Corporate Giving: How to Find Impactful Causes that Also Align with Your Objectives

Corporate giving continues to increase as more and more organizations realize the benefits of supporting meaningful causes. In fact, in 2017 organizations gave a total of $20.77 billion to a variety of causes.

Donating resources and time to charity isnt just a public relations move. It can also boost employee engagement, improve your reputation, and build trust amongst consumers. Plus, giving back feels good and can help give your organization a greater meaning than simply turning a profit.

But what causes should your organization support? For the best results, you should choose causes that support your overall mission. This will have the biggest impact on your target audience while also ensuring that your charitable activities are helping you further your organizations goals.

If your organization is considering corporate giving, follow the tips below to find causes that align with your objectives.

Every successful organization has a mission statement that guides its operations. A good mission statement will lay out why your organization exists, what your values are, and what your vision for the organization is.

If you currently dont have a mission statement, or your statement needs refining, then this is a great opportunity to work on it. Before choosing a cause to support make sure you have a mission statement that accurately sums up your overall objectives.

Once you have a mission statement youre happy with it should be easier to find causes and charity partners that are a natural fit for your organization. If you can find a form of corporate giving thats in sync with your mission statement then not only will you be making an impact, but youll also be working towards achieving your larger goals.

Once youve clarified what the goals of your organization are you need to determine what you want to achieve with your corporate giving program.

Are you interested in giving back to your local community? Is there a cause related to your industry or business that youre passionate about? Or do you simply want to find a way to do good and make a difference?

To get clear on your desired outcomes, sit down with your team and ask yourselves the following questions:

• Why do we want to give back?
• What kind of impact do we want to have?
• Why is corporate giving important to us?

Once youve worked out the answers to these questions you can start looking for causes that are in line with your goals.

If you want to support a cause thats closely aligned with your organizations goals, look within your industry to see if there are any issues that need addressing. Is there an aspect of your industry thats in danger? Are there people in need that could benefit from your services but cant afford it?

For example, a wildlife tour company could support causes related to animal rights or rainforest preservation. Or daycare companies could offer help to families who cant afford childcare. 

Take a close look at your industry or ask others in your field if there are any issues that they are currently dealing with. Chances are there are causes closely related to your organizations knowledge and expertise that you can assist with.

A great way to ensure your causes are closely aligned with your objectives is to get your employees involved in the giving process. Your team is often more in tune with the day-to-day operations of your business, so they will likely be able to provide you with a great deal of insight when it comes to what causes you should support.

Plus, If you choose a cause thats important to your employees theyll be more eager to see it through. And as an added benefit, supporting causes your team is passionate about is a great way to boost employee morale and engagement.

So, if your organization is thinking about corporate giving, a good place to start might be asking your employees what form of giving interests them the most.

After considering all of the factors above, the last step is to do your research and find a cause that meets all of your criteria.

To start, youll need to assess the purpose and mission of any potential cause to make sure it aligns with your objectives. Some causes may seem like a great fit, but after closer inspection they may not fit with your values and what youre looking to achieve.

Youll also want to consider how big of an impact youll be able to have by supporting a specific cause. Consider the time and resources you have available and determine what kind of a difference you can make. While you may really like a certain cause you might find that youll be able to make more of an impact by supporting a different cause.

Finally, think about how you can support a cause. If youre looking to partner with charities or nonprofits that are already in that space then look for ones that have a similar mission to your organization. Or if youd rather develop your own charitable programs think about how you might go about doing that and what you could do that would make the biggest difference.

Does your organization have a cause its passionate about? Do you need talented individuals to help bring your initiatives to life?

Work for Impact is a freelance platform designed specifically for socially, environmentally responsible and non-profit organizations. We offer contractors who are passionate about making a positive impact and are eager to help you make a difference.

Click here to sign up for Work for Impact and start finding freelancers that share your values.