Corporate Grantmaking

Answers to the 12 most common and critical questions about corporate giving In this groundbreaking resource, Weeden shows how to strategically plan, manage and evaluate corporate contributions. Questions include: Why Should We Give?; How Much?; Who Decides?; Does a Company Need a Foundation?; How to Give Products or Services?; How Do We Know What Works? The book covers a wide range of topics including: The case for conditional corporate philanthropy; increasing stewardship to give more; assigning responsibility for signature programs; how CEOs leverage contributions programs for maximum benefit; effectively staffing corporate contributions programs; the pros and cons of corporate foundations; and more. Offers benchmarks for determining if a business has a meaningful philanthropic program that fosters constructive corporate citizenship Reveals how an effective philanthropic program and commitment can be incorporated in any organization Contains a comprehensive review of the information corporations need to make informed decisions about giving The author offers a prescription for linking businesses with causes and the nonprofits addressing critical issues in a way that will preserve or restore services and activities essential to our quality of life.

In the past few years, there has been an extensive re-evaluation of the way in which American institutions interact with and demonstrate their concerns for communities of African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Pacific Islander Americans, and Native Americans. One issue under reassessment has been the adequacy of financial resources dedicated to strengthening these communities through employment preparation, health, community improvement, education, arts/humanities, and basic human services. As part of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy's (NCRP) mission to encourage corporate grantmakers (and other philanthropic institutions) to be more responsive to the needs of disenfranchised communities, NCRP has initiated a series of surveys to determine the scope and extent of corporate support for Racial/Ethnic grantmaking patterns of the top corporations in the U.S. This survey is analysis of the Racial/Ethnic grantmaking patterns of the top 25 publicly-held corporate profitmakers of 1988, according to Forbes magazine. Co-published with the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.

"Political controversy is a lens through which the author examines corporate philanthropy. He explains why corporate philanthropy has become politicized, how corporations, respond to controversy about their donations, and what the conflicts tell us about corporate phlanthropy and corproate politics. Himmelstein argues that corporate giving sometimes becomes politicized because it is inherently a complex social and political act. Drawing on in-depth interviews with managers at fifty-five of the largest corporate giving programs in the U.S., Himmelstein shows that corporate giving often finds itself, as one manager put it, locked in a 'struggle between looking good and doing good.'"--Back cover.

A practical guide to philanthropy at all levels of giving that seeks to educate and inspire A majority of American households give to charity in some form or another--from local donations to food banks, religious organizations, or schools, to contributions to prevent disease or protect basic freedoms. Whether you're in a position to give $1 or $1 million, every giver needs to answer the same question: How do I channel my giving effectively to make the greatest difference? In Giving Done Right, Phil Buchanan, the president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, arms donors with what it takes to do more good more quickly and to avoid predictable errors that lead too many astray. This crucial book will reveal the secrets and lessons learned from some of the biggest givers, busting commonly held myths and challenging the idea that "business thinking" holds the answer to effective philanthropy. And it offers the intellectual frameworks, data-driven insights, tools, and practical examples to allow readers to understand exactly what it takes to make a difference.

Ten keys to the corporate treasury; Questions evaluator ask; Sample proposal; Information source.

A guide for professionals and aspiring professionals, staff members, and volunteers alike, this is a concise, readable, overview of fund raising activities in the not-for-profit sector. The author is a former Contributions Analyst at Pennzoil. She contributes insights gleaned through her considerable experience in the field, providing an unusually comprehensive survey of the many facets of fund raising and philanthropy. Adams-Chau begins by describing the characteristics, legal status, and professional organizations of the not-for-profit, independent sector. Subsequent chapters examine specific fund raising targets and fund raising organizations: individuals, corporations, foundations, the United Way, and religious fund raising. The author describes what motivates contributions, the effects of the 1986 Tax Act, ethical considerations, and types of contributions. She includes professional resumes of the key individuals involved: a board member, a corporate contributions executive, and a national foundation executive, a national United Way executive, and a denominational leader. The final chapter details how to write and evaluate grant proposals. The bibliography lists important sources of information including computer software.

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This book is for individuals or nonprofits who want to make gifts across international borders. It covers such issues as laws blocking the use of charitable funds to finance organized crime or terrorism, avoiding cooptation of the grantmaking process for fraud or personal gain, and applicable laws in the foreign countries that receive grants.