Just saw this on Facebook –Kelly Ripa is in the Electrolux ad promoting Earth Day and Electrolux’s Virtual Flower Garden.  If you plant a flower, Electrolux donates $1 to Global Green USA.

I clicked to plant a virtual flower in Facebook and got an error message that said it was having trouble and try again.  Hate that…get me all interested and then it flops??  So I went to the Electrolux website…and while I saw green appliances and Kelly…I could find nothing about the virtual garden.  So either it is hidden or it is bad timing on their part.  Before they announce an initiative like this, they should have had their ducks in a row to make it easy for people to participate. Nothing on the Global Green site yet either…

The best information I could find was on the I’m Not Obsessed” blog:  “Kelly and Electrolux have teamed up to release an eco-friendly washer and dryer in a vibrant “Kelly Green.” Kelly inspired this limited edition line because of her commitment to green living.

‘I love green… the color green and the act of living green,’ said Ripa. ‘What better place to make a simple, every day difference than in the laundry room? Kelly Green is a gorgeous shade, and just by using the new Electrolux high-efficiency washer and dryer you can save energy and use less water. How green is that?’ “

In addition to releasing the Kelly Green washer and dryer, Electrolux is kicking off a virtual flower garden campaign to raise awareness and funds for Global Green USA (which is running a healthy green schools initiative across America).

For every person who goes to Electrolux Appliances and plants a virtual flower for a friend, Electrolux will donate $1 to Global Green USA. Every person who logs in and donates $1 will also be entered into a drawing to win a new Kelly Green front-load washer and dryer.”

Tip for other businesses: Make sure your site is all set to go before word starts circulating about the great promotion you are doing!!

I watched Maria Andros’ video on YouTube about YouTube and Twitter a while ago and decided that I needed to “take the plunge.”  After I set up my YouTube Profile and Channel, I went to browse the videos for Nonprofits & Activism and and noticed the green logo below.  Turns out that YouTube has a Nonprofit Program and gives tips for nonprofits on how to do a video campaign as a way to get the word out about their organization.  Very cool…and wow…do I have a lot to learn!

I am planning a Technology Toolbox session for 100 AmeriCorps program staff in DC next month.  We are going to have some great presenters talking about how to use social media and other technology tools not only for resource development and fundraising but awareness building, volunteer and member recruitment and training, communication, program management, etc etc.  It is going to be exciting.  Some nonprofits are already really savvy about tech tools but I would venture to say most are not yet!  And they need to get on the train or they will be left FAR behind!!

So…are you a business person that gets this stuff?  A great pro bono service you could offer your favorite cause or nonprofit would be to help them think through a basic strategy and get them hooked up with the basics - like Facebook, YouTube, etc.

In today’s Colorado Business section of the Denver Post, I noticed a small blurb that Colorado Bag’n Baggage stores will be collecting gently used luggage in April as part of their event, “Bags 4 Kids Trade-in Event.”  “Luggage will be donated to foster-care children living near each store.”  In return, each luggage donor will receive a $20 gift certificate to be used for a future purchase from the store.

So, as usual, I went to their website to check out more details…and found nothing after poking around in the likely places and doing a search of their site for “Bags 4 Kids.”  When I did a Google search, I found a group in California by the same name, Bags4Kids.  Then I got confused - is this promotion affiliated in some way with that nonprofit?  Or…??

Here’s a tip!  Great ideas need great implementation.  Please…make sure you have all your ducks lined up before you launch an effort like this.  The idea to collect luggage for kids makes total sense for a luggage selling company - so good job there on alignment.  However, before sending out a press release to the newspaper, make sure - at a minimum - you also work with your webmaster to post the press release on the company website..at the SAME time.  Preferable would be to have a special landing page for the promotion that gives a few more details to those that want to support the effort - perhaps information about the nonprofit or community agency being supported including how customers can support foster children in other ways, as well.  As is, it is way easy for consumers to make the leap to “this promotion is self-serving and just about getting people in the store” and overshadowing any heartfelt intent to do good that motivated the promotion in the first place.  Win-win is great but do it justice.

Maybe next time…??

NOTE:  After writing this blog post this morning, I was contacted by the company (see comment section below).  So in case you don’t click through to the comment section, I wanted to give you an update.  They have a new press release section on their site and the release on Bags 4 Kids is now up!  Very impressive that they contacted me back.  I have bought all my luggage from them for years and am now an even bigger fan!

