For businesses, supporting philanthropy can be extremely beneficial to an organization for several reasons.
Organizations dedicated to assisting a philanthropy are able to create a sense of community in the workplace, generate networking opportunities, market their organization and most importantly give back to the community.
The nature of nonprofits and charities is to constantly look for funding to help accomplish their goals. Look at it this way — your company’s success doesn’t just include the product or service you work hard to deliver. It also includes loyal customers who could be involved in nonprofit organizations and charities. Picking a charity is not as easy as it seems. Set aside time to research an organization that fits your company culture and values. Then, think about what charities your customers support.
Connections
As they work together on a project for the nonprofit agency, employees are able to connect with one another on a personal level outside of normal work assignments and develop a campaign for the greater good. This definitely creates a positive and fun environment in the workplace and increases productivity and employee morale.
There are endless networking opportunities for businesses that come with adopting a philanthropic effort. Volunteering to be part of the local chamber of commerce or just simply asking other organizations to get involved will open the door for connections.
Although some organizations may not be able to get involved with the charity, future connections may happen down the line. Also, hosting events for the philanthropy and inviting other business professionals may create future opportunities for the organization. Networking events are an easy, laid-back experience with informal chats that can often lead to great opportunities.
Marketing the organization
Many of the events/campaigns created while a business supports the nonprofit will also give the organization an opportunity to market its services to the public. Whether the organization is a PR firm or a retail company, numerous events can take place where both organizations will benefit.
For example, a public relations firm can plan an event for the charitable group and market its event planning services, and a retail company can offer to design a T-shirt for the group while still marketing its clothing. This will not only increase awareness for your organization, but also help a worthy cause.
In the end, adopting philanthropy allows your organization to give back to the community. Donating money to a local school, sponsoring a little league game or passing out lunches to the homeless all will have a positive effect on an organization. Such efforts do not require a ton of time, but committing to a charity can change the lives of so many people, including the lives of your employees.
Terri Huntington is program manager for Heimlich Heroes, created by Deaconess Associations Inc. with support from the Heimlich Institute. The organization teaches children how to properly perform the Heimlich maneuver to prevent a choking death and have the power to become a “Super Hero.” The Heimlich Heroes program is currently being taught in schools, clubs.
