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Banking and Finance  » GIVING--without giving your money away!

GIVING--without giving your money away!

We all know that company charitable giving makes a difference,

some how, some way. Donations that count, charities it supports,

people it helps. Besides, it's just a good thing to do. Right?

Well, right but to the extent that it's really making an impact

in communities and making a difference for companies. As a

business owner, when you started your business, you probably

weren't prepared for making charitable contributions a part of

your business plan. Let's face it, you were putting in countless

hours just to start your company and no one ever really prepared

you for the fact that sooner or later you would be trying to

find a way to handle many donation requests. In the past year,

your company more than likely gave to various charitable causes

through either checks or donated products and services. The

question isn't, did you give? Rather, the question to be asked

is why you gave? Perhaps you were either asked by a good friend

and you couldn't say, "No", or you had a personal connection

with the cause, or you had enough money left over in your budget

to give, or if you didn't give it might reflect negatively on

you and your company.

All of these may seem like good reasons, but the fact is they

are not the best way your company should be making decisions

about its giving. What you gave, how much you gave and why you

gave are critical questions that should drive your decision

making. Why are these questions critical? Because it is too easy

to write a check, donate items or volunteer a little time. It's

really about building a deeper connection between giving and

your company. It's about making a commitment to being a part of

a community and changing lives. It's about improving a community

for all to live and work.

Key questions to know if your company needs to refine or revamp

its giving include: Is your giving somewhat unfocused and "it's

a good thing to do" describes how you give? Do you often get too

many requests and there is no strategy to handle them all? It is

sometimes difficult to follow up with organizations to monitor

the success of your giving? Is there an uncoordinated and

reactive part of your program? Do you get results for your

company for gifts that are made? Is your giving budget depleted

in less than 10 months? Do you often give a "little" to a "lot"

so you can "help out the most charities possible?"

If you answered yes to these questions, your charitable giving

isn't making the difference you may think and you really are

giving your money away. Sure your heart is in the right place,

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but this is about company giving. Charitable giving programs

should be managed and measured just like every other aspect of

your business. Giving matters most when it's planned and

focused. Giving makes a difference when it creates an impact and

results for both the community and your company. You may be

thinking that isn't very charitable-minded-- for the company to

get results from its giving. In fact, without results for the

company, you will not know how effective you really are. The

outcome must ensure results, changes, and impact. This cannot be

accomplished by a "checkbook charity" approach to giving. It's

about having a strategic approach to giving. Strategic

philanthropy for companies is a way to get an understanding of

the causes and social issues adopted and designing a program

that ensures the cause initiatives are aligned with business

goals. This translates into programs that really do make

community and the bottom-line impacts.

About the author:

Maggie F. Keenan, Ed.D., is the Principal and Owner of

givingadvice, a firm that develops giving programs for

corporations and foundations to create both community and

bottom-line impact. Email: maggie@givingadvice.com or Visit

www.givingadvice.com