I got an email announcement today from United about their ongoing support of the American Cancer Society (ACS).  It appears United is doing a series of bears to sell to raise money for ACS.  This year’s bear is called Maye I Hugyou.  As a nonparent, I once again admit I don’t get the teddy bear attraction but clearly it is a promotion that is working for both United and ACS.  I do like that it was not a one time partnership but is something longer term.

The email says, “United Airlines and the American Cancer Society are again teaming up and inviting you to bring smiles to children undergoing cancer treatment. For a contribution of $50 or 7,500 Mileage Plus miles to the American Cancer Society, you can help comfort kids undergoing treatment. United will arrange for a huggable, limited-edition 18-inch Gund teddy bear, Maye I. HugyouSM (the adorable blue-eyed sister of last year’s teddy bear Kenny Hugyou), to be sent to a child undergoing cancer treatment.

Funds and Mileage Plus miles raised will support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives from cancer by investing in research to discover cancer’s causes and cures, educating and empowering people to avoid the disease or find it early, helping people facing cancer overcome obstacles in their personal cancer fight, and fighting for laws to keep our communities healthy and cancer free.”

So if you are in need of a cute teddy bear, check this out.  It is for a great cause.

When I went to the American Cancer Society website, I did a search for “United Airlines” but did not come up with any mention of the 2008 teddy bear promotion.  What I did find was an article written about the success of last year’s Kenny Hugyou.  “Thanks for your support of the Kenny Hugyou campaign…Working with you and our campaign partner, United Airlines, we achieved exciting results:

• More than 10,000 kids with cancer received a huggable teddy bear over the Valentine’s Day weekend.

• More than 40 million frequent flyer miles and $250,000 in cash donations went to the American Cancer Society’s Angel Flight program, which provides free air travel for patients who receive cancer treatments far from home.”

Great results!  Hopefully they will get the same or better response this year!

Here are some food for thought items as you consider your company’s support of your favorite causes. 

1. Consider the size of the nonprofit you are interested in supporting and how that relates to the size of your company.  In this case, both United and ACS are BIG players but ACS gets a lot of other big company support, as well.  So, on the ACS website, even United’s efforts with the teddy bears are not featured while the promotion is going on to get more participation and recognition.  If you are a small company, getting visibility for your good works with a huge nonprofit organization like ACS from that nonprofit will be even more difficult.  It’ll be up to whatever you do to get the word out and let your own supporters/customers know about it.
2. You can make it part of the agreement that the nonprofit needs to offer a link to your company’s website for whatever the promotion is, or have them issue a press release about it which gets posted on both your websites.  Be sure to negotiate such things on the front end to avoid any gaps in expectations.
3. Think about how you can develop a longer term relationship with a cause or nonprofit to show your true to commitment to it.  And…see if there are ways that each year you can deepen your involvement to whatever the next step is, to get even more benefit for the cause and for your company.
4. United used the same language on their website page as in their email blast.  This does not have to be tough or seriously time consuming to get the word out.

Good luck!  And, call me if you need help with designing an effective cause marketing promotion.

Because of my work with AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service, a colleague from JBS International - Aguirre Division sent me an email link today to a very interesting article in the Washington Post on Friday, November 28th (page A27) by Paul C. Light, Obama Must Mobilize Supporters to Help Nonprofits. 

In the article, Light says that Generation “O” - for Obama - “is ready to do its part in putting the country on a more hopeful path.”  He makes the case that President-Elect Obama could mobilize “Generation O to help the nation’s struggling nonprofit sector” as the nation’s 1 million other charitable organizations and their 11 million employees are not flourishing.

He states, “there is already plenty of evidence that the sector is suffering. It is often the first to experience recession as households cut back on discretionary contributions and the last to recover. Of the nearly 1 million nonprofits up and running, as many as 100,000 will fail over the coming six months.”  He makes the case that “what the nation needs is an emergency program to rescue failing nonprofits while protecting healthy nonprofits from further job freezes and cuts.”

