From the well-known, such as the Legion of Honor, to the up and coming, such as Astia, about a third of our clients are nonprofit organizations. And that means we have tried a wide variety of fee structures to fit a wide variety of budgets. At the core of our strategy lies a discounted agency rate, which reflects our ongoing desire to do good work for good causes.

Still, we’re occasionally asked to do pro bono work. While the prospect of helping a good cause is often compelling, experience has taught us that doing free work can often end up costing the client in ways they might not have imagined. In fact we just started working with a new organization who were so frustrated with the lack of attention and shifting timelines they were getting from their pro bono resource, they were happy to find funding to get the job done right and on time. Without a little “skin in the game” clients can also become complacent about the true value of the services they are receiving and ultimately the true value of their brand.

If you are considering trying to get some design work for free, simply ask yourself if you can afford to have your work bumped when a paying client comes along. Long lead times can mitigate the risk, but investing in your brand might be a better long term bet.