Hello,
My name's Troy Freund; I'm a local (Milwaukee) freelance photographer. I also serve on the board of a local non-profit called AWE (Artists Working in Education). The purpose of AWE is help provide some profit-making for local full-time artists and to give MPS kids some positive art experiences, to round out their world and maybe even suggest that they could be a part of the creative world in the future.
AWE's website needs some serious updating and I was wondering if any of you would have interest in doing some pro bono or "non-profit discount" work for AWE. You can see the website at www.awe-inc.com Please check us out and let me know if you are interested in helping out. It would be greatly appreciated and I'm sure a link could be placed on the AWE site for whoever helps us out. Thanks so much for considering.
Sincerely,
Troy
who and when do you donate your time/skills?
Hello Ashe,
I understand your point about there being designers who focus on non-profits as their core business. I know a graphic designer and photographer who work in the same model. I know that I keep in mind, when estimating, whether the estimate is for a non-profit or a standard commercial client. We all have our specific aims in who we target as potential clients. We all also have the right to do pro bono work, offer non-profit rates or avoid non-profits all together.
I don't know that those designers aiming for non-profits would be the only web-designers suitable for the AWE update. In fact, I heavily doubt it.
I don't think it's wrong to seek pro bono work. I know that other Milwaukee nonprofits have sought it from me and that I have offered my services to causes that I support. Sometimes I turn pro bono work away, sometimes I take it on. All depends on the cause. I thought that, as AWE is a creative-minded non-profit, encouraging kids to explore the arts, that someone on web414 might see a reason to support that cause.
I have checked with my exec. director to see if there was room in the budget currently to pay a designer to assist AWE in updating their website and I got a "no." So, the only course currently is pro bono. I'll continue to seek help in other venues. Sorry no one here is sympathetic to AWE's cause.
take care,
Troy
Non Profits
Hi Troy,
I know there are a lot of designers out there that go for non-profit as the majority of their work and they are probably the people you are looking for because they know your target audience and how to work with you as a client.
I would shy away from asking for pro-bono work, though, just because this is that person's profession which they are hoping to be paid for in the same sense that your photography is worth paying for.
Your best bet would be to work out a budget with AWE and find designers within your budget range to work with.
Good luck in your search!