Companies gave nearly $17 billion to charities during 2020 (Giving USA 2020), representing a critical revenue source and strategic partner for nonprofits. With 8 in 10 Americans expecting businesses to positively impact society (Cone/Porter Novelli, 2018), gone are the days of companies merely being satisfied with visibility and their name on an event T-shirt. Today, engaging corporate partners requires nonprofits to think differently about how they approach companies, identify opportunities, develop a corporate partnership strategy and measure impact.
To help nonprofits forge successful relationships with more companies, we asked two corporate social responsibility experts and funders for their advice. Here’s the guidance Michelle Hamilton, senior community investment manager at the Florida Blue Foundation, and Chris Johnson, senior social responsibility specialist at The Mosaic Company, shared to help you and your nonprofit successfully engage corporate partners.
Michelle: Many organizations apply for funding without understanding our company’s mission or areas of focus. Or, they submit large funding requests before a funder has learned about their work or established a relationship. Don’t be afraid to ask a potential partner for an initial meeting. That preliminary outreach can help your nonprofit understand what opportunities to pursue, provide time-saving information and begin building a longer-term relationship.
Chris: We also get many funding requests from individuals and organizations we don’t know. Commit to cultivating relationships and communicating with company contacts — not just when you’re asking for money. Don’t forget that companies consist of your neighbors who care about the issues impacting your community. Find that common ground and establish a relationship before making significant fundraising asks.
Chris and Michelle:
There are five things we consistently look for in our nonprofit partners:
Michelle: When it comes to measurement, we look at two sides of the coin. Event activation is beneficial for educational opportunities, lead generation and brand visibility, while programmatic funding allows us to improve lives through issues like food security, mental well-being and health equity. Impact goals and reporting vary from partner to partner because every objective and program is different. There must be a dedicated collaboration between the nonprofit and corporate partner to determine how to measure success and define what is realistic for the nonprofit to capture.
Chris:
We seek both internal and external impact with our partners.
Internally, we care about building the capacity of our nonprofit partners, enhancing their sustainability and improving their ability to achieve their stated objectives. We don’t want our partners to create something to receive funding; we want to enhance what nonprofits are already doing well while identifying ways to improve or innovate it.
Externally, we want to solve community problems and address systemic and institutional issues that are impacting communities. This requires a robust approach. It’s much simpler for corporations and foundations to put their name on something or give money through an event sponsorship. On the flip side, it’s easier for nonprofits to host an event and raise money. It’s more challenging to address systemic and institutional issues because they entail data evaluation, cross-sector collaboration and a deeper investment of time and resources. We want to take a multi-faceted approach so we can fund emerging needs while also addressing the systemic issues that affect our communities.
Finally, the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are important at our company. There are five we focus on, and most of the nonprofit work we fund fits into or advances one of those areas. Understanding potential partners’ priorities is critical to achieving the greatest impact.
Chris and Michelle:
Urban Excellence is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is dedicated to making world class personal growth and development programs, training, coaching, resources and services available and accessible for all.
Suite C
Upland, CA 91786
CONTACT
Urban Excellence is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is dedicated to making world class personal growth and development programs, training, coaching, resources and services available and accessible for all.
CONTACT