The Giving Season takes place in the last quarter of the year, from October to December. With the intersection of the end of the fiscal year, seasonal holidays, and the movement behind Giving Tuesday, both companies and individual donors are motivated to give back during this time. As it approaches, it’s a great time to reflect on your current charitable giving initiatives and any potential plans to enhance or expand upon them.
It’s vital to establish specific end-of-year initiatives to mobilize the goodwill of your stakeholders and maintain your campaign impact throughout the next year. Over 30% of annual giving occurs in December, and 50% of nonprofits are majority funded through year-end giving. The Giving Season is a critical fundraising time for nonprofit organizations to receive much-needed financial support.
The establishment of Giving Tuesday has helped open up more opportunities for donors to support nonprofits during the Giving Season. Held each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, it is a global day of giving, meant to encourage everyone to give back in whatever ways they can. With the 11th annual Giving Tuesday approaching, there’s no better time to reevaluate your company’s social and philanthropic impact and consider additional methods of engaging with your employees and community.
Let’s review 3 key ways your company can easily set up charitable initiatives for Giving Season and into the year ahead while also juggling your year-end corporate activities:
- Plan out your charitable giving
- Engage your employees in your charitable strategy
- Use technology and tools for infrastructure
We’ll also address some common misconceptions around corporate philanthropy and how planned charitable initiatives create a positive, sustainable, and year-round societal impact.
Plan Out Your Charitable Giving
Many companies review company finances and plan their upcoming budgets, including philanthropic efforts during Giving Season. This is a great time to kick off corporate giving or restrategize corporate giving programs. A strategic plan to allocate donations all year round helps these programs have an impact during Giving Season and into the year ahead, while saving both costs and time.
Planning for year-round giving also increases engagement and participation, establishing a stronger culture of giving at your company and maximizing impact. Properly planning out your charitable giving allows companies to react immediately to disasters and other world events and help their communities (whether local or global) and employees without having to wonder if there’s money for it.
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Engage Your Employees In Charitable Strategy
During the Giving Season, it’s easy for charitable initiatives to be measured by their marketing value. In order to have the best outcome for your brand, however, your company’s charitable giving strategy needs to be genuine. Many companies who have done this successfully have leveraged their brand mission to serve as an anchor for their charitable giving goals. For companies who either do not have this as an option or who want to take their strategy to the next level, involving employees and enabling their desire to give back and engage their communities is a great way to increase brand impact. In addition to the marketing value and maximized charitable impact that an employee giving program can have, it can also improve workplace culture, attract new talent, and increase employee retention rates. Studies have found that employees who engage in corporate giving programs tend to have 75% longer tenures with the company. An engaged workplace culture that wants to give back with purpose makes the Giving Season more meaningful and impactful.
Employee giving programs allow your company to support more causes as well as support your employees, who tend to become more invested in their daily work when seen as a “whole person.” It lends authenticity to your strategy, and focusing on issues your team cares about is more easily maintained in the long term. Establishing a brand strategy around charitable giving and tracking successful impact signifies to your stakeholders, consumers, and communities that your company wants to pursue consistent, meaningful impact and create opportunities for others to contribute.
Engaging your employees in your corporate giving strategy also allows you to maximize your positive corporate impact. In 2022 $499 billion was given to charity- 63% ($315B) of that was given by individuals. Giving technology like Philantech® provides companies with easy and engaging giving tools that integrate giving into employees’ everyday lives as a new financial wellness benefit. With the ability to track and report on every dollar donated by the company, employees, and community-driven campaigns, companies can holistically report on CSR and social impact initiatives.
Use Technology and Tools For Infrastructure
Technology is revolutionizing the field of philanthropy by providing companies and donors with more accessible ways to give. Innovative technology allows businesses to set up trusted charitable initiatives quickly and makes year-round giving more easily achievable. It also unlocks the potential for companies to expand Giving Season and Giving Tuesday into everyday philanthropy, and integrate giving into employees’ everyday lives.
Deciding on the right tools and technology for your company to use for Giving Season allows you to maximize corporate philanthropy now and into next year. Charitable giving doesn’t need to be another to-do list item for your team. With Givinga, the first step in kicking off a year-round corporate giving strategy is establishing a corporate Charitable Savings Account™. Our technology solution lets companies of all sizes set one up with ease, without needing extensive resources or time dedicated. This accessibility removes the traditional limitations of high costs and administrative duties that typically take away from corporate giving programs. No matter the size of your business, you can increase your impact.
Technology allows companies to rally their communities when disaster or hardship strikes. Even reacting to a world event becomes proactive with the proper planning for infrastructure and budget to quickly stand up custom, on-brand public and internal charitable campaigns. Technology effortlessly allows wider communities to participate, driving a greater collective impact and potential for more causes to receive support.
Givinga Modernizes Philanthropy with Charitable Giving as a New Employee Benefit
Philantech® for Workplace is revolutionizing corporate philanthropy by introducing it as a powerful new employee benefit. Tailored for HR professionals, our all-in-one corporate giving solution seamlessly integrates into HR benefit systems, simplifying program activation and management. This not only enhances your employees’ well-being but also empowers them to make a more significant impact.
Introducing Charitable Savings Accounts™
Our tax-smart Charitable Savings Accounts™ are designed with both businesses and employees in mind. They seamlessly become part of your financial wellness benefit offerings, providing a unique addition that has a lasting positive effect on your workforce and your company as a whole.
Empowering Your Employees
The heart of our platform lies in empowering your employees. Through Philantech®, they gain control and visibility over their charitable contributions, and they can seamlessly engage in giving, matching, and volunteering. This empowerment extends to employee relief programs and corporate grants, creating a more profound connection between your employees and their impact on society.
Maximizing Brand Impact
Our platform gives you total control and transparency. With comprehensive donation tracking, end-to-end white-label capabilities, and instant access to real-time impact reporting, your employees and your company can measure and communicate the meaningful impact you’re making in the community.
Philantech® for Workplace doesn’t just enhance your corporate philanthropy strategy; it strengthens your brand impact and fosters a culture of giving within your organization.
As Giving Season approaches, let us be your philanthropic advocates. With over 30% of charitable giving occurring in December, we’re here to help you make the greatest impact possible. To learn more or schedule a demo, contact us below!