He talks about two possible initiatives which could help the sector.  “The first would be a loan fund for distressed nonprofits. This program would be administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, which has shown its ability to work with states and nonprofit intermediaries to funnel money into needed activities, including the recruiting, training and deployment of volunteers. With an interest-bearing payback provision, the loan fund would carry minimal taxpayer risk and would be directed to distressed nonprofits that can prove their ability to spend the money to increase effectiveness.

The second initiative would be a call for Generation O to volunteer. This volunteerism cannot be the run-of-the-mill, episodic engagement that increasingly characterizes volunteering in America — the kind of come-and-go volunteering that rarely helps nonprofits fill vacancies in front-line service jobs. Rather, Obama should call upon his supporters to make durable, year-long commitments to specific high-impact jobs.”

Lots of things brewing!  What is true is that the Governors’ Commissions on National and Community Service (aka state service commissions) - the state level organizations that administer AmeriCorps and promote service and volunteerism as a strategy to address local issues - have more than 14 years experience with what it takes to run effective nonprofit programs to maximize the impact of scarce resources.  The AmeriCorps and other programs they administer and support are well-known for being great stewards of dollars and leveraging big impact from a minimal investment.  They also have huge networks within their state with nonprofits, government agencies and the private sector.  Hopefully they will be at the table to help figure out how to best mobilize citizens to make a difference and counteract the impact of tough economic times.

Read Light’s full article- it’s great food for thought!  Go National Service - your time to “explode” and show your true value may be near!!

The effect of hard times on nonprofits is clearly a hot topic.  There was an article by Kevin McCoy and Oren Dorell in today’s USA Today, titled “It’s a hard time to be a charity.”  The article starts by discussing the impact of the Freddie Mac financial woes on its charitable arm and thus the nonprofits and programs that received funding from them. 

The article goes on to state, “The economic crisis threatening the nation with the worst recession in decades has set off tremors among non-profits and charities large and small that rely on donations from Wall Street, industry and average Americans.  The potential impact is just now taking shape, because 2009 grants from many philanthropic foundations are still being set and the end-of-year holiday giving season is opening. Although it’s difficult to draw broad conclusions from reports by individual charities, many non-profits say they are feeling an economic pinch.”

“This is the worst fundraising environment I’ve ever worked in,” says Jeffrey Towers, chief development officer for the American Red Cross, which won promises of $100 million from Congress this month after 2008’s hurricanes, tornadoes and floods depleted the group’s disaster-relief reserves.  The Red Cross is suffering as much as a 30% drop in responses and contributions from new donors, and corporate donations are “coming in at lower amounts.”

The article ends with “”Many charities are between a rock and a hard place, being asked to do more with less,” says Ken Berger, president and CEO of Charity Navigator, a large independent U.S. charity evaluator.

If there’s any so-called bright side, he says, it’s that the economic crisis could force redundant, inefficient or otherwise weak charities to merge with stronger organizations or simply shut down, reducing the competition for contribution dollars.”

It is an interesting article, you should read it.  Click here.

I was checking some facts about giving in the US for my book this morning and I found a press release issued September 19, 2008 from Giving USA Foundation about the impact of recession on giving levels.  It stated,”What really happens to charitable giving when the economy is roiling? A new report from Giving USA Foundation examines the topic from the aspect of past recessions and economic slowdowns, and discovers that while there is an impact on giving, it’s not as dire as conventional wisdom would assume.

“When the economy is uncertain, as it is in 2008, non-profits and others naturally assume the one sector that will be heavily impacted is philanthropy,” said George C. Ruotolo Jr., CFRE, chair of Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-Profits and past chair of Giving USA Foundation. “With history as our guide, we know that’s not true. In fact, while charitable giving is impacted by recessions and/or economic slowdowns, it’s not by nearly as much as one might expect.”

Read the whole release and see what you think.  Of course, this was issued before the big slide on Wall Street…so I wonder if it will still hold true?  At Denver’s Two Percent Club event this week, business leaders certainly were concerned that the 40 percent reduction in foundation assets due to recent Wall Street events would significantly impact their ability to give in future years.

