The following may appear controversial and shocking to many philanthropic folks. That is precisely the point: to make you think and be reasonable and I make no apologies accordingly. I was once of the mindset that I am writing about now, and have worked through my issues and now seeking to help you with the following guidance accordingly.
Colleges often seek “well rounded” students as part of the admission process. More than a high GPA and academic endeavors are touted. It makes sense that other attributes are sought, though the goal is a college education in the student’s field of choosing and not learning how to make better mud bricks for the homeless of the third world. Though really, we know after the ‘Varsity Gate “scandal,” there are unfortunately other means by which students gain admission, which are illegal means. Clearly, the college admission process is broken for the finer universities and is a game in and of itself. A sad object lesson indeed, what is really being taught to society overall.
Charity and volunteer work is often thinly guised as a means for others to use well intended people for their own personal goals. I have found non-profit (NP) board member lacking any clue as to the real mission of the organization. They will espouse ‘how great the NP is severing the community, etc. I have ‘worked’ I mean volunteered long hours of physical and mental professional labor for the NP’s good. Finally, I took a step back, and realized many professionals’ goal in assisting the NP was for photo-ops to burnish their professional credentials and for personal profitable goals. Also, NPs can be the play toys of idle rich folks, that seek to control others, whether low paid staffers or volunteers for a little fiefdom to cater to their hobbies and whims, such as ’empowering and enabling the city homeless by teaching them how to jog.’ Likewise, of all ages, I found woman were ‘husband shopping’ and, let’s be adult’s here, many men simply seeking a quick ”hook up.’
Many companies, especially with new and younger hires, often have an unwritten rule that to ‘get ahead and show favor’ to the department executive, one should join and assist with the NP the exec supports, such as rescuing aged greyhounds (the dogs not the buses). Sad that a non-work function can mean more to career success then one’s own work output, despite the company brochures proclaiming the business ‘is a meritocracy.’ When faced with the unspoken ‘perform the volunteer work or else suffer the unspoken ultimatum’: do what the execs do. Show up for photo ops ladling one (1) bowl of soup for the hungry, fitting one (1) pair of tennis shoes for the homeless jogger, raking one (1) bag of autumn leaves around the preserved historic site. Wear the NP’s T-Shirt but not turn that into a ‘sweatshirt’. That is only do the bare minimum as far as expending your overall health as well as personal finances for transportation cost, time off from work and outright monetary donations. Now, spend 10 times that duration telling others at work thereafter what all you did, ensuring mention in the next on-line company newsletter, by extolling the ‘mission and vision’ of the NP, with the prerequisite sweet perky smile. Of course, all of this is a masquerade that most folks hopefully see through, though the show much go on, from one workforce generation to another it seems. And we continue to just kid ourselves.
Many NPs are seeking unpaid board members and volunteers for their advice, though really, they want free skilled task work instead. Via your own professional skills, such as accounting … please, however, never roll up your sleeves and create a budget, perform an account reconciliation, straighten out the fixed asset deprecation, let alone assist with the annual audit, etc. Stay detached and provide ‘top side’ advisory services only and not get your hands dirty at all. If the very small NP has a CEO that does not understand QuickBooks for generating financial statements, then they need to learn to do so themselves, or the Board should have and now needs to hire competent financial resources. If this includes swapping out the CEO for a better accounting versed individual, well there is the answer. Once in-between solution for the NP’s cost conscious budget would be a college intern or cooperative student applying their accounting educational skills and transforming into real world resume material and future job references. This seems fair and would be of very limited duration, such as only one semester., which is the most students would be able to tolerate.
