Will Carol Work for Free?
A list of Carol's Pro Bono Clients
2013
1. Anchor Point Counseling Ministry
Pittsburgh, PA, February 1, 2
2. Red Cross of America
Washington, DC, May 17 and 18
3. Junior League of St. Louis
St. Louis, MO, February 12
4. Center For Plant Conservation
Austin, Texas, April 3,4, 5
5. Boys and Girls Clubs
Temecula, CA, January 18, 19
6. The Optimist Club of Kansas City
Kansas City, MO, June 22
7. St. Paul Children's Foundation
Tyler, TX, April 4, 5
8. PACT: Helping Children with Special Needs
Baltimore, MD
9. United Way of Utah County
Provo, Utah, April 21, 22, 23
10. The World Affairs Council
St. Louis, MO, June
11.Christ Child Society of Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana, May 9
12. The Grace Children's Foundation
New York and China, TBD
THE RULES!
Question: How many free gigs do you do a year?
Answer: I decided to do 12.
Ultimately, I’m running a for-profit business and had to cap it at some number, and randomly chose 12. Donating approximately $40,000 worth of work seemed to be about all I could handle and still have time to shop, keep up my nails and go to movies with my sweetie. Also, this does not include my personal volunteer work outside of Board Builders. I currently sit on the boards of The Friends of the Children's Eternal Rainforest, Costa Rica and Trailnet plus my husband and I are "Bigs" for Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
Question: Are there any restrictions?
Answer: Of course.
If I get a full-paid job, I get to back out with-in three weeks of the scheduled date, so if you aren’t flexible, you are better off just either paying me out of your budget, looking for grant money, asking a board member to fund my visit or seeking other funding to bring me in. If I have to cancel, I will try to get you a replacement, but can’t guarantee it and if you are printing a program book, this might not be the right best route for you.
Question: Do you cancel very often?
Answer: About 50% of the time I have to reschedule.
A few times its taken 6 months of schedule changes between board commitments and my schedule to get a pro bono job completed. With a few clients I've had to reschedule as much as 3 or 4 times.
Question: Are there any exceptions to your cancelation policy?
Answer: Only one. And that is if I am doing a keynote to an audience of more than 200.
I realize it is very difficult to publicize your event. The other reason is that I totally ADORE doing large keynotes. Just chatting with 2000 of my nearest and dearest is my idea of a really, really good time. The one caveat is that I be allowed to sell books and that your recruit some volunteers to assist me. In return, the volunteers will receive the books of their choice.
Question: What kind of work are you willing to do for free?
Answer: I do the same kind of work pro bono as I do for full fee clients.
I do keynotes, board training, retreats and consulting.
Question: If you do a free retreat for us, do we get the same quality of work as if we were paying full freight?
Answer: Yes and no.
All the prep work is the same. I work absolutely as hard during the retreat, but you are responsible for writing a final report.
Question: Will you work for less than your customary fee?
Answer: No. It's fee or free.
I believe my fees are reasonable and fair. If you can’t afford me, I would be glad to recommend another speaker, consultant or facilitator who is less expensive. I’m frequently asked, “Are they as good as you are?” I always want to say, “Well, of course not” Usually, I bite my tongue and say, “Well, they are just starting out and that is why they charge less” Ultimately, you have three choices:
- Find the money and I’ll be on the calendar for you for sure barring a catastrophic occurrence, (I’ve only missed one gig and it was because of a hurricane on the East coast that grounded flights so that I couldn’t get to the West coast.
- Be flexible, and I’ll work for you for free
- I’ll give you the names of less experienced, less expensive folks
Question: We do have some money in our budget for an honorarium. Suggestions?
Answer: I suggest purchasing some of my books. Here's why.
If you have put aside a certain amount of money for an honorarium that is less than my fee and you are getting my services for free, why don't you put the money into purchasing some of my books so that you can reinforce our work together, your participants can take the message home and I can maintain all my bad habits like shopping and feeding my family?
Question: Why are you willing to do this?
Answer: I love what I do.
I’m an old social worker and I’m a lousy businesswoman.
Question: Will you pay your own expenses for an out-of-town job?
Answer: I don’t love it that much!
I’m not that bad a businesswoman!
Question: Are there any places you are just dying to work?
Answer: I love Santa Fe and Marshalltown Iowa and Chicago and New York.
I have always wanted to go to South Africa, New Zealand and Singapore. But I’ve also had a fabulous time in, Peoria, Illinois and Tyler, Texas. Basically, you have a group that wants to make a difference, I’m your gal.
Question: Carol, you were gracious enough to do a pro bono event for us in the past, will you do a second one?
Answer: It is time to get a sponsor or find another consultant who will work for free.
I always have more requests than dates, so as much as we've meant to each other, to work with you a second time for free would mean that I didn't teach you enough about fund raising, you didn't absorb what I said or you want a co-dependent relationship, which isn't good for either of us.
Question: How do we get on your list?
Answer: Pick up the phone and call me at 314-8634422 or e-mail me.
Let's talk about what you need and see if there is time on my schedule. (my preference is to discuss your needs by phone unless you have insomnia and are thinking about this in the middle of the night or this is an international request and I'm sleeping!)
Question: What if there isn’t time this year?
