Creating a culture around philanthropy is difficult for most businesses, but especially so for small businesses. While businesses often donate time, money, or goods to non-profit organizations and charities, creating a culture around philanthropy is a different animal. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the top twenty tips to create a philanthropic culture in your business.
It’s no secret that the nonprofit sector is experiencing a renaissance these days. Even as the economy continues to struggle and the social welfare sector continues to re-emerge, nonprofit leaders continue to see opportunities. As a result, businesses are more than willing to partner with and support nonprofits in their mission to make the world a better place.
In addition to the economic opportunities, there are also the social benefits of partnering with nonprofits. The social welfare sector has always been filled with inspiring stories and nonprofits are nothing if not inspiring. As the sector continues to re-emerge, we see more and more people joining the cause and creating nonprofits to help challenge and change the world.
7 Tips to Create a Philanthropic Culture in Your Business
When employees see their company as a vehicle to help make the world a better place, they are more likely to feel a sense of purpose and loyalty. That’s because they know that their workplace is not just where they go to get their job done; it’s their chance to make a positive impact in the community. When a company is a charity, not just a business, employees are as invested as they are in their own personal life. That’s why it’s so important to create a philanthropic culture. Reading this list, you may be thinking that creating a philanthropic culture sounds like it’s a lot of work. And you’d be right! It requires constant effort, a desire to improve your community, and a unique set of skills. However, it’s one of the most important things you can do for the health of your business. Think about it this way: If your team doesn’t understand why doing good is important to you and your company, they will leave. It’ll only take one employee who feels unwelcome and unappreciated by their company to make a bad impression on any other potential employees they may know. So, how do you create a philanthropic culture? Keep reading to learn 20 helpful tips that will help you on your way.
1. Build a foundation
You can’t have a philanthropic culture if the people at the top aren’t committed to it. So, before you do anything else, make sure that you’re on board with this idea. If you do not believe in the potential for your company to make an impact on the world, then why would your employees? When you begin to cultivate a philanthropic culture in your company, you must first set the stage. You must establish a foundation of philanthropy. That foundation can be anything you want it to be – it just has to be there.
2. Make philanthropy a priority
The best way to make a difference in your community, and to create a philanthropic culture in your business, is to make philanthropy a priority. To do that, you must first acknowledge that fact. There has to be a place in your business for philanthropy to come first, before everything else. If philanthropy isn’t a priority, it will never become a culture – no matter how hard you try.
3. Define the company’s purpose
Once you’ve made philanthropy a priority, you need to define your company’s purpose. What is the reason your company exists? What are you trying to accomplish? The purpose of your company should be at the center of everything that you do.
4. Find a cause that motivates you
Once you’ve established your purpose, you’ll want to find a cause that motivates you. You want to find a cause that you are passionate about. You want to find a cause that ignites your passion in a way that few other causes do. You want to find a cause that you feel strongly enough about to want to make a difference in the world.
5. Measure results
While it’s important to find a cause that motivates you, it’s also important to measure the results of your philanthropic efforts. To do that, you’ll need to track your company’s philanthropic impact.
6. Tell your story
Once you’ve found a cause and measured the results of your efforts, you’ll want to tell your story. You don’t want to tell your employees that they need to make a difference in the world; you want to tell them why they should make a difference in the world.
7. Celebrate wins
Once you’ve reached a goal, celebrate the win. Celebrate the small wins, like making a donation, hiring someone to do a volunteer project, or sending a company-owned employee on a charity project. Celebrate the bigger wins, like a new program, a fundraiser, or an impactful company-wide event.
Conclusion
Creating a philanthropic culture in your company is a long-term effort. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it won’t be accomplished by one person in one department of the company. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of time to create a culture where employees feel like they can make a difference in the world, and where they also feel appreciated and appreciated for their contributions.
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