prepared by: Yin Yin Wu

updated: 09/23/2008

Website: http://www.taprootfoundation.org/

Mission:

Inspiration/History:

Nonprofits have the greatest potential for addressing our society’s most challenging social and environmental problems, but often lack the operational resources to be effective. The Taproot Foundation exists to close this gap and ensure all nonprofits have the infrastructure they need to thrive.

Business Model:

Harnessing human capital to improve the human condition. The Taproot Foundation responds to the need of nonprofits by inspiring and engaging the business community to fill this resource gap – not by giving cash, but by leveraging the skills and talents of business professionals.

Theory of Change:

Taproots aims to improve the efficiency and ability of many nonprofit organizations that provide a meaningful benefit to their communities. Taproot reviews hundreds of grant applications each year to select nonprofit clients that we think can make the biggest impact.
It selects projects based on the applicant’s financials, management, evaluation practices, and other data. After insuring that the organizations is ready to work, they provide professionals to help the group gain ground.
Historically, pro bono work has been an unreliable source of support for the nonprofit sector. The Taproot Foundation has solved this problem by creating the structure necessary to consistently deliver high-quality pro bono work in volume

Core Programs:

Taproot grant pro bono services to nonprofit organizations tackling society’s most pressing issues, specifically in the areas of:

• Education
• Social Services
• Environment
• Health

Recent Developments (if applicable):

Biography of Aaron Hurst:

Aaron Hurst has been widely recognized as a leading social entrepreneur for his work in civic engagement, nonprofit management, and corporate social responsibility. He is the founder and president of the Taproot Foundation. He also received the Draper Richards Foundation’s Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurship and was elected into the prestigious international Ashoka Fellowship. For his dedication to social entrepreneurial work, he was recognized by Fast Company as a 2006 Rising Star – “a social capitalist with extraordinary potential.” Aaron founded the Taproot Foundation in 2001, 40 years after his grandfather, Joseph E. Slater, wrote the original blueprint for the Peace Corps. Inspired by the Peace Corps’ model for getting people to work together, Aaron created the Taproot Foundation to engage this country’s millions of business professionals in pro bono work building the infrastructure of the nonprofit sector.Aaron graduated from the University of Michigan. He currently serves on the Board of Public Architecture, a nonprofit that leverages the skills of architects and design professionals for public service. Aaron is a frequent speaker to the nonprofit and for-profit sectors on civic engagement, corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship and nonprofit management.

Questions to be Raised During Visit (3-4):

How do you persuade professionals to volunteer their time?Is the relationship formed between professionals and nonprofits long term?
Where do you secure your funding?

Further Resources (2-3):

http://campusprogress.org/events/2075/aaron-hurst