With all the hurt caused by the economy, there's no doubt some nonprofit groups in Clark County are seeing their levels of donations drop lower than ever before.
Despite this fact, many leading companies continue to view philanthropy and corporate citizenship as an integral part of their long-term strategy for success. These firms remain committed to building relationships that strengthen both their organization and their community.
How can nonprofit organizations tap into corporate philanthropy? Here are seven steps:
1. Take a long-term approach to cultivating a relationship. Corporations rarely give on the strength of a single request for a contribution. Try and then try again. And invite prospective donors to visit your agency.
2. Rely on your board of directors. Talk with them about their companies' contribution policies. Ask them to introduce you to representatives of companies with whom they do business and who may be interested in your mission.
3. Research prospective donors. Check corporate websites. Check out their contribution policies, applications and forms required for donation requests, as well as their contribution calendars. Some will have a proposal deadline. Determine each company's focus areas and identify the local decision makers.
If the information is not on the Web, make a few phone calls. Ask the company if it has specific community relations objectives and what kind of grant requests it supports. Address your proposal to an individual whenever possible and make sure the names and addresses are spelled correctly and are current.
4. Follow the guidelines. Follow the submission rules precisely. Most companies receive hundreds or even thousands of proposals annually. By following guidelines, you'll make it easier for the company to evaluate your request. If you have specific questions, call first.
Keep your proposal brief, simple and free of fancy packaging. Use bullets. Control your sentence and paragraph length and use active verbs to describe your request. Have at least two people proofread your proposal. Triple-check that all required elements are enclosed in your submission.
5. Seek a connection. A company will often link its corporate gift decisions to its mission. Seek companies whose mission is similar to your organization's. For instance, if your group is education-oriented, target companies with missions either tied to education or that list education as a priority.
Identify where the nonprofit's and the corporate donor's interests intersect. When a connection is established, a relationship can evolve.
6. More than just dollars. Companies are increasingly interested in contributing more than just dollars. They are marshalling their assets, including expertise, employees, products and services, to improve their communities.
Corporations and nonprofits are discovering greater community impact when corporate dollars are augmented by employee volunteerism. Many corporations allow employees to perform volunteer work on company time. Some provide compensation and incentives for employees who volunteer or perform community service.
When approaching a company, ask or suggest the types of support it might provide in-kind. Instead of money, a nonprofit might get volunteers for a forthcoming event, or even slightly used computers, office furniture or fixtures. No matter what the trade-off, you will establish a relationship for the future.
7. Report results. Provide a donor with a report of how its donation was used, who it benefited, how projects are progressing and the organization's future goals and plans. This vital – though often neglected – element of fundraising is the key to maintaining a strong, long-term, mutually beneficial relationship.
Based in Vancouver, Amanda Dolley is Wells Fargo's Community Banking District Manager for Southwest Washington. Wells Fargo donates more than $2.1 million annually to schools and nonprofit groups in Washington. For information about Wells Fargo's charitable giving guidelines, visit wellsfargo.com.
