercy Corps.
• Online Volunteering Opportunities Provides an opportunity for the general community to participate in meaningful volunteer roles to enhance agency programs and services.
• Pro Bono Australia Volunteer Match is Pro Bono Australia’s specialized service matching skilled professional volunteers and not-for-profit organizations. (Check out their Australian Directory of Not for Profit Organisations).
• Media Trust Media Trust is a dynamic, innovative charity bringing together the media industry and charities.
• UNV Online Volunteering The Online Volunteering service connects development organizations and volunteers over the Internet and supports their effective online collaboration.
• Volunteering England Volunteering England’s mission is to support an increase in the quality, quantity, impact and accessibility of volunteering throughout England.
• VolunteerMatch: Pretty much defined by their name, VolunteerMatch is a U.S. - based site that brings people and volunteer opportunities together.
• Volunteer Match - Pro Bono Australia A specialized service matching Skilled Professional Volunteers and not-for-profit organisations in Australia.
• Volunteer NOW! Volunteering New Zealand.

Tip: Before you agree to donate time to a non-profit organization, make sure to do a little research at Charity Watchdog.

And if the shoe doesn’t fit in any of these categories…

…then head out on your own. No design organization in your area? Why don’t you start one with some classmates or fellow designers? Pool your resources and create a pro bono organization dedicated to serving local nonprofits and volunteer groups. The possibilities are there if you reach for them. It’s a great way to get experience in both networking and leadership skills, both of which look great on your resume.

Tip: If you don’t know where to start, Care2 supports an Action Alerts list.

Designer-Generated Projects:

• Beyond Graphic Are you beyond graphic?
• Blog Action Day One issue. One Day. Thousands of Voices.
• Building Letters Launched in 2003 by Jim Richardson, the group has donated profits from the sales of their 36-page magazine on African design to support two African orphanages for children with AIDS.
• Design Can Change Graphic designers unite to address climate change.
• ROSA LOVES ♥ Designed For Good A group of friends with a vision who want to make a real impact in this world.
• veggiebrands.com The first branding resource dedicated to those who own or work for vegetarian organizations, products, services and causes.

Funding for Designer-Generated Projects:

• Audi Design Foundation Seeks to encourage and empower designers by supporting and promoting designs that create a positive change in people’s lives.
• Sappi Limited - Initiatives | Sappi Ideas that Matter ‘Ideas that Matter’ is a program from the paper product giant that supports design for the public good. Monetary grants are available for designers throughout the world to create and implement projects that serve the causes that are closest to their hearts. In their words: “We want to encourage ideas that have the potential to change our lives, our communities, and our world.”

Design Organisations

Today I got an email from a printer with some color questions about a logo I designed. I asked her how she got the gig; she found it on her local design chapter job forum after a 30-second search! If you have a strong local or national design organisation that’s active in your area, you have access to a wealth of paid and pro bono opportunities.

Now there’s a caveat to this advice: Don’t EVER offer to do a paid job listed on these sites for free. That’s called “taking food out of someone’s mouth,” and if you try to pull that kind of stunt you’ll have to change your name and leave town in the middle of the night.

To find a design organisation in your area: Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is a good place to start, as is your local design school. Again, head for google and your local yellow pages.

Art Schools

I’m lucky enough to live in a region that’s chock full of universities, colleges and art schools. And these schools receive hundreds of requests for design or creative help every year. Google your community and find out where these schools are. Go have a look at their community announcement boards. Not everything is on the web, and the things that are posted on the Net receive exponentially more inquiries. Remember; you’re looking to help someone who needs to move beyond the photocopied flyer. An added bonus for those of you still in college: you might be able to take one of these jobs as an independent study for college credit.

Community Groups

I can’t say it enough: your local chamber of commerce is a source of good information for many industries in your area. Get in there (in person), grab a fistful of newsletters(new and old), and read up about your community. You’ll find events to promote, names to know and people to see. Find out when they have their next meeting. Become a member or just be a groupie. Take some business cards with you.

To find your local chamber: Googling’s a good start, but you can also use ChamberFind.com, or look in your local yellow pages.

