Skills-based volunteering gains more and more recognition as a revolutionary and efficient way of supporting communities through corporate-nonprofit partnerships.

The successful re-launching of www.abillionpluschange.org/">http://www.abillionpluschange.org/">A Billion+Change earlier this month highlighted the commitment Points of Light and its partners are making in transforming corporate civic engagement and making a lasting impact on our society.

www.pointsoflight.org/">http://www.pointsoflight.org/">Points of Light is far from being a newbie in leveraging skills-based volunteering as a factor of change. In 2009, we launched a www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering">http://www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering">Skills-Based Volunteering (SBV) program with the goal to respond to the growing SBV capacity in our www.handsonnetwork.org/">http://www.handsonnetwork.org/">HandsOn Network and increased requests by corporate partners to apply the skills and resources of employees to meet the critical needs of the nonprofit sector.

Uniquely positioned to support the dramatic expansion of skills-based volunteering, we implement innovative program models to leverage nonprofit efficiency. Our www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering">http://www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering">SBV model is built upon local infrastructure and skilled service leaders which allows us to match individuals, professional groups, businesses or corporations with appropriate volunteering opportunities and facilitate nonprofit readiness, SBV skill assessments and project implementation.

Today, we measure our success with half of www.handsonnetwork.org/actioncenters/welcome">http://www.handsonnetwork.org/actioncenters/welcome">Hands on Network Volunteer Centers embracing skills-based volunteering and pro bono service projects. Through the SBV program, our 2010 affiliates report showed that more than 19,000 skills-based volunteers were placed on pro bono and HandsOn Network service projects, delivering a value of nearly $12 million. And we don’t stop here.

www.volunteerinfo.net/">http://www.volunteerinfo.net/">HandsOn Suburban Chicago worked with a skills-based volunteer strategy expert to develop  www.volunteerinfo.net/save">http://www.volunteerinfo.net/save">Strategic Action for Volunteer Engagement (SAVE), a new SBV engagement process designed for Action Centers to facilitate a nonprofit's ability to effectively leverage and retain highly skilled volunteers in strategic projects. Zurich Insurance has been a great supporter of this program.

www.handsontwincities.org/">http://www.handsontwincities.org/">HandsOn Twin Cities has created a skills-based volunteering “done in one day” event for General Mills in Minneapolis. The content was a series of human resources training sessions for nonprofit organizations and small businesses. With 150 attendees and 100 volunteers involved, assisted by four corporate service leaders, this service day was a big success and a great way to introduce the concept of SBV and pro bono to both the agencies and the corporate volunteers. Please visit “www.blog.generalmills.com/2011/06/hr-help-for-nonprofit-leaders/">http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2011/06/hr-help-for-nonprofit-leaders/">A Taste of General Mills,” the official General Mills blog, for more details.

The SAVE Model and the SBV done in one day event concept are now part of our HandsOn Network national and local corporate offering.

At Points of Light, we support skills-based volunteering beyond offering tailored products and services, organizing specialized boot camps, developing e-learning courses and engaging in campaigns. We engage multi-laterally in building the capacity of nonprofits and connecting skills-based volunteers with meaningful opportunities that create change.

For more information please visit www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering">http://www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering">www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering">http://www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/skillsbasedvolunteering.