How Nonprofits Can Tap into Corporate Giving Programs

As American consumers continue to become more conscious of the companies they are buying from, many for-profit organizations have begun looking for ways to show they are worthy of their dollar. One of the most common ways these companies seek to improve their image is by actively involving themselves with a non-profit organization.

If you are in charge of a non-profit organization, then you are more than likely looking for some way to increase outsider involvement. By effectively reaching out to various companies with giving programs, you might be able to gain access to the resources you have been actively searching for.

Demonstrate how your nonprofit creates immediate value

If a company runs a giving program, then they are likely looking for ways to give their money in a way that actually makes a difference. There are seemingly countless non-profit organizations these companies have to choose from. If you want to attract the attention of a major giving program, you will want to show that your efforts have been productive.

What is it that makes your #nonprofit organization unique? Why is it worth it to give to your #cause?

One of the best ways you can demonstrate your organization’s impact on the community is by providing potential donors with tangible numbers. How was your money spent in the last year? How many lives did you impact? If you can find any way to quantitatively demonstrate your organization’s ability to create good, you will be moving in the right direction.

Target industries that have something in common with your nonprofit

Because there are so many different non-profit organizations for these giving programs to choose from, it is often easiest to team up with an organization that is in an industry related to your non-profit in some way or another.

If you can demonstrate that you have something in common, an outside organization will be more likely to remember you.

For example, if your nonprofit organization provides meals to those in need, you may want to consider teaming up with a restaurant or a grocery store. If your non-profit organization focuses on teaching young people to read, you may want to consider teaming up with a bookstore, media company, or a library.

Focus on creating mutually beneficial relationships

The easiest way to tap into a company’s giving program is by showing them that a partnership would be mutually beneficial. Naturally, your organization will stand to benefit by simply receiving funding. But you will also want to show that by giving to your nonprofit, the company will actually be better off as well.

There are a number of different benefits your nonprofit can offer. You can offer a sponsorship where the outside company will regularly be featured on merchandise, social media, and elsewhere. You can also offer other forms of free publicity or even an annual event for donors.

Offer a variety of different ways to help

Ultimately, if you are hoping for an outside company to give to your non-profit organization, you are going to want to offer as many different ways to help as you possibly can.

The easier you make it for someone to get involved with your non-profit organization, the more difficult it will be for them to turn you down.

There are a lot of different ways to inspire a company to give.

• Create a matching donation program—for every dollar that the company’s customers donate, the company will donate a dollar as well
• See if the company has any sort of compatible work that it could offer you pro bono
• You should also see if the company would be willing to offer volunteers via work release days (where employees still get paid, but volunteer elsewhere)
• Organize a community fundraiser—you get to keep the money, the company gets to benefit from free advertising
• Offer donation premiums—if you donate x amount of dollars, you will be eligible for certain benefits (dinners, prizes, honorable mentions, etc.)

These are just a few of the ways you can immediately begin to tap into a company’s giving program. As a nonprofit organization, it is up to you to make giving to your organization as accessible as possible. If you are able to expand your reach, create mutually beneficial relationships, and prove that what your company does is worthwhile, you will certainly have made some positive progress.