Business and Social Networking Sites:

Finding a decent pro bono project will take networking to some degree (but you already knew that, right?). Businesses and business owners who frequent networking sites are your business target market, so it makes sense to go where they go, right? Put the word out that you are looking for a pro bono project and be clear exactly what that means. Plenty of networking sites are inundated with “special deals” that turn out to be spoofs or scams; word your intentions clearly so people know you’re one of the good guys.

If you want to increase your opportunities, consider joining one of the networks listed here. Mingle with like-minded professionals and find your perfect pro bono project. Who knows? You might accidentally end up with a paid job instead!

• Biznik Business Networking that Doesn’t Suck.
• Ecademy Free membership and guarantee of privacy makes Ecademy a good networking site
• Facebook I’ve just suggested a ‘Pro bono Designers’ network on FB and I’m waiting to see if they agree …
• Fast Pitch bills itself as “a one-stop shop to network and market your business.”
• Konnects Business Networking, Professional Network, Online communities.
• Linkedin An excellent site that allows you to connect with anyone you know, plus the opportunity to be introduced to those you don’t.
• Ryze business networking Ryze allows for business and social networking on one convenient site.
• Viadeo The business network chosen by Over 2 million professionals online. Available in Dutch, English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portugese
• ZaaBiz One of Australia’s leading networking platforms.
• Wikipedia List of social networking websites.

Finally, and most important to any pro bono enterprise, is to go where your heart takes you. Maybe you’ve got a child with a medical condition, or an illness of your own that needs more public awareness. Perhaps your neighborhood needs less crime and more playgrounds. Charity starts at home, and volunteerism leads to pro bono work. Lead from your heart, with your head in the right place, and you can’t lose.

Next up, Working With a Pro bono Client: Part One.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro bono

On any given day there are a ten thousand websites floating the latest, greatest way to identify a new client, market yourself successfully, or get ahead of competitors, regardless of your business of choice. Half those sites are focused on the small business owner. Some articles recommend marketing to a certain age group, or industry, or zodiac sign.

However you choose to conduct your business, one thing remains constant: seek out clients that will pay you for your work. Pro bono situations adhere to this rule as well. Yes, you’re not getting cash, but you are getting something (remember our mantra: always get something back?) in return.

Here’s a quick and dirty list of businesses and organizations that often ask for pro bono work:

• Religious Organizations (Some churches have social service arms that serve thousands or even millions of people)
• Churches (There are many definitions of a church. Some are better picks than others for pro bono work)
• Social Service Agencies (This is an umbrella term; once again, choose wisely)
• Foster Care Agencies (non-state funded)
• Adoption Agencies (that are not state-funded)
• Community Projects (Initiatives to build a neighborhood park or garden area)
• Community Theatres/Playhouses
• Public School Projects (United States educational systems are often woefully underfunded in the promotional areas. I’d love to know how it’s handled in other countries)
• After-School Programs (subsidized or unsubsidized)
• Shelters for Children/Adults/Animals

The list is not endless, but it is varied. I’d love to hear other people’s pro bono lists; I’m sure I left quite a few off. And your initial choice may be wholly dependent on your personal experience. Perhaps you’re a lucky adoptive parent, or someone whose faith and spirituality includes service to your church or community. Maybe your daughter or son is playing third spear-carrier from the left at the little theatre down the road, and they’re in need of a poster or a media release. When in doubt, remember that you’re more likely to do good work when it’s something you’re passionate about.

What Pro bono clients are not.

New Businesses are not pro bono clients: I can’t stress this enough. Looking through the latest information from the Small Business Administration (SBA) you can see that 33 percent of new employer establishments survive less than two years, while 56 percent survive less than four. Contrast these numbers with, say, your local Buddhist temple, part of an organization which managed to survive those first rough years in 500 BC and has since enjoyed 2,500 years of success, with 350 million clients worldwide. Whereas, if a small business owner is actively courting pro bono work, then they’re already operating on a very poor business model.

Similarly, competitions are not pro bono work. Any competition requiring the creation of new work for little or no reward should raise the red flag right away. Reputable design competitions are easy to spot because they focus on the submission of previous work. Examples include: American Inhouse Design Awards, European Design Awards, PRINT’s Regional Design Annual 2008, HOW Competitions and a new one, Logo Design Love Awards by David Airey (thanks Jeff!). Ethical competitions are incredibly fun, but they are not pro bono.

