Corporate volunteer groups are an awesome fundraising resource. Often, companies that value volunteering also have donation programs you can tap into to maximize your partnership. Follow these tips to turn corporate volunteers into dedicated donors!
This is a guest blog, written by Lindsey Beatrice from POINT.
Nonprofits can tap into awesome support from their communities by leveraging relationships with companies, especially those with corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Many companies -even smaller or local ones – have initiatives for community involvement and support. They may offer perks to their employees who volunteer or have company-wide volunteer days or donation drives. If you already have corporate volunteer groups, we’ve got tips for how you can maximize that partnership support by asking for donations.
Corporate volunteer groups can be a powerful force for good, and their potential extends beyond volunteering. By tapping into their dedication and passion for your cause, you can unlock additional resources to support your nonprofit. Here’s how to engage corporate volunteer groups to become enthusiastic donors:
Reach out and get to know the company’s staff, especially their lead for CSR or corporate philanthropy initiatives. Ask questions about how they like to give back to the community and what their CSR initiatives focus on. You can use this information to start building a strong partnership with multiple ways for them to engage with your nonprofit.
Work with the company to co-host an employee volunteer day where they can get to know your team as well. Follow up afterward and let them know the impact their group had. Ask if they would consider making it a regular (quarterly, annual, etc.) event and if they would like to stay involved with your mission through donations.
Pro tip: Nonprofits, companies, and schools can use POINT to manage their volunteer programs. You can co-host volunteer events with other organizations on POINT to streamline management responsibilities and get automatic reporting features that showcase the impact of your partnership.
Encourage corporate volunteers to consider making personalized donations alongside their volunteering efforts, reinforcing their connection to your cause. When you use POINT to manage your corporate volunteers, volunteers can make donations directly on your profile using your Donorbox forms for a streamlined experience.
There are a couple of great ways to do this –
There are so many ways nonprofits can maximize the potential of corporate support. To build a strong partnership, you’ll need to stay top of mind. Having regular corporate volunteering opportunities is a great way to keep them engaged in your mission and showcase your impact. However, employees are busy and companies may not have a ton of time to give. This is where you can maximize support with a formalized corporate donor initiative. Many companies want a more robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, and you can help them achieve that in the following ways.
Many companies give volunteer time off, where employees can request a certain amount of paid time off to volunteer with a partnering nonprofit. Create volunteer opportunities that are curated for the needs, skills, and available times of your corporate groups so that they can stay engaged with your nonprofit.
Some companies offer volunteer grants as part of their CSR initiatives. Basically, an employee tells their employer that they just volunteered with you, and the employer gifts you a donation based on the number of hours volunteered! Employees who volunteer LOVE this option because they get to add to their impact without donating their own money.
But speaking of donating, the next best thing is to have companies set up a matching donation program benefiting your nonprofit. Any time an employee donates to you, their company will match it (or match up to a certain dollar amount). This is a super effective way to turn smaller gifts into larger ones!
A great way to engage companies is to have them make an end-of-year contribution. This can look like asking them to contribute time and/or donations with a Day of Giving. End-of-year financial gifts can be a tax benefit to corporate partners, and they can boost employee cheer during a busy time of year.
When it comes to approaching corporate partners for financial contributions, effective communication is key. Here are some best practices:
Thank them: Let them know that you are grateful for their support of your nonprofit and mission. Call out the ways that they’ve helped your nonprofit, either through volunteering or donating, and express your gratitude that they continue to choose your organization.
Open lines of communication: Keep in regular contact with corporate partners with the aim of building a meaningful relationship. Your communication with them should offer opportunities to get involved, impact and results from programs they’ve supported in the past, and success stories from your beneficiaries. When you do reach out with a donation request, express your financial needs in a transparent and respectful manner.
Personalize the request: Tie your donation ask to something you know the company cares about. Show how it relates to their corporate value pillars or supports a program that their employees volunteer with. If you know details about their CSR goals, show how it helps them create more impact in one of those areas!
Highlight impact: Be sure to let companies know where their donation goes and the impact it has on your mission. They can showcase the impact of your partnership to employees, potential hires, and the larger community.
Corporate support offers a range of benefits to nonprofits. These advantages include financial stability, increased visibility, and the potential for long-term partnerships. Employees love having opportunities to give through their work, companies love the positive impact they have in their community, and you love the people power that comes with group volunteering and donations. It’s a win-win-win!
There’s only one thing that makes it better: making it easy! Engage corporate volunteer groups and source more donations by integrating your Donorbox forms with your POINT account. It’s a seamless experience for your corporate partners, and super easy for you! 🧡
We can’t wait to help you do more good!
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Lindsey Beatrice