Corporate Philanthropy: Why Giving Back is Important

Living outside of metropolitan areas has many great benefits: less traffic, better air quality, and more opportunities to get to know our community members, including local business owners. This sense of community camaraderie leads to exciting opportunities to give back and support one another in unique ways.

Corporate philanthropy can take many forms and has several benefits for both businesses and the community at large. It is not limited to large, nationwide businesses and it is not just about giving monetary support. As many of us who live in the Quad Cities area know, our local businesses give back every day, in ways both large and small.

Sometimes your business can give back by donating products or gift cards for raffles or event giveaways. Maybe your business can offer money toward a program or event sponsorship. You might incentivize giving back by creating an employee giving program, enabling your staff to choose which non-profit organizations their contributions will benefit, even offering matching grants to make their dollars go further or volunteer opportunities to bring your workforce together. You might provide scholarship opportunities for local students to invest in our workforce or support your employees and their families. These are just a few ways businesses of any size can contribute to our community.

There are some obvious benefits for local businesses that participate in corporate philanthropy. It augments brand awareness efforts and shows that you are aligned with a cause. In the case of raffles and sponsorships, your company name and/or product can be seen by more people, reinforcing your brand and presence within the Quad Cities.

The internal benefits for your business may be less obvious but are no less important. In the case of an employee giving program, your employees will have the chance to support organizations that are meaningful to them or band together to create greater impact. This in turn increases morale which can lead to greater company loyalty and employee longevity. You may be able to provide the opportunity for your employees to lead a scholarship selection committee to help a local student achieve their dreams.

Each opportunity provides a unique way for local businesses to engage with both your workforce and the community in a way that makes life better for all of us, enhancing your overall reputation. And having a strong reputation is incredibly important when living and working in smaller communities, because we are so deeply connected to one another.

Corporate philanthropy isn’t just good for your business’s bottom line, it also strengthens the non-profit organizations that serve our communities and provides new opportunities for students of all ages who choose to live and work here. QCBN

By Lisa Sahady

Lisa Sahady is the regional director for the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County. Since 2016, she has helped increase ACF of Yavapai County’s asset base by building relationships with professional advisors, individual donors and non-profit organizations. She received her Certified Gift Planning Professional designation through Crescendo’s Gift College for complex estate planning. She can be reached at lsahady@azfoundation.org.