Last week I was in DC helping run the State Service Commissioner Institute presented by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Project TASC of JBS International, and the America’s Service Commissions.  As I sit here, back in Denver I am amazed that after my 14 years of working with state service commissions and AmeriCorps, how many people are still unaware of them.  When I mention that I train and consult with AmeriCorps, I often still have to say, “you know…it is the domestic Peace Corps.”  It is still a bit of a well kept secret and that is a shame.  One of the topics I have done extensive work on with AmeriCorps programs nationally is performance measurement and evaluation.  So what I know to be true is that the vast majority of these programs are providing fabulous service to their communities and making a significant impact - because I have helped them figure out how to measure it!

What is AmeriCorps? 

For those of you that don’t know, AmeriCorps is a National Service program that places members (aka volunteers) at nonprofits and state/local government agencies, often in teams, to provide volunteer service addressing identified community needs.  Full-time members give 1700 hours of their time, receive a tiny monthly living stipend, and at the end of their service commitment an educational award of $4725 to pay for additional schooling or past educational debt.  While the majority of members are in the 20’s, there is no upper age limit and it is not uncommon to see 20 somethings working alongside people in their 40’s, 50s, and 60s from a wide range of backgrounds!  The monthly stipend is great, in my opinion, as it levels the playing field allowing people of any financial background to participate - not just those whose parents can afford to support them while they serve!

AmeriCorps programs are designed by community agencies to meet specific local needs in the areas of education, environment, public safety, human needs, and disaster services.  Members provide direct service working with the beneficiaries of their hosting organization doing such things as tutoring students having trouble in school, running afterschool programs, cleaning up neighborhoods, developing neighborhood watch programs, assisting communities hit by disasters, running food pantries, and building homes - just to name a few.  All AmeriCorps programs are required to provide direct service to the community, provide the necessary training for members to effectively provide their service and become more civically engaged, develop partnerships among community organizations, and recruit other community members to get involved as volunteers. 

AmeriCorps is one of the National Service/volunteer programs funded by the federal government.  However, it is interesting to note that AmeriCorps programs are required to match the federal funds they receive with resources generated locally - basically dollar for dollar.  State-based AmeriCorps programs are designed locally and state commissions are able to tailor the allocation of their AmeriCorps resources to insure they meet that state’s most pressing needs.

What is a State Commission? 

There is a bipartisan State Service Commission in every state in the country except South Dakota, as well as Guam and American Samoa.  In 1993, Congress passed the National and Community Service Trust Act that created the Corporation for National and Community Service to administer and oversee National Service. CNCS is the umbrella agency for the old ACTION Agency programs - VISTA and Senior Corps (RSVP, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Companions) - plus the newer AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America programs.  As part of the Act, any state that wanted to receive federal AmeriCorps funds based on a population-based formula needed to establish a state service commission.  Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and commissions are run by a small administrative staff.  State Commissions basically have two main mandates.  The first is to administer the AmeriCorps program in the state to insure it meets critical local needs and second is to promote service and volunteerism as a way to address local issues.  Commissions are usually housed within state government (often in the Governor or Lt. Governor’s offices) or can be stand alone 501(C)(3)s.

Why should you care?

If your company is looking to get more involved locally or at the state-level with well run nonprofits and their programs, the executive director of your state’s service commission is a great person with whom to talk.  S/he will know about opportunities to volunteer in your community, regionally, and/or at the state level.  S/he can also point you to specific programs that could use your business savvy and resources to build their capacity to do even more good in the community.  Also the reach of commissions is wide - if you support their efforts, it is a great way to get your company’s name out there in a positive way!

AmeriCorps programs go through an extensive review and training process so you know when you choose to support one of them, they have been VERY carefully vetted!

The enthusiasm AmeriCorps members have about what they are doing in local communities is absolutely infectious.  It always reminds me that I need to get out and do more volunteer work myself.  Interviewing members for various evaluations I have conducted, I am constantly amazed at how much they have learned about local issues and how to be part of the solution, not just sit around and complain. 

Get involved!  To find your state’s commission, go to: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact/statecommission.asp.  From there you can click to go to your state commission’s home page which lists all the local AmeriCorps programs.  Be sure to call the commission’s executive director if you have questions or want to know more about how to get involved.  I know them all - and there is no finer group of people on the planet in my view.  And…feel free to tell them I recommended you call!

