How a corporate client's "culture of focus" shaped the corporate giving program The following account is a true story based on a client’s of volunteers. EIG performed additional analysis of experience with Excellence in Giving. Identifying details each organization's leadership, finances, and future have been changed to protect anonymity. plans. The executive committee then narrowed the field to two organizations in each of the following Many corporations offer an employee matching gift focus areas: (a) inner city youth, (b) extreme urban program. Traditionally a company matches dollar-for- poverty, and (c) international relief and development. dollar up to a set amount per year to eligible organizations. Eligible organizations typically need no Employee Participation more than 501(c)3 status. This “portfolio approach” All employees were invited to attend 2 lunch-time did not appeal to our client. In the client's world of briefing sessions designed to introduce the 6 potential private equity investments "over-diversification" Charitable Partners. The executive leadership even delivers average results. That is why their company hired a temp so that the receptionist could also attend. invests large amounts only in a few carefully-researched Each organization presented their respective programs in a “The executive committee options. They wanted their corporate giving to employ the company's philosophy of delivering 25-minute time period. EIG wanted their corporate superior performance through focus. directed the organizations to giving to employ the Corporate Philanthropy Focus include a video and end with company's philosophy. Q & A to more fully engage To create a focused corporate giving program the the employees. EIG made that possible.” executive committee had to limit the eligible organizations. Based on EIG's advice they decided to Following the presentations, employees completed a select three locally based organizations using a two- confidential online survey to vote for their preferred step process. First, the executive committee would organization in each of the 3 focus areas. EIG gathered review a list of 10 recommended organizations from the data and informed the executive committee of the EIG. Second, the employees would vote for 3 from a results. The three selected organizations have now reduced list of 6. become the company's Charitable Partners. The employees were educated by the non-profits and The executive committee asked EIG to create a developed a sense of ownership through the selection recommended list of potential charitable partners process. using the following goals for their giving program: (1) to encourage giving and volunteering, To encourage employee involvement, the company offers a two-for-one match for the first $2,000 given (2) to serve those in desperate situations such as per employee. One matching dollar comes from the extreme poverty or crisis, and company and the other matching dollar from the executive leadership. The employees are also given two (3) to support organizations ignored by corporate days PTO per year to participate in service projects sponsorships. with the selected organizations. These policies EIG used these corporate goals to screen dozens of demonstrate the executive leadership's belief in the organizations based on their purpose, results and use importance of giving.