Philanthropy Needs Fresh Leadership

Open your mail (and e-mail) and, to be sure, you'll find invitations to fundraisers, solicitations from politicians and non-profit pleas for money, expertise or both. Saying "no" is certainly the easier decision.

How do you figure out when to say yes?

Clients Dancing Deer Baking Co. and Stacy's Pita Chips say "yes." Trish Karter, CEO of Dancing Deer, incorporates philanthropy by dedicating 35 percent of the retail price of her Sweet Home line of products—an almost unheard-of percentage in retail—specifically to combat family homelessness. Stacy's products are ubiquitous staples at many charitable events and the health-conscious nature of the company drives many of their donation decisions.

A few things to consider:

• It's personal: What personally interests or touches you? I sit on the March of Dimes Board because of a personal connection with the tragedies that premature birth can cause; this makes it easy and especially meaningful for me to work on their behalf. If your interests lay elsewhere, organizations such as the Arts and Business Council help match people interested in the arts with organizations that need volunteers by serving as a clearinghouse. There are similar groups for other causes.
• Business and personal often intersect: What are you interested in as a businessperson? As a successful women-owned business, we strongly believe in helping other women and minorities start and grow their own businesses. At Castle, we provide professional, financial and volunteer resources to the Center for Women and Enterprise. Think about the organizations that have helped you along the way. Our clients are personally involved in organizations such as the Pan Mass Challenge and Junior Achievement, and we gladly help. Your customers are involved with their own special causes, and supporting their efforts is good business. Jewish Family and Children Services is not only a client we are proud to serve, but the breadth of their services can help on many fronts and is a resource we can refer within our company, client and personal circles, as need arises.
• Make 'doing good' part of your corporate culture: Which causes do your employees care about? Your workforce can be an important component of your volunteer program. While it's prudent to keep controversial or political causes out of the workplace, it is important to consider what motivates your staff and to respect their outside interests. Our employees are passionate about organizations such as Jane Doe and Best Buddies International, and we heartily support their involvement.
• You can make a real difference: Giving money to causes is often necessary and easy, and is many times all you can do. But there are many organizations, locally and globally, that are in real need of leaders and volunteers as well as dollars. The programs in greatest need are often those you don't read about, because they are without the means to get the word out. Marshalling resources to support a charity—such as sorting cans at the Greater Boston Food Bank, finding appropriate business attire for low-income women at Goodwill or getting toys to children through Cradles to Crayons—shows that we can do a lot as a team. Your mind, experience, contacts and commitment can mean more than your money in many instances.
• Philanthropy is a two-way street: There is an adage: "generous gestures yield the most when that is not their purpose." Typically, there are two reasons to get involved in an organization. First, you care about it. Second, participation in an organization can often lead to new business or networking opportunities for you, your clients or customers, and that's valuable, too. The blunt truth is that successful businesses are the lifeblood of philanthropy and generosity must flow both ways. As testimony, my membership on the WGBH corporate board does that. As a big supporter of public television (and face it, if you have small children, you need public television), I love the opportunities to work for the station. But the participation has also been good for our business—an unexpected and welcome bonus.
• Commitment counts: Can you commit? Do not promise more than you can deliver. Make a fair and reasonable commitment and surprise them with more. You may have a serious commitment in your heart, but if you can't attend meetings or execute the tasks you've committed to, you hurt yourself and the organization. Another applicable adage: "Do what you say you will do."

Businesses of any size can find ways to participate in a corporate philanthropy program. Understanding what fits within your organization, your lifestyle and your means are the keys to building a program that works for you, your company and your team.

Sandy Lish
Principal/Founder, The Castle Group

Are there any other nonprofits you think we should know about? Tell us about them at philanthropy@thecastlegrp.com