Fundraising Principles and Practice, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER SEVENTEENCORPORATE GIVING AND FUNDRAISING

Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Describe key trends in corporate giving.
2. Assess the motives for corporate support of nonprofits.
3. Describe a variety of different forms of corporate support.
4. Research and identify potential corporate partners.
5. Secure, develop, and retain a variety of different forms of corporate support.

Introduction

Giving USA Foundation (2023) reports that corporate donations total $29.5 billion in 2022. They also tell us that corporate support of the nonprofit sector represents only a small percentage of donated income, at a mere 6% of all voluntary giving. This includes the value of cash support, corporate foundation grant-making, and in-kind donations. Not included in the Giving USA figures are several key forms of corporate support, such as sponsorships and cause-related marketing.

While the absolute numbers are positive, giving as a percentage of corporate pre-tax profits has fluctuated over time. This fluctuation is a function of movement in both parts of the calculation

1. Profits sometimes change faster than giving changes.
2. Giving sometimes changes faster than profits change.

But as Figure 17.1 clearly illustrates the general trend in this statistic has been downward since the mid-1980s. Giving by corporations is estimated to be 0.9% of corporate pre-tax profits for 2022. ...