As the U.S. economy slowly recovers from the worst economic downturn in decades, corporate philanthropy is no longer just about writing a check for charity as executives look to use their core business to do social good, experts say.
The growing trend was dubbed "creating shared value" by Michael Porter of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, who said companies need to reconnect business success with social progress.
The King’s Speech won Best Picture and other accolades at the Academy Awards last night.
It's also brought attention to the Memphis, Tenn.-based charity the Stuttering Foundation and garnered thousands of dollars from the increased attention to how stuttering can be overcome.
Donations in January to the foundation increased 10 percent from that same month in 2010. In February the Stuttering Foundation of America received $25,000 in donations versus the $10,000 it received in February 2010.
The Nashville Predators are joining forces with Jersey Mike’s Subs restaurants throughout the Nashville area in a March Month of Giving fundraising campaign. The campaign will culminate in Jersey Mike’s nationwide Make A Difference Day event on March 28.
During the month of March, customers can make a donation to the Nashville Predators Foundation at any area Jersey Mike’s store.
After a somewhat contentious holiday season, Giant Food and the Salvation Army National Capital Area Command are looking to make amends. Giant has presented the Salvation Army with a $75,000 check in recognition of the grocery chain's 75th anniversary in business in the Washington area.
The supermarket chain came under some criticism from many of its customers during the holidays because of a policy change regarding solicitations outside its stores.
There are ever-growing marriages between group coupons and U.S. charities.
Promoters argue these are "win-win-win situations"-- for the consumer, the advertised business and the charity. But nonprofit leaders warn consumers to do some digging before donating, Some coupon sites donate little. Others much more.
Margaret McKenna leads the Walmart Foundation, a perch that gives her one of the biggest jobs in US philanthropy, running the charitable efforts of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
McKenna directs a half-billion dollars a year in giving, focusing on hunger and education. While she tackles issues close to her heart, she has also become an ambassador for the world’s most powerful retail machine, helping to burnish its image and lay the groundwork for its push into urban markets.
Xerox Corp. today announced it will grant fully-paid leaves of absence for seven employees in 2011 to assist community organizations. As part of the company’s Social Service Leave program, the employees will use their professional skills and expertise to work full-time for non-profits in their communities.
Oxfam and PayPal have joined forces to launch 100% giving, a groundbreaking new partnership that sees PayPal paying for the running costs on every donation made to the charity in February via oxfam.org.uk/giving. This means that for the first time ever, a UK charity is offering a donation scheme through which 100% of every donation is guaranteed to go directly to the cause.
The initiative follows a new Oxfam report showing that people are often deterred from giving because part of their donation usually goes towards the charity's running costs.
Goodwill, in collaboration with eBay Giving Works, eBay's charity fundraising program, launched a fundraising campaign that focuses on helping people find and keep jobs. From Feb. 7 to 13, Goodwill will be a featured nonprofit on eBay, offering everyone the opportunity to buy, sell or donate to support Goodwill's job training programs. Dress for Success and the National Federation of the Blind will also be featured in February as part of the same campaign.
In 2004, Larry Page, one of its founders, excited the nonprofit world with a bold commitment to philanthropy. He vowed to dedicate about 1 percent of Google’s profits, 1 percent of its equity and a significant amount of its employees’ time to the effort, which became known as Google.org, or DotOrg.
However, the hyperbole looks more like hubris. DotOrg has narrowed to just one octave on the piano: engineering-related projects that often are the outgrowth of existing Google products.
