In at present’s evolving panorama of company social accountability, partnerships between firms and nonprofits are extra necessary, and extra complicated, than ever earlier than. Whereas nonprofits usually search funding, volunteer assist, or elevated visibility, firms are additionally searching for one thing in return. Whereas they’ll differ, firms’ expectations for nonprofits can embody alignment with their values, affect they’ll measure, and genuine, mutually useful partnerships.

Understanding what firms really anticipate from nonprofit companions is vital for constructing lasting, symbiotic relationships. On this publish, we’ll discover what companies are actually searching for after they have interaction with nonprofits⁠, from compliance and communication to mission alignment and neighborhood presence.

Right now, we’ll evaluation a dialog had between Jim Starr, President and CEO of America’s Charities, and Patrick McCrumman, World Head of Neighborhood and Social Affect at DuPont. These company citizenship representatives are specialists on the subject of nonprofit partnerships, they usually just lately shared their insights throughout a session on the Digital Office Fundraising Summit. We’ll present an summary of the findings right here⁠, or be happy to observe the session replay by clicking the button under.

Company giving needs to be an extremely vital piece of any nonprofit’s fundraising technique. In spite of everything, firms donate an estimated $25 billion a 12 months, and that’s an excellent chunk of change to contemplate. When requested what tendencies they’ve seen within the CSR area just lately and the way that impacts nonprofits, the panelists answered as follows.

What are some ongoing tendencies you’ve seen within the CSR area?

One latest pattern within the CSR area is that non-public foundations are stepping as much as fill funding gaps left by strained public and nonprofit sectors. These foundations are more and more reaching past their conventional geographic focus to assist causes in new areas, demonstrating a deeper dedication to attaining their affect targets. This shift is available in response to rising pressures on each private and non-private organizations to maintain philanthropic efforts amid monetary challenges.

One other encouraging pattern is the emergence of latest collaborative ecosystems in response to shared challenges. Organizations that won’t have partnered earlier than are actually coming collectively to discover collective affect. These alliances are fostering out-of-the-box pondering and modern approaches to social accountability, enabling like-minded teams to align their efforts and sources in additional strategic, coordinated methods. This shift displays a rising recognition that significant change usually requires cross-sector collaboration.

How do firms select to assist nonprofits?

Corporations assist the charitable sector in some ways, with grants being one of the frequent and impactful. Corporate grantmaking takes numerous varieties—from open functions the place any nonprofit can apply, to extra focused or invitation-only processes targeted on particular causes or partnerships. Many firms align their giving with strategic priorities, resembling their mission, management values, or worker pursuits.

This brings us to an necessary query: How do firms determine which organizations to assist by way of their company grants?

At DuPont, an organization with over 230 years of historical past, company giving is approached with intentionality and strategic focus. Their philanthropic efforts are guided by a shared worth mannequin—one which aligns neighborhood affect with company profit. This mannequin ensures that if DuPont is making a distinction on this planet, it’s additionally making a constructive distinction throughout the firm. That alignment is important, as management should frequently reveal tangible outcomes from their giving technique to inner stakeholders, together with the CEO.

When deciding on nonprofit companions, DuPont seems for organizations that align with its three pillars of giving (fundamentals to thrive, STEM training, and innovation for good) and assist fill gaps or construct partnerships that assist the corporate’s overarching mission. With operations in over 100 websites globally, DuPont additionally considers the native wants of its communities, recognizing that what advantages the neighborhood can and will profit the corporate as nicely. This method ensures DuPont delivers worth not solely to nonprofits and the communities they serve, but additionally to workers, traders, and different key stakeholders.

What are firms searching for in company relationships?

What we’re seeing with our companions is a rising emphasis on extra significant, quantitative affect metrics of their giving packages. Many firms are transferring past surface-level knowledge, such because the variety of volunteers or meals served, and as a substitute need to perceive the deeper, long-term affect their assist is having in the neighborhood. Each firms and nonprofits are actively working to higher measure and talk these outcomes.

That stated, model visibility stays a invaluable profit. Corporations nonetheless admire alternatives to showcase their model in the neighborhood, however at present, that visibility is commonly anticipated to accompany a transparent demonstration of social affect.

So as to add an instance that illustrates the connection, Dupont has been a powerful supporter of Habitat for Humanity for over 30 years, and that partnership aligns intently with its enterprise. How? DuPont manufactures merchandise used within the constructing atmosphere. So, when the corporate companions with organizations like Habitat, it’s not nearly giving again—it’s about creating like-minded collaborations the place we are able to contribute meaningfully. These partnerships enable us to check our merchandise in real-world settings, have interaction our workers by way of volunteer builds, and finally create a well-rounded relationship that delivers worth and affect for each side.

