EP75: Skills-Based Volunteering - A Tech Professional's Guide to Helping Nonprofits

Today we're talking with data science manager Gaurav Mittal about how tech professionals can transform nonprofits by volunteering their skills. While many organizations struggle with limited budgets and technical resources, professionals like Gaurav are showing how a few hours of volunteered expertise in data analysis, automation, or system design can help nonprofits dramatically scale their impact. Whether it's creating dashboards to better understand donor patterns, building tools to streamline operations, or developing solutions that help organizations tell their story through data, tech volunteers are helping nonprofits serve more people in need while working remotely on their own schedule. This conversation reveals how accessible and rewarding it can be to give back using the professional skills you already have.

"Any skill, whatever you have, please come forward, volunteer, and you will yourself see like you are making a huge impact." [25:20]

"You have to just give few hours, but it's going a long, long way." [24:30]

Calls to Action:

• Visit Catchafire.org, and volunteermatch.org to find remote tech volunteer opportunities that match your skills
• Start small - even a few hours of your technical expertise can have huge impact for nonprofits
• When volunteering:

1. Focus on creating scalable, sustainable solutions
2. Use open-source tools nonprofits can maintain without additional cost or restrictions
3. Think about what happens after you leave
4. Build automated solutions where possible
5. Keep future volunteers in mind since there is usually high-turnover in all volunteer positions.

ABOUT GAURAV MITTAL:

Gaurav Mittal is a seasoned IT Manager , adept at guiding teams in developing and deploying cutting-edge technology solutions. His achievements include substantial cost savings through innovative solutions and enhancing operational efficiency. Gaurav is recognized for his leadership, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to delivering exceptional IT services aligned with organizational goals. He's published several peer-reviewed articles, spoken at international conferences, and served on multiple judging panels. His contributions extend to volunteer work with non-profits and maintaining strong academic credentials, including an MBA and various technical certifications.

 

Links from this episode:

https://volunteermatch.org 

https://mentormentee.com/ 

https://www.catchafire.org/profiles/2923366/about

https://x.com/GauravM85

https://binkypatrol.org/ways-to-help/