Trends in corporate support

Trends in corporate support 
by Jim Abernathy
From - 

• The Founding Fathers Write a Proposal - {Centered}: August 2013 (Vol. 6, No. 8)‏

  The total value of corporate gifts -- cash, goods, and services -- increased in 2012; now it's 42% greater than it was in 2007, before the recession, according a survey of 214 corporations by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP). (Source: "Studies show rebound in corporate contributions," Corporate Philanthropy Report, August 2013. Read or download the full report, "Giving in Numbers 2012 Edition," at the CECP website.

  
  

  Giving may be up, but after surveying 106 of the largest corporations,The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that the share of pretax profits going to charity is down. It dropped to 0.8% after ranging between 1% and 1.4% over the previous six years. (Source: "With Cash Giving Flat, Big Companies Offer Other Aid," by Ben Gose and Marissa Lopez-Rivers, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, July 18, 2013.)

  
  

  Both studies found that cash gifts stayed relatively flat. But noncash contributions (including excess inventory; pro bono services; and use of company facilities, intellectual property, and land, etc.) rose to 69% of the total value (about eighteen billion dollars) of corporate support for charitable groups. The most favored types of charities were education and health.

  
  

  The Chronicle's Ben Gose adds the following advice for organizations seeking corporate support:

  • Identify the themes in the corporate giving program and see how they match with the work of your group.
  • Determine the level of the corporate structure your group should approach - the local manager or the headquarters office.
  • Show how your organization demonstrates outcomes or return on investment.
  • Provide opportunities for company employees to volunteer with your group.
  • Be prepared to move quickly when you learn of a new corporate initiative.