How does worker engagement play a job?

One other key issue firms worth in nonprofit partnerships is how workers can actively have interaction by way of office giving packages. Whereas office giving used to observe a extra uniform mannequin, usually centered round a single group like United Manner, at present’s packages are far more numerous.

Some firms supply open-choice platforms that enable workers to provide to any certified 501(c)(3), whereas others present curated lists targeted on particular trigger areas or most well-liked nonprofits. The pattern is more and more transferring towards extra flexibility, together with choices for workers to recommend or write in their very own charities, which has been proven to spice up each engagement and total affect.

Many firms additionally supply matching gift programs as a part of their giving campaigns. These differ extensively, from dollar-for-dollar matches to enhanced giving for sure causes or campaigns, like environmental giving throughout Earth Month. Matching items not solely amplify worker donations but additionally strengthen an organization’s total social affect.

How can nonprofits improve visibility by way of office giving?

Whereas there are at all times challenges in constructing efficient partnerships, there are methods to beat them. At the start, it’s essential to grasp an organization’s technique and its targets for neighborhood affect, whether or not it’s a big company or a small enterprise.

To attain significant affect, it’s necessary to contemplate the broader ecosystem of partnerships that may assist meet these targets. The hot button is to study concerning the firm’s aims and tailor your method to point out how your nonprofit can contribute to these targets. This method sparks conversations and opens doorways to new partnerships which may not have been thought-about in any other case.

Nonprofits also can leverage bottom-up methods by way of worker giving packages. Many donors are workers of firms with giving packages, and nonprofits can mobilize these supporters to extend visibility throughout the workforce. Selling matching present packages is an effective way to encourage donors to double their contributions, particularly if they’re unaware of such alternatives.

How does volunteering play a job?

Along with worker giving, volunteering is a robust software for nonprofits to interact with company companions. Corporations worth volunteer packages for a wide range of causes, together with neighborhood affect, team-building, and worker engagement. Some firms additionally supply grant funding by way of “dollars for doers” packages, the place workers can earn grants for nonprofits primarily based on volunteer hours.

Nonprofits ought to encourage their volunteers to discover these alternatives at their workplaces and guarantee they’ve well-curated volunteer alternatives to supply. Corporations are sometimes searching for significant and impactful initiatives to incorporate of their platforms, and nonprofits needs to be ready to supply these alternatives. This proactive method helps maximize volunteer engagement and strengthens the partnership between nonprofits and firms.

At DuPont, volunteerism is a core a part of our tradition, and we make a big affect in communities by way of each large-scale occasions and smaller volunteer actions all year long. Our annual “Days of Caring” occasion is one instance, however we additionally encourage workers to interact in inventive methods, from hands-on volunteering to extra strategic contributions. For example, we’ve had workers serve on nonprofit boards to assist organizations develop long-term methods. One worker labored with a nonprofit scuffling with its progress plan, providing experience and steerage that proved invaluable.

Participating company volunteers is a invaluable however difficult activity for nonprofits. It requires vital funding in time and sources to do it nicely. Whereas some nonprofits have pure volunteer alternatives that may be promoted inside an organization, creating significant group volunteer occasions requires cautious consideration from each the nonprofit and the corporate.

How ought to nonprofits foster long-term company relationships?

Nonprofits ought to deal with constructing long-term relationships, not simply providing transactional alternatives. Whereas group volunteering can foster teamwork, the principle objective needs to be significant engagement that advantages each the corporate and the nonprofit. Strategic partnerships, the place workers are genuinely concerned and the nonprofit is seen as an necessary a part of the corporate’s neighborhood efforts, can result in elevated visibility and ongoing assist. This method helps nonprofits get on the radar of an organization’s management, particularly inside CSR departments.

How can nonprofits find the precise company contacts?

A standard query I hear is how nonprofits can discover the precise particular person inside an organization to attach with. This is usually a problem, particularly in bigger firms or the place CSR groups are small, typically solely consisting of 1 to 4 individuals.

One approach to discover the precise contact is to search for the CSR division, however it’s necessary to notice that CSR could not at all times be a standalone division. In lots of instances, it may be a part of communications, neighborhood relations, or different areas throughout the firm. Nevertheless, many firms, each massive and small, could have a “neighborhood affect” or related part on their web site the place you will discover details about their efforts and methods to attach.