Answer: We Have a waiting list.
While you wait, you can purchase a books for your team and get going on making some changes right now!
2012
-
Cancer Support Community
St. Louis, MO -
Lee County Volunteers in Medicine, Inc
-
January 6 and 7
Friends of Florida State Parks
Gainesville, FL -
January 21
Friends of the Children's Eternal Rain Forest
St. Louis, MO -
March 9
Learning Disabilities Association of St. Louis
St. Louis, MO -
St. Louis Jewish Light
St. Louis, MO -
August 15
Althoff Catholic High School
Belleville, IL -
June 15, 16, 17
Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing Los Angeles, CA -
November 17
Rainbow Village
St. Louis, MO -
September
Museum of Linguistics
Washington, DC -
September 21
AFP of Washington, DC
Washington, DC -
October 19, 20, 21
American Association of Therapeutic Humor
San Diego, CA
2011
January 12
CASA of Peoria, IL
January 18
AFP, Peoria, IL
January 27
Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, Oklahoma, City
February 24
High School of Bermuda
TBA
Next Door St. Louis.
March 25
World Affair's Council, Siberian Delegation
April 1
YMCA, St. Louis
May
United Helpers Organization, Ogdensburg , NY
April or October
Camp for All Kids
TBA
Parent Trust for Washington Children, Washington, DC
June 9, 10
Sing Omaha
September 15 Area Agency on Aging, Belleville, IL
2010
January 6
De La Salle Middle School at St. Matthew's, St. Louis, MO
April 17
Christ Child Society, Albany, NY NY
June 25, 26
National Hemophilia Foundation, Newark, NJ
TBA
The Anti Defamation League, St. Louis, MO
March 26
The Louisiana Hospital Association, Baton Rouge, LA
April
Washington University Nonprofit Management Program
August 9
Texas Literacy Association, Austin, Texas
November 2
Altrusa, St. Louis
September 23
AFP St. Louis
December 2
Hannibal's Ladies Club
May 11
CSPRC, St. Louis, MO
August 6
YWCA Burlington County, NJ
2009
February 3, 4
Lakeshore Excellence Foundation, Stevenson, MI
January 31
Epilepsy Foundation of San Francisco
February 25-28
Centre for Philanthropy of Bermuda, Bermuda
July 21-23
AFP Washington, DC
March
Career Discovery and Advancement, South Technical School
October
Funeral Consumer's Alliance, Burlington, VT
May 12, 13
United Way of Franklin County, MA
November 5, 6
Impact 100, Cincinnati, OH
Fall
Altrusa, Columbia, MO
June
American Public Garden Association, St. Louis, MO
June 6
Shaping Destiny, Houston, TX
June 24
Lindenwood University, St. Louis
2008
June
Doorways, St. Louis Board Retreat
January
St. Elizabeth Hospital, Belleville, IL, Keynote
April
Washington University Nonprofit Management Program, Keynote
February 22
Ladue School Educational Foundation, Board Retreat
Sept. 27
National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia
June 11
AFP Peoria, keynote and breakout
May 12
Parkinson Disease Foundation, St. Louis
February 27
Volunteer Hampton Road, Norfolk, Virginia, workshops
May 15
Women's Network, Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Columbia, MO
December
AFP Nebraska
June 21
Missouri Women in Trades-retreat
April 30
National Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse-Retreat
2007
January
St. Louis Women's Journal, St. Louis, MO, Keynote
January
Epilepsy Foundation, Stevens Point, WI, Board Retreat
January
ESPW, St. Louis, Consulting
February
Ladue Chapel, St. Louis, MO, Speech
March
The Association of Fundraising Professionals, St. Louis, MO
August
George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington
March
Association. for Fundraising Professionals, St. Louis, MO
March
Nebraska Volunteer Service Commission, Lincoln, NE
July
The Press Club, St. Louis, MO, Keynote
August
Downtown Rotary, St. Louis, MO, Keynote
Summer
Family Service of Morris County, NJ. Board Retreat
June
The Association of Fundraising Professional of Dallas
2006
January
El-Salam School, St. Louis, MO, Keynote
January
Down's Syndrome Guild, Kansas City, MO, Board Retreat
February
National Council for Voluntary Organizations, London, England, Keynote American Association of Colleges of Nursing
March
Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts Washington, DC, Board Retreat
July
AHHSA, Baltimore, Maryland, Half day board and staff training
July
BoardSource: Edit Policy Manual. Honorarium donated to the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
August
George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Keynote
August
Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation, Retreat
September
Peer Counseling Program, Washington U. St. Louis, Retreat
September
Jefferson County Developmental Resources Services
October
Main Street Georgia, Keynote and half day training
2005
January
Missouri Botanical Garden
February
National Council for Voluntary Organizations, London, England
February
Association of Fundraising Professionals, St. Louis
March
American Association of University Women, St. Louis
March
Art and Soul Café, St. Louis Fifth Third Bank, Nonprofit Series, St. Louis University of Wisconsin Extension Service
April
Junior League, St. Louis, MO Opera America, Detroit, MI
April
Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program, Inc, Richmond, IL
Nurses for Newborns, St. Louis, MO
June
Solomon Schechter Day School, St. Louis
July
Children of the World, St. Louis and Guatemala