 |
 |
|
"True giving knows no season."
~ Florence E. King |
|
 |
Businesses just like yours play a vital role in improving the quality of life for all Alabamians. Not only do they provide jobs and economic stability, but they also offer charitable support to the many projects and programs that enrich the lives of everyone in the state.
Overall businesses in the state feel a responsibility to give back to the communities that support them according to a recent survey of 400 businesses in Alabama. Many businesses are already seeing the benefits of their giving.
For a copy of the full survey report click here, or for an executive summary click here.
To download our Giving Makes Change brochure, click here. |
GIVING IS SMART BUSINESS
According to the respondents, some of these benefits include:
- Develops a visible, positive corporate image
- Enhances long-term business interests, opening the door to growth opportunities
- Tax savings
- Builds company and employee morale
- Reinforces relationships with customers
- Develops closer relationships with community leaders and officials
- Positions your business as a leader
- Builds cohesiveness within your business
- Improves employee retention
- Community improvement directly benefits employees and customers
- Invests in a more educated, well-rounded pool from which to hire future employees
"When asked how my company can afford to allow employees time off to do area volunteer work, I always reply, 'My company can't afford NOT to give back to the community."
-John B. Saint
The Mitchell Company
Mobile
GIVING FOSTERS COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
49% of the businesses surveyed strongly agree that their business giving helps with community and economic development by:
- Enhancing the state economy
- Bringing in new businesses
- Creating new jobs
- Helping school funding
- Enhancing the quality of life of Alabama residents
EXPLORE BUSINESS GIVING OPTIONS
Long gone are the days when making charitable contributions consisted of little more than a large corporation cutting a check. Today, businesses of all sizes are finding it increasingly easy to make a difference. There are any number of ways that you can customize your plan for giving, depending on your company's size, location or industry.
Some of the ways Alabama businesses get involved include:
- Having employees serve on civic, nonprofit or agency boards or committees
- Providing technical assistance or training
- Donating company products
- Providing management resources for community organizations
- Paying for an employee's membership in service clubs
- Matching employee charitable contributions
- Providing employees with volunteer opportunities
- Sponsoring scholarships, educational programs, community events or sports teams
- Donating surplus inventory, vehicles, equipment or furniture
- Partnering with nonprofit organizations or schools
- Supporting employee-organized charity fundraising campaigns
- Offering a payroll deduction for employee contributions
PLAN YOUR BUSINESS GIVING
While business owners across the state are eager to respond to community needs, relatively few businesses have a plan guiding the distribution and use of their charitable contributions. Just as a business plan helps a company stay on course toward its financial and sales goals, a charitable giving program- however informal-can help a business achieve a number of goals for itself and the community in which it operates.
By having a defined plan for giving, you can:
- Make wise decisions about which community programs to support
- Increase the sense of satisfaction that everyone in the company derives from charitable giving
- Strengthen ties to your customers and community
STEPS TO EFFECTIVE GIVING
- Set Goals.
Identify the kinds of contributions and projects your business will support. This will help focus your giving for a greater impact.
- Identify tax benefits and set an overall budget.
Charitable donations are a proven tax savings technique for corporations and individuals. For more information contact your local Certified Public Accountant.
- Set up a process.
Determine how you will accept requests, the decision-making process and even how to respectfully decline requests.
- Set criteria for evaluating requests.
- Review your program.
At a specified time each year, look back over your giving and assess the effort. You might even ask organizations that received your support to report back to you on how your contribution made a difference.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
There are community foundations across the state. Community foundations can help you fulfill your role as a corporate good citizen, supporting the causes you care about as well as boosting employee morale and strengthening customer relationships. Advised Funds provide the answer to corporate giving, allowing you to focus on your core business. By using the charitable expertise of your community foundation's grantmaking staff, you can do more to help the community that supports your company and its employees. They are a good source of information about the nonprofit programs and services in your area, and may be able to assist you with your business giving plan. Contact your local community foundation, corporate attorney or certified public accountant to learn more.
NATIONAL RESOURCES
Whether you are now ready to put some of these practices into effect to strengthen your giving program or still have questions, here are some places you can turn to for guidance.
FORUM OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF GRANTMAKERS
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 467-1120
www.givingforum.org |
BUSINESS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
609 Mission Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 537-0888
http://www.bsr.org/ |
COUNCIL ON FOUNDATIONS
1828 L Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 466-6512
http://www.cof.org/ |
THE CONFERENCE BOARD
845 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(212) 759-0900
http://www.conference-board.org/ |
COMMITTEE TO ENCOURAGE CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY
140 East 45th Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10017
(212) 622-1081
www.corphilanthropy.org |
THE PHILANTHROPY ROUNDTABLE
1150 17th Street NW, Suite 503
Washington, DC 20036
202-822-8333
http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org |
ASSOCIATION OF SMALL FOUNDATIONS
733 15th Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005
202-393-4433
http://www.smallfoundations.org/ |
|
|
|
