H O W T O M O R EE F F E C T I V E L Y P A R T I C I P A T E I NP H I L A N T H R O P Y

J O H N P A R T I L L A

J O H N P A R T I L L A . O R G

For many organizations and companies, philanthropic

engagement has been strictly a business exchange in

which corporations give money, and nonprofits give

reach. Unfortunately, this does not necessarily mean that

this exchange will produce results.

While nonprofits have such limited reach as it is , it isimportant for companies and nonprofit organizations to

engage in a more responsive way to successfully alleviate

hunger in a certain city or better cloth homeless youth.

Another idea to reconsider is the fact that funds do

not necessarily translate to domestic or international

success. Just because a certain organization or

philanthropic body raises a few million dollars in no

way means they will reduce hunger in a specific

country, city or state.

It is also important to keep in mind that passionate

people tend to work together in more ways than

one. Driving engagement and traffic to have 500

one dollar donors instead of a single donor that

donates 500 dollars is essential moving forward.

Also, a smart company would collaborate with their

employee base in terms of finding a philanthropic

cause, organizing ways to help, and most of all have

a say in how to aid the targeted community. This in

turn, creates a culture of kindness/selflessness,

positive thinking, and mutual bonding in order to

strengthen work based relationships.

Once employees are interested and engaged in what

the company is participating in with respect to their

new and improved philanthropic arm, there is a

strong likelihood these employees will share their

positivity in the social media space. Just look, for

instance, at Microsoft, which regularly encourages

its community to be even more philanthropic than

the year before:

According to a recent study, in

2015 alone, Microsoft employees

raised a record-breaking $125

million for more than 18,000

nonprofits and schools across

the globe. The tech giant not

only raise a hefty amount of

money, but also made it their

mission to constantly improve

how they help, shape and act in

a world that is increasingly

becoming global. With

participation reaching at around

71 percent, there is no question

Microsoft’s employee base is

becoming more involved in the

philanthropic realm.

It is clear that millennials are no longer impressed

or pleased with companies simply donating or

fundraising for a charity. An engaging, well-

thought out story is what this generation looks for

as they both enter and navigate the job market.

According to a recent 2015 Aflac Corporation

Survey:

75 percent of consumers said they would be happier

to work for a company with an effective, strong CSR

program.

65 percent of respondents link diversity with a

company’s ethical standards.

92 percent of millennials are more likely to purchase

from an ethical company more so than any other

generation.

By serving the needs of those in need, corporations

create an ecosystem of trusting consumers, a happier

workplace community, and sometimes a higher

employee retention rate across the board.

Basically regardless of company size,  the company

and charity relationship is clearly an ecosystem that

will continue a cyclical charitable symbiotic

relationship.