One other efficient technique is to be lively in the neighborhood. By attending nonprofit conferences or different neighborhood occasions, you possibly can study extra about who’s doing what and ask for introductions. In my expertise, nonprofit leaders are sometimes very keen to share contacts, and it’s not a aggressive ambiance. If you happen to’re making an attempt to achieve a selected particular person at an organization, like DuPont, asking round in your community is usually a useful approach to get related.

In the meantime, many firms with a nationwide presence decentralize their philanthropic efforts, delegating decision-making to regional workplaces or native leaders. Whereas it could be more durable to determine the precise particular person making these choices, the hot button is to be the place they’re. Attend native Chamber of Commerce conferences or different neighborhood occasions to attach with them straight. Being current in these areas will increase your possibilities of making invaluable connections.

What has been the impact of the present political local weather and financial uncertainty?

With the present political local weather and financial uncertainty, are we seeing extra firms turning into reluctant to accomplice with sure charities, particularly these whose missions could also be perceived as partisan or aligned with controversial points? Is that this one thing you’re noticing in your conversations with different CSR professionals? Moreover, how is the continuing financial uncertainty affecting firms’ choices relating to partnerships, donations, and the extent of assist they supply?

Starting with a disclaimer that he can solely communicate from his personal perspective, our company contact reiterates that he doesn’t suppose financial uncertainties are a brand new problem. In truth, we’ve confronted them many occasions through the years. Nevertheless, they do put strain on each firms and nonprofits to make choices they may not have made in any other case. We’re in a singular second, however it’s not essentially political—it’s about discovering methods to make sure that individuals are served. The remainder is simply noise, and that’s a part of the uncertainty we face.

On the finish of the day, we depend on our technique, our neighborhood relationships, and our visibility throughout the neighborhood to remain the course and do as a lot good as we are able to.

How do laws and compliance tendencies play a job?

On the subject of company partnerships, even much less formal ones like worker giving or volunteering packages, it’s completely vital for nonprofits to remain on prime of state and federal laws and compliance tendencies. Even for those who’re not working in sure states, you could have donors from these areas who need to assist your efforts. If you happen to’re not in full compliance with state laws, these donations may very well be prevented from coming in.

Most of you might be seemingly federally compliant, however state laws might be difficult. For instance, in 2024, California enacted Meeting Invoice 488, which regulates on-line charitable fundraising. This invoice has two lists that charities should keep away from in an effort to obtain funds from California residents. As an internet giving platform supplier, we now have to make sure that the charities we work with aren’t on California’s ‘naughty checklist.’

This can be one thing nonprofits aren’t conscious of, particularly in the event that they’re not working in California, however it’s a vital difficulty. California at the moment has probably the most stringent laws, however different states could undertake related legal guidelines within the close to future, so it’s necessary to remain knowledgeable.

Any further insights?

Compliance, as you talked about, is vital, however it’s additionally necessary to make sure your mission stays true. It may be tempting to simply accept funding from sources the place you might not have the experience to meet that partnership successfully. That is the place your board ought to step in and punctiliously deliberate these choices to ensure you’re doing the perfect in your group and its backside line.

Wrapping up & extra company giving sources

On the coronary heart of each profitable nonprofit–company partnership is a shared dedication to affect and integrity. Corporations aren’t simply trying to write checks—they need significant engagement, accountability, and alignment with their strategic targets.

Nonprofits that take the time to grasp these expectations, spend money on relationships, and keep mission-focused are much more prone to stand out. Whether or not you’re looking for funding, volunteers, or a deeper collaborative effort, assembly firms the place they’re and displaying up constantly can open doorways to enduring partnerships that profit each your group and the communities you serve.

Serious about studying extra about corporate-nonprofit relationships⁠—and the way your crew can benefit from them? Try these further sources:

• Matching Gifts in Practice: Tips, Strategies From Your Peers. Find out how different nonprofits are efficiently selling and managing matching present packages. This Summit session overview shares real-world examples, greatest practices, and inventive techniques that will help you improve present conversions and maximize company assist.
• The Fundraiser’s Guide to Powerful Corporate Partnerships. From first contact to long-term collaboration, this information walks fundraisers by way of each step of growing sturdy, strategic relationships with firms. Uncover easy methods to place your group as a invaluable accomplice and construct alliances that transcend one-time donations.
• Top Workplace Giving Companies: Leading Employers to Know. Discover a curated checklist of firms that prepared the ground in worker giving and volunteering. Whether or not you’re trying to have interaction in matching present packages or set up deeper partnerships, this checklist highlights key gamers and what they provide nonprofits.