Nonprofit organizations today are being called to solve pressing social and economic issues -- and to do so quickly -- while their organizational models, budgets and staffing structures struggle to keep up. Through effective pro bono volunteering, businesses can help nonprofits harness innovation and technology to rapidly adapt to quickly changing market forces and position themselves for long-term success.

A national program called "A Billion + Change" is helping connect nonprofits with highly skilled workers and valuable pro bono volunteer services from companies across the country. Some 500 companies have committed to provide more than $2 billion worth of pro bono services to nonprofits engaged in good works.

These partnerships yield valuable benefits for nonprofits and businesses alike and show the creative ways in which some corporations are bringing their talents to bear for the greater good.

For example, Capital One pro bono volunteers recently partnered with the Virginia legal community to help Legal Aid of Central Virginia develop a better long-term solution to serving clients in need more efficiently. During the economic downturn, Legal Aid, like many nonprofits, saw its case load soar while its funding suffered a 20 percent cut. Legal Aid was forced to reduce its staff of attorneys by half, as demand for its services increased 60 percent. To better meet these needs, Legal Aid needed to become more efficient in connecting attorneys who could provide pro bono assistance with clients in need.