A charity partnership brings so many benefits to a company but it can also cause a few headaches and frustrations when it proves impossible to unite everyone behind the chosen cause.
We all know that we can’t please everyone all of the time but there are a few strategies you can employ that will help to diffuse any tension, foster an individual’s desire to support a charity and above all place the focus on the company charity.
Keep it clear – decide on your approach to charity support and stick to it.
Be inclusive – depending on the size of your company you can offer some support to employee led ventures while gently steering the focus to the chosen charity.
Matched funding – an agreed contribution to an employee’s chosen charity but doubling that amount if it is for the company charity.
Offer paid volunteer days – these can be taken individually for chosen charities or organised by your chosen charity for groups and teams.
Support the charity fundraising events that are the most inclusive and don’t bombard email boxes with dates and demands!
Offer incentives for company charity support –try offering an extra day of leave as a raffle prize, when opportunities arise for any charity base visits or corporate type events make sure there are opportunities for employees to be there. Create a buzz with competitions and ballots.
Remember that all charity contributions are valid and they should be recorded as part of the overall company contribution. However, you will achieve more together and the benefits for the company and the charity will be greater.
Here at Ignite we offer strategic, bespoke advice to companies who want to improve their community engagement and enhance their reputations. Get in touch and start making a difference.