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Corporate Giving - Small Business Style
Bob Ryan, About Purpose, Inc. ©2005
One of the great benefits of my job is talking to business owners who are putting their money to work – sowing seeds or giving back to the community. If you have a jaded view of American business, let me introduce you to a few of my clients.
As part of small business strategic planning process many of my clients are going through, they are asked to identify the spiritual beliefs and values that influence their decision making. Some of the common answers are the old sayings, “What goes around comes around,” “You reap what you sow,” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” These beliefs, and others, often translate into either corporate or personal giving.
Corporate giving is not just for the big companies with philanthropy departments and separate foundations. Small business owners find they can give a great deal – and receive a great deal back in return. In this next few minutes, take a look at some thoughts about corporate giving and see if you don’t find yourself moved to engage in sowing some seeds.
First, why do companies give? For many different reasons, none of which is better than any other. But consider some of these.
1. Giving, by definition spreads the benefits a company receives
2. Giving expands your sense of purpose
3. Giving, in most cases, rewards the giver psychically, if not physically
4. Giving can increase a company’s visibility and enhances its image
5. Giving has some tax benefits
6. Giving can improve and help maintain employee morale and retention
If you decide to give, how should you give? There are many different ways to give. Each of them has pros and cons. Giving can be a great marketing tool, or it can be done anonymously. Giving can be in the form of one-time gifts, or ongoing support. Giving can be accomplished through writing a check, or through volunteer time or in-kind services or products. Companies can give directly or can facilitate individual giving through their employees.
Here are some actual examples I know about. One of my clients has a monthly seed-sowing meeting in which they all decide how they will distribute some of the company profits. Another has a discretionary account that is funded every month and administered by an elected group of employees. Several of my clients sit on non-profit boards and/or give their firm’s services, pro-bono, to the cause. Another encourages every employee to be actively volunteering in some community cause – on company time. Some companies advertise that x% of their revenues are pledged to some charity. Others set up matching funds to help leverage fund-raising activities of not-for-profit organizations.
One final thought for those of you who will respond to this article with words like, “I will start giving as soon as my profits improve.” Whether you are making any profit at all, I encourage you to establish a policy of corporate giving. (Remember, it doesn’t have to be cash dollars.) Doing so sets a precedent for all your future business, it sets a standard for your employees, it has intrinsic rewards that cannot be matched by anything else.