Giving to Receive: A Guide to Corporate Giving
By: Amanda Braniecki
Earlier this month in celebration of #GivingTuesday, nearly 700,000 people raised $116.7 million for the global movement. Additionally, this one-day event generated 1.3 million social media mentions, 114 billion Twitter impressions and reached more than 915,000 Facebook users.
One of the day’s biggest stories came from Facebook’s co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, when they publicly committed to giving away 99 percent of his Facebook shares to charity. In case you weren’t aware, Zuckerberg’s Facebook shares are currently worth upward of $45 billion. Yes, you read that correctly: $45 BILLION.
It was a bold (and genuine) move that is proving to pay dividends for Zuckerberg and, by association, Facebook. While not planned as a PR stunt, news of his donation spread like wildfire with virtually every media outlet picking up the story. It’s a successful case study into the power of giving and the benefits that can be captured as a result.
While not every individual or company can contribute $45 billion to worthy causes throughout the world, most companies can—and should—develop a corporate giving campaign, not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it helps build and maintain valuable relationships throughout your community. And we can all agree the results are priceless.
Below are some ideas to get your charitable endeavors off the ground:
Find a charity that complements your business. There is a charity or nonprofit organization for just about any cause you can imagine. As we turn the page into the new year, research and identify charities that you are passionate about and that align with your business goals and objectives to ensure that your company gets the most out of its investment. For example, a clothing retail shop could collect gently used prom dresses to donate to a local chapter of Becca’s Closet that provides teenagers in need with formal outfits for free.
Get your employees involved. Giving back can be a fun and inspiring experience, as well as serve as a great team building exercise. Don’t forget, you don’t have to just donate money to a cause. There are many charities that are in need of volunteers or supplies, and your employees will take satisfaction in knowing they had a hand in your campaign’s success.
Be creative in your fundraising efforts. This is especially important if you are looking to promote a popular cause that hundreds of other companies support throughout the year. The more unique you are in your campaign, the bigger splash you will make in the media, on social media and in the community you serve. Take Uber for example. For National Cat Day, they promoted the adoption of cats through their innovative “Rent-a-Cat” program. It was a great out-of-the-box method to spread the word about cat adoptions and capture the attention of others for a worthy cause.
Already have a corporate giving plan? We’d love to hear how you’ve been able to make an impact in your community! Share in the comments.