Yesterday, in my Google Alerts for Business Philanthropy, I got a link to an article on Rethinking Business Social Responsibility posted by DanS on Political Groove Forums.  It turned out to be something I had already read sometime back but I think it is interesting to read, if you have not already done so.  DanS provides a transcript of the dialogue that between Whole Foods CEO John Mackey and world famous economist Milton Friedman and Cypress (semiconductor) CEO T.J. Rodgers.

Mackey states, “there can be little doubt that a certain amount of corporate philanthropy is simply good business and works for the long-term benefit of the investors. For example: In addition to the many thousands of small donations each Whole Foods store makes each year, we also hold five 5% Days throughout the year. On those days, we donate 5 percent of a store’s total sales to a nonprofit organization. While our stores select worthwhile organizations to support, they also tend to focus on groups that have large membership lists, which are contacted and encouraged to shop our store that day to support the organization. This usually brings hundreds of new or lapsed customers into our stores, many of whom then become regular shoppers. So a 5% Day not only allows us to support worthwhile causes, but is an excellent marketing strategy that has benefited Whole Foods investors immensely.”

Friedman stated, “I believe Mackey’s flat statement that “corporate philanthropy is a good thing” is flatly wrong. Consider the decision by the founders of Whole Foods to donate 5 percent of net profits to philanthropy. They were clearly within their rights in doing so. They were spending their own money, using 5 percent of one part of their wealth to establish, thanks to corporate tax provisions, the equivalent of a 501c(3) charitable foundation, though with no mission statement, no separate by-laws, and no provision for deciding on the beneficiaries. But what reason is there to suppose that the stream of profit distributed in this way would do more good for society than investing that stream of profit in the enterprise itself or paying it out as dividends and letting the stockholders dispose of it? The practice makes sense only because of our obscene tax laws, whereby a stockholder can make a larger gift for a given after-tax cost if the corporation makes the gift on his behalf than if he makes the gift directly. That is a good reason for eliminating the corporate tax or for eliminating the deductibility of corporate charity, but it is not a justification for corporate charity.”

So just a little tension, eh? They both had a lot more to say than the small pieces I pulled for you.  Read the whole thing and see which parts of these positions resonate with you!  Of course, I am on the side of strategic business philanthropy being an essential component of business social responsibility.  I also believe, especially in light of recent issues on Wall Street, it is only good that there is rising peer and consumer pressure on companies to rethink their values and operating practices and give consideration to the Triple Bottom Line - not profit at any cost.

Last year, the Corporation for National and Community Service (the federal agency promoting service and volunteerism for which I have been a trainer/consultant for 14 years) and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation launched an exciting new initiative, A Billion + Change to increase corporate pro bono service in support of nonprofits nationally.

I was in DC this week helping run the State Service Commissioner Institute for governor-appointed representatives from Commissions on National and Community Service that promote service and volunteerism and administer AmeriCorps at the state level.  Shannon Maynard,  Executive Director of the President’s Council, did an update on Pro Bono for the commission executive directors that I was unfortunately unable to attend but I picked up one of the extra brochures on the initiative that she left behind.  I am in the process of trying to set up an interview with Shannon who I have known for years to get more specifics of the initiative so I can share the details with you.

In the meantime, here is a brief overview.  The brochure cover gave a definition of pro bono: “Pro bono service uses the specific skills of professionals to strengthen nonprofits and communities in need.  Latin “for the public good,” pro bono refers to professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment as a public service.”

“Why Pro bono?  Pro bono service is a powerful way for companies to increase their value.  Once the sole purview of law firms, pro bono service combines business strategy and corporate giving to achieve meaningful results for communities.  For decades, businesses have given financial contributions and organized volunteer projects, but the concept of providing and applying corporate expertise and intellectual capital to the world’s biggest challenges is gathering tremendous momentum.”

The brochure goes on to state…”extensive research proves that pro bono:

• benefits your bottom line
• attracts investors
• improves your market share
• builds your brand
• expands your ROI on corporate philanthropy
• enhances your recruitment and improves staff morale.”

In my forthcoming book, Strategic Business Philanthropy, I have a whole section which outlines the myriad ways businesses can engage strategically with nonprofits to maximize impact for both organizations.  Pro bono service is of course one important way that companies can share their expertise and perhaps make a greater difference than they could through checkbook philanthropy alone.

What specialized skills do you have as a company that you could offer to strengthen the capacity of a nonprofit whose work and mission you believe in?