From its beginning, Taproot Foundation has had three overarching goals:

1. To build the capacity of individual nonprofit agencies by helping to develop their infrastructure in such critical areas as marketing/fundraising, information technology, and human resources – infrastructure that is taken for granted in the private sector;

2. To redefine volunteering by giving business professionals the opportunity to apply their existing skills and expertise to deepen the impact of social change organizations; and,

3. To break down barriers between the business and nonprofit sectors.

Our broad vision is to improve the human condition by harnessing human capital. We believe that Taproot Foundation can catalyze and foster an ethic of service across professional fields. To date, only the legal profession has a well-defined culture of pro bono service. For example, most law firms have institutionalized processes for allowing lawyers to work with nonprofit clients; long-standing ethical guidelines demand that pro bono services meet the normal standards of the profession; and individual lawyers expect to have the opportunity to engage in pro bono service throughout their careers. Comparable cultures of service have yet to take root in other fields, despite the fact that many additional business professions have the potential to provide critical support to community-based organizations.

To learn more, visit http://www.taprootfoundation.org