While most volunteer work is grunt work, some groups are seeking out volunteers with special skills that they need to manage and operate their programs and projects, the Boston Globe reported April 12.

Skills-based volunteering or "smart volunteerism" has become increasingly popular among nonprofits and in the corporate world.

Marketing consultant Bill Nichols, for example, volunteers for the Appalachian Mountain Club not by building shelters or cutting trails but by helping the group develop a plan to attract more visitors to its programs in Maine and New Hampshire. "Many nonprofits need people willing to do those kinds of work, but I get more enjoyment from a multi-month project where I have a specific task and can see an outcome," said Nichols. "So I get satisfaction helping these nonprofits, and I also get beneficial business contacts."

The legal profession pioneered skills-based volunteerism with pro-bono legal work, but the concept has spread to other areas like technology, financial services, marketing, and human resources. Groups benefit from the assistance provided, while volunteers can learn new skills.

"We're trying to reshape how people think about donating their skills," said Mary Roben, executive director of SmartVolunteer, which runs a national online clearinghouse for skills-based volunteerism. "We're tapping into a different type of volunteer -- individuals at Fortune 500 companies who are looking to volunteer their time but can't necessarily take a full day off from work to clean a park."

Common Impact helps nonprofits assess their needs and then links them up with skilled volunteers. "We hear from some people who say that all day long they write [computer] code, so what they really want to do in their free time is work on riverbank restoration," said Theresa M. Ellis, CEO of Common Impact.