Charities eager to grow and become more efficient and effective need the skills that the private sector uses on a daily basis. Building a strategic or operations plan in the corporate world may be business as usual, but offering the same for a charity - instead of painting walls or stuffing envelopes - could have a huge impact. Give what you're good at and make a bigger impact on those you choose to help.
The impact executive volunteers, or "executeers", have on the work of charities can be far greater than normal volunteering. Building the capacity of an organisation so that they are more efficient and effective gives it the opportunity to do more of what it does best. The cumulative results of such highly skilled volunteering could multiply the impact voluntary organisations already have on the people and communities they serve.
Impetus has a long history encouraging executive volunteers to donate their day job skills to ambitious charities and social enterprises. Last year alone, executive volunteers within our extensive pro bono expert network donated more than £2.8m worth of skills to Impetus and the then 25 organisations in our portfolio. You can find out how some have shared their skills here.
This expertise, combined with unrestricted grants, carefully managed by Impetus investment directors, has shown to dramatically accelerate the number of people our charities can help.
Recently Impetus was awarded a significant grant as part of the Government's Social Action Fund, to provide hundreds of new opportunities for talented professionals to provide their highly valuable skills - to give what they're good at - to charities and social enterprises. We are calling for greater "executeering" throughout the UK to boost the capacity of voluntary organisations and increase their positive impact on society.
It is no secret that philanthropic giving is tied with the personal connection the donor has with a specific cause or organisation. And because we are passionate about asking everybody to think about how they can give what they're good at in addition to or instead of cash donations, we have partnered with the 1 Per Cent Campaign. This initiative encourages high-net-worth individuals to give not just money, but also time and expertise.
If you are looking for opportunities to help voluntary organisations in your area we can recommend visiting Do-It or Time Bank. If you do make a connection, then be sure to stress your willingness to use your professional skills to help where they need it most.
To submit your application to become part of the Impetus pro bono expert network of executive volunteers, please read more here. If you are interested in getting your entire company or team involved in our network and you work for an agency, consultancy or firm that provides business services, please learn more about our corporate partnerships.
If you want to volunteer your skills, but are too busy right now, why not subscribe to our newsletter? Twice a year you will learn more about how Impetus accelerates the growth of ambitious charities and social enterprises.
We have awarded Impetus Trust £310,000 from the Social Action Fund so that it can continue doing what it does well: helping more and more people out of poverty. This money will mean that it can recruit more skilled people and deploy them into charities that need their help, making a real difference across our communities.
Nick Hurd MP
Minister for Civil Society