Corporate Voluntarism Not Always a Boon for Nonprofits

Large-scale corporate service projects can be more of a burden than a blessing for recipient charities, The Boston Globe writes in an article detailing the pitfalls for nonprofits attempting to accommodate well-meaning businesses and hordes of volunteers.

Nonprofit leaders and experts say companies anxious to stage team-building exercises, appeal to socially minded young employees, or reap positive publicity often approach charities on short notice seeking opportunities for dozens of volunteers on a specific day or a particular time, with little sense of the nonprofit’s abilities, limitations, or needs.

Organizations loath to rebuff corporate sponsors and antagonize potential donors find themselves creating make-work projects and devoting significant staff time to them — and breathe a sigh of relief when they’re done, the Globe writes.