Beyond the Donation: 7 Steps to Getting the Most from a Corporate/Charitable Partnership

Many great articles stress the importance of corporate giving though few effectively outline the benefits to a partnering company.

Most charities work hard to raise funds and drive programs congruent with their missions; the savvy ones also know how to help drive a corporate partner’s bottom line.

Look at American Airlines’ 26-year history of support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the US. As the “official airline” of the charity, they have pledged $8 million in breast cancer research fundraising over eight years via their AA Golf and Tennis Weekend, sponsorship of the Komen Race for the Cure event, gift card donations and other programs. They tied a piece of their fundraising to a “Promise Grant” supporting specific and innovative research at one of the leading cancer centres in the country. And they branded two of their aircraft with pink ribbons to tell the world about their efforts.

This is no random show of support; American obviously knows that their support gives them a competitive edge.

So, how can a smart company make the most of their strategic philanthropy?

• Choose wisely: avoid the public perception of “pinkwashing” by partnering with a charity that aligns with your business objectives. Plan for longer-term cumulative support rather than a one-off donation that will be forgotten by next year.
• Add a new layer to the marketing mix, part 1: use your association with the charity to connect with your customers and employees. Find avenues to build public service messaging into your corporate communications, whether you’re talking about environmental issues, disease prevention or arts promotion.
• Add a new layer to the marketing mix, part 2: does the charity publish newspaper supplements with charitable discount rates for corporate advertisers? Do they launch public education campaigns? Find out how you can leverage these initiatives to promote your partnership. Golf Town did this to great effect in their partnership with Prostate Cancer Canada.
• Capitalize on the charity’s audiences: ask how you can connect with the charity’s donors, volunteers, clients/patrons and directors. Build a complementary marketing strategy to engage these groups.
• Capitalize on the charity’s network: what other corporate partnerships are in play that you could leverage? Begin a conversation with other companies using your common philanthropic support as the starting point.
• Social media: use the charity’s message to add valuable content to your Facebook or Twitter strategy. Find out how you can build your message into the charity’s social media strategy.
• Go beyond the money: invite your senior executives to volunteer on the charity’s board or advisory committee as an extension of your partnership and as a further gesture of your corporate commitment.

These efforts can be build customer loyalty, increase staff morale and introduce the company’s offerings to new consumers. Not a bad return for a modest but sincere investment in strategic philanthropy.