[consulting] Volunteering / NPOs (was: Keeping Web Sites Updated)

Tue May 11 21:08:27 UTC 2010

I do the same for one charity - I gave out logins etc in the hope that
someone might take up the baton but to no avail. Needless to say I still
receive requests to put content on the site. I have resolved to add content
to a blog with photos etc once a month - doesn't take long and keeps
everyone happy - the cause is an excellent one and keeps my conscience
clear. I have also added RSS to the blog - that said the initial work took
up a lot of my time. All said and done charities are not in my experience,
blessed with techies and they need help like that which this thread offers -
I'll raise my glass to those that get involved - Cheers

PS - if you want an inspiring read and no, this is not a plug, try 'The Boy
Who Harnessed The Wind' - it'll make your efforts seem very worthwhile.

From: consulting-bounces at drupal.org [mailto:consulting-bounces at drupal.org]
On Behalf Of Seth Freach
Sent: 11 May 2010 20:02
To: A list for Drupal consultants and Drupal service/hosting providers
Subject: Re: [consulting] Volunteering / NPOs (was: Keeping Web Sites
Updated)

Like Matt and Emma, I have built more than a few sites and toolsets for
un/underfunded organizations that I care about or am involved with on a
volunteer basis, only to see them collect cobwebs or get mothballed.
Discouraging doesn't begin to describe it. (I once did a pro bono site with
a couple of tiers of permissioned users such for controlled contributions,
editing, and administration, events management calendar, blogs, full CiviCRM
backend, and theme work.  Then did training sessions and offered to do more.
Only for it to sit there for 2 years and ultimately get replaced with a MS
frontpage site that the director felt more comfortable with.)

I still do (too much!) volunteer work, but have learned a few tactics that I
now use:

1.	I state, upfront, that I'd be happy to build tools for others to
use, but that I won't be using these tools, others will have to.  I then
repeat this over and over throughout the project.  I can usually get this
across by asking "When would you like to get the training on this?" or "Who
am I going to train to do this?"
2.	I try to get them to recognize that as a single volunteer that I
have strengths and weaknesses.  I usually state that I'm a "cogs and gears,
under the hood" guy and am not strong in the graphic design department
(which is the truth, it's not a strong area of mine...)  I talk to them
about going rates, firms and designers I know of who do drupal themes, and
realistic expectations about hiring someone to do theme work and then try
and get at least the initial theme work done for hire.  This does two
things: A) Frees me from doing theme work :)  and B) Gets them to invest a
little monetary buy-in to the project. Now they have skin in the game to
make this project succeed, but it isn't a full tens of thousands of dollars
price tag that they would have never been able to afford.  This one isn't
always possible, but can be a good indication of the amount of willingness
they have to make the project succeed out of the gates and whether this is
something they need vs. something that they'd just be willing to take for
free if it was offered.
3.	Most important, I've found, is exactly what Matt said about using an
Agile approach.  I do little bits at a time and say, "there you go, that
part is done and ready for you to start using".  It becomes apparent very
quickly if the site/toolset is actually going to get used or not and if it's
worth it for me to invest any more of my unpaid free time into the project.

Seth

Matt Chapman wrote: 

On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 10:04 AM, Emma Irwin  <mailto:emma.irwin at gmail.com>
<emma.irwin at gmail.com> wrote:

As a volunteer Drupal developer in my community, I often find that my
frustration is getting organizations to follow through on *their* role in
the process.
 Everyone agrees ( in the beginning)  how great it would be to update their
own content,  it all sounds *wonderful* and everyone is in love . But, once
we get to the point where that's possible they still want help - they don't
have time...it's more work than they bargained for etc.

I've had the exact same experience more than once.

 but it's
almost made me want to *charge* something, as sometimes money means people
will follow through.

Charging "something" doesn't actually change the situation either,
because when you're working with an organization you care about, you
end up going above & beyond the financial agreement, and probably
charged below market rates to begin with, with the same end result as
above.

And I've also seen money-based relationships ruin non-profits because
of corruption or the evolution of a sense of entitlement to the funds.
I don't want to risk seeing myself become (or be percieved) that way,
so now I refuse to accept money for my labor from non-profits that I
am personally involved with; but because of the phenomenon that Emma
points out, that often means sub-par projects. It's a lose-lose
situation. (Full disclosure: I still have paying NPO clients; but they
came to me seeking paid services, without my prior involvement in
their work. They aren't in my community, and I don't use their
services myself.)

At this point, that really means the best I can do is serve as a
consultant, providing advice on who to hire or what services to use.
And I've even seen that fail, when the org uses some other volunteer
to lead the project, who then loses interest despite my support. Has
anyone else found a better solution to this dilemma?

Lastly, to avoid painting too bleak a picture, I've had just as many
wonderful relationships with NPOs and Volunteering. But I'd like to
see even fewer frustrations and failures. Any thoughts? The best I've
got is to try to adapt an Agile process to NPO work, where you give
them something minimally acceptable as quickly as possible, as see how
it goes. But you don't want to be stuck with an open-ended hours
arrangement when its volunteer or below-market work either. Argh....

All the Best,

Matt Chapman
Ninjitsu Web Development

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