From my experience providing in-depth pro bono CPA skills to a church for 10 years when earlier n my career, it got me nowhere and left me frustrated and overall feeling underappreciated and simply used. Gradually, the accounting tasks were shifted to me, I was spending lonely long unrecognized hours providing CPA level work for their investment accounting, and this freed up the time of the paid staffers for long weeks off, enjoy life and get plenty of accolades for their ‘adept managing of the Church’s mission.’ The final straw was that of the economical cycle of a recession, the stock market went down and the Board had someone to point the finger at and blame for Church finances! If only I had the power to move markets instead of parting rivers … of seas of red and black ink. When I ‘resigned’ this role, the Church did hire a NP investment advisor, whom they fell in love with her charm and self- storied financial successes. They also ended up learning she charged top dollar for even a phone call for advice and took two percent of the investment balance yearly, regardless of performance, for her “Wall Street Qualities” even as the market deepened during the recession and the investments plummeted accordingly via really just a few mutual funds then holding the Church’s financial future. Anyone can choose a mutual fund, such as the S&P 500 Index. From a personal client garnering perspective, I had devalued myself since the professional client leads were folks that wanted a bargain based upon my volunteerism in the form of offering only $20 in payment for spending the weekend completing their complicated personal income tax returns. Providing professional quality services for less than the prevailing minimum wage is not where it is at for any career.
My point is keep your accounting skills focused upon what garners you income from all of the hard work you have invested into developing a career including advance education costs and perhaps thousands of hours studying and taking the exams for professional certifications. Organizations tend to only value what they pay for. You should always get market rate compensation. What is given free or at a reduced cost is not appreciated including with for profit and NPs. I am reminded of the manner by which astute visual artists handle requests by NPs to donate a painting or sculpture for a fund raiser: Artists never give work away free, as that cheapens their value. And future patrons will ask for a discount or expect something free since ‘you gave it to them free.’ The artist will tactfully inform the NP to work with a wealthy patron that will purchase at full price the piece then donate that to the charity.
One of the oddest asks when I assisted a NP with an annual fundraiser, by which I was staging potted shrubbery for the auctioneer, was afterwards, a individual who bought and filled her large size pickup truck, then told, not asked, me to then spend the afternoon and “‘as long as it takes” to plant these bushes in her yard! Also, a couple of asked that I haul the furniture they purchased, to their house, move it in and then take away the old furniture to the landfill! All at my time and expense, of course. I declined both instances and made it a point to cut off at the pass these patron ‘extracurricular asks’ from the get go. Basically, heck to the no. The fundraiser was for professional networking not that of becoming a landscaper or furniture and refuse transporter.
Charitable contributions of one’s time is though a great thing if done correctly. I am curious as to if the average hours ‘donated’ by people in the US is tracked and then if their has been a decline over the past 50 years. If not a many hours volunteered or the real and sincere efforts to the NP’s mission and vision time are waning, that may be due to the reasons I mentioned. Therein then the NPs need to re-examine their modus operandi, that is jettison the non-contributors who have only their own interests at heart. If the decline of NP volunteerism is attributable to what I perceived to be the demise of the middle to upper stratus of the middle class, that is of concern, as this group historically was the grass roots movers and shakers who achieved great things via NPs that were not addressed by the government organizations or individuals acting alone for betterment. Typically, the efforts were not due to the lower class (too busy just surviving ) or the upper class (few in number with even fewer willing hands to that were willing to get dirty and provide assistance).
NP or charitable work is a great activity for the retired who are able bodied, due to economic means now are not dependent upon the paycheck of a job, and provisions a social group and change of daily venue … away from the TV and out of the house. . The competitiveness of the work environment is over, relationships are relished and then pent up desire of youth for improving the world is at their command for unleashing? The senior years are the time for full out volunteerism,versus the career years. Careers are best pursued, the earlier the better, complete High School early by taking preliminary college courses, complete an undergraduate degree in less than four years for both time and economic savings. Then start the paying year. No year off “to find one’s self” before entering a career. Find yourself in your chosen profession! Also, one year off, means one less year of good Social Security and 401K savings, which haunts 40 plus years later at retirement.
While the saying is true “that the best things in life are free” such as love, relationships, human social courtesies, etc, accounting work should never be provided for any reason below market value. Otherwise, the work product is cheapened, the recipient’s do not appreciate and often are critical in so many ways of the services and giver of same. You must do for what you receive the most value and worth in your career and life as well as being recognized, appreciated and respected. No exceptions!