Finally, and most darkly, there is the murky world of speculative design. When we’re in the presence of our mom, we call it ’spec work,’ and when we’re amongst other designers we call it a host of nasty names. In a nutshell, spec work is the anti-pro bono; it’s where somebody decides that they’re going to hold a contest to see who can make the best logo for their business, with the compensation of…nothing, or even worse a free T-shirt with your logo on it. It’s like winning a cake that you baked because it was so darned pretty. If you see a business or non-profit holding a spec contest, here’s a tip: Make a logo, print it out, iron it onto a shirt and wear it around town. That way, you’ve already won.

What makes a good pro bono client?

There are a lot of places that could benefit from pro bono work. One of the easiest ways is to check out their website. An organization with a well-designed website chock full of excellent images, good text and a regularly updated information set is probably not your target, as they’ve got a working system in place. An organization with a hideous, poorly laid out design, misspelled text, stolen graphics and pop up windows might garner sympathy votes, but be wary; the condition of a website might be indicative of the entire organization.*

An organization without a website, or one with a well-intentioned MySpace page or blog is often a good prospect, as it shows desire if not technical proficiency. Visit their offices, request promotional materials, look at their public profile via newspapers or public service announcements. Talk to people about their experiences with various groups. Don’t fall into the trap of the pity-job that comes from groups that operate in the fringe of bankruptcy or have management nightmares. Any organization that can’t afford to make payroll is not a good prospect. A good pro bono prospect has organizational skills, good management and a dedication to good work like any for-profit organization. Charity, like volunteerism, is nice, but it’s not what you’re doing here.

After you’ve checked their web presence and any previous efforts in the creative field, you should determine if your potential pro bono client is receptive to assistance. Some organizations, especially larger ones, have very specific rules and regulations about their promotional efforts, including redesign or rebranding. Others have no pre-set rules and could benefit from them greatly. Your best bet is to start with their public relations person, marketing head or spokesperson. Some groups, especially churches or small non-profits, may not have a dedicated position in regards to marketing. In that case, it’s best to start at the top with the public face of the organization.

Send a letter stating your interest in their organization and a desire to help with pro bono work. Add your background, your resume and experience. Emphasize that you’re looking for experience and public service to your community. Show them samples of your work. Tell them you’ll be calling soon, and then call them up. Set up a meeting with them and bring your portfolio. Interview them just as much as they interview you; remember…you’re investing in this situation. Find out how much money they can put into this project. A website redesign is useless if they can’t afford to maintain it. Writing promotional copy is equally useless if they can’t cover the copy paper. Perhaps they’ll say yes or ask you for more information. Perhaps they’ll say no and take your card for another time. If you don’t land that first gig, then you’ve had a fabulous lesson in how to interview. Smooth out your interview suit and look for another opportunity.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it is! But it’s the same exact kind of trench-digging you’ll do when you’re looking for paid work. If you can aggressively pin down a free client, then a paid one should be no problem at all. Also, trust your own good instincts. A good pro bono client is like a melon. They shouldn’t be too hard-shelled and inflexible, nor should they be so mushy as to agree to everything you say. You should be able to smell the opportunity, and it should be sweet.

As this has been a long post, let’s rehash the important points:

• Seek out: pro bono clients offering a return
• Choose: a pro bono with similar passions as your own
• Pro bono prospects are not: new businesses, spec work or competitions
• Pro bono prospects are: non-profits (Religious Organizations, Churches, Social Service Agencies …)
• A spit polished non-profit: is a sure sign of being under the wing of a dedicated designer
• A poorly run non-profit: might be more than you bargained for, both in time and frustration
• A well run non-profit: has good organizational skills, trained management in place, and a dedication to good work
• Making contact with a non-profit: start with their public relations, marketing head or spokesperson, or the public face of the organization
• And lastly: treat a non-profit just as a for-profit - share your background, your resume and portfolio, set up a meeting to discover if there’s a fit.

Next up is a doozie of a list - Lead From Your Heart: Where to Find Pro-bono Work

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono