Peaberry Coffee (a Colorado gourmet coffee shop chain) on 2nd Avenue in Denver’s Cherry Creek,  is one of my favorite remote office locations – a Big Joe nonfat cappuccino while working on the computer is great!  In the past week, they have put up four new posters in the shop announcing their partnership with Socially Conscious Coffee, a nonprofit founded in 2002 to provide education, healthcare, opportunity, and support to the families of coffee harvesters and their neighbors. The SCC website has a partners page and Peaberry is listed with its logo as a major ongoing partner giving between $10,000 – $24,999/year.

SCC has a web page titled, Why We Do It.  I have been to many nonprofit websites and unfortunately few have such a page (but I wish they did!) so it tweaked my interest immediately.  It says, “Our programs invest directly in education, environmental stewardship, and economic development within an underdeveloped remote region of Northeast Brazil. We are providing assistance to the most disadvantaged people in the coffee supply chain – those who harvest what’s in your cups.

Prior to the assistance and programs provided by SCC, these farming families lived and worked in area with limited infrastructure, schools, services, and transportation. The coffee harvesters continued to work very hard but have historically had limited opportunities to gain an education, obtain healthcare, or develop diverse workforce skills needed to build a better future for themselves and their children. Without assistance, these families will continue to face the same issues of poverty and subsistence living.”

In addition to the posters, they also have flyers by the coffee machine with information about SCC.  This is a great example of a company supporting a nonprofit that is ABSOLUTELY relevant to the core focus of the business.  Good job Peaberry!

I ran across a blog post on Elliot’s Blog asking if any businesses might have an extra ticket to TRAFFIC Las Vegas, an event put on by the World Association of Domain Name Developers (WADND) that they could donate for use by Grassroots.org, a nonprofit organization that assists small to medium size charities establish an online presence (free web hosting, free first year domain registration, free SEO advice, volunteer web designers…etc).  They also match select charities with MBA students to provide business and organizational advice. Their strategy is to utilize their connections within the Internet industry for the benefit of the nonprofit industry. 

Great idea Elliot!  The ticket was a business expense and has already been paid for so instead of going unused, donating it would allow a nonprofit staffer to go to an event they could otherwise not afford to attend and which could help them in their work.  There were several comments to Elliot’s original post - one of which included the following statement.  “I have little sympathy for these non-profits who are typically quite weathly with often substantial income and assets.”

Personally, I thought Elliot did a great thing by trying to hook up a business with an extra ticket to support this nonprofit.  One of the ongoing issues for nonprofits is that they frequently have VERY limited funds for administrative costs which includes travel for professional development.  Some donors, especially businesses, often will only provide dollars for program costs and direct service provision.  There is a misconception that all nonprofits waste money on administration.  OK, there have been a few cases where that was the case.  However, just as all businesses are not Enron, all nonprofits are not wasteful.  In fact, most of the nonprofits I work with are very under-resourced and can squeeze so much value from $1, I am constantly amazed.  How can any organization (nonprofit or not) provide quality services without proper management and oversight?  The staff time and overhead expenditures needed to make that happen are critical and they aren’t free. 

So back to the extra ticket idea – if your business has an extra ticket(s) to some event either professional or leisure, why not donate it to a nonprofit?  If it is an educational event, the nonprofit could send one of their staff and you would be helping strengthen their organizational capacity.  If the ticket is to a play or sporting event (maybe your box seats??) – the nonprofit could raffle it off as a fundraiser, give it as a thank you to one of their stellar volunteers, or use it with a needy client who might never get to go to such an event otherwise. 

I mentor a 12 year old at-risk girl through Denver Partners, a local mentoring organization.  People and businesses often donate extra tickets to them so the kids get exposed to a new and exciting activity which helps expand their notion of what is possible in their life.  My mentee and I had great seats at a Denver Nuggets basketball game last year as well as at a Colorado Rapids soccer game.  She loved it and still talks about it.

What tickets might you or your company have?  If you are not going to use them, what nonprofit organization could you donate them to? 

As an update to my post yesterday – after looking over many project descriptions online, my company, Business Nonprofit Connections, Inc.’s first Peace Corps Partnership Project support will go to helping a women’s microenterprise project in Morocco titled, Boutique and Neddy Improvement.

The project description on the Peace Corps website states, “The goal of the project is to develop a small store in the existing rural women’s association building (commonly called the “neddy”) from which to sell member’s products, and on a consignment basis, to sell product of artisans from adjacent villages. The project also includes improving the interior of the neddy to better accommodate training and storage space.   The neddy is located in highly visible area on the primary tourist route. It is located in a village with very limited means of income.”

Microenterprise development is one of the focus areas selected for Business Nonprofit Connections, Inc.‘s strategic community involvement efforts as we feel it aligns with our work on strengthening companies and their community involvement and our belief in the value of trade not aid as a way to end poverty.  We support microenterprise on multiple levels – in Denver, the US and internationally.  We are pleased to have a new way to directly support a specific local project that should improve the lives of many.  Helping women with their small businesses provides resources to families and helps improve quality of life of the next generation.

What Peace Corps Partnership Project will you pick to support?

I was in DC this week meeting with a client. While I was there had an appointment at the Peace Corps with Rosie Mauk, the Associate Director of the Office of Volunteer Recruitment and Selection - formerly the Director of AmeriCorps at the Corporation for National and Community Service.  During our discussion she mentioned to me one of the initiatives of the Peace Corps that I had not heard of previously so I wanted to share it. 

Did you know you can support Peace Corps projects all around the world by donating through the Peace Corps Partnership Program? All donations are tax deductible and 100% of your contribution goes to the project you select.  This is a great way for businesses interested in global issues to support projects in developing countries.  Most of the projects are requesting relatively small amounts of money – often $2000-$5000.  You choose how much to donate – you don’t have to fund the whole thing. 

The projects are developed “on the ground” by Peace Corps volunteers with members of the community in which they work.  For the project to be eligible for consideration, local community members must supply some resources – often labor – as a “local match” to the dollars requested.  Submitted project proposals are then fully reviewed so you know whatever project you choose to support has been fully vetted  and will truly benefit local people.  One of the things I really like is that we can read the sumary of the projects – listed by country and region – and choose specific projects to support that match our interests.  Sometimes even when contributing to good global causes, it feels like my relatively small business philanthropy dollars go into a black hole.  Not so with these projects – I know exactly what I am supporting and how the money will be used.  I am making my first donation today.

The website says, “We are not asking for a handout to the communities we serve. This is a true partnership. In order to receive funding through Partnership Program, a community must make a 25% contribution to the total project cost and outline success indicators for the individual projects. This helps ensure community buy-in, a greater chance of long-term sustainability, and, ultimately, success.”

As 100% of your donation goes directly to the project, this program is a great way to really help the poorest of the poor.  Because projects are reviewed at Peace Corps headquarters and posted on their website, for most of us, this is a far better way to be of assistance in the world than trying to generate something ourselves.  Due to my international development background, I know that sometimes our best efforts to make a difference actually create unanticipated problems.  We don’t always fully understand local culture and our well intentioned innovations may not be the most appropriate.  I have seen projects, for example in Haiti, where folks flew in from the US for a week, started an aquaculture project and then ran out of time and left assuming the local people who had not been fully consulted or integrated into the project would finish it up.  Not a good use of anyone’s resources – the US folks felt good because they tried to do something positive but they left with an unrealistic sense of their true impact (or lack thereof)!!

I was very excited to hear about this program – it seems to be one of those best kept secrets that should be more visible.  I have worked with MANY Peace Corps folks over the years through my international development work and my more recent work with AmeriCorps and National Service.  I think helping support these small local programs through the Peace Corps is a great way to counter some of the bad press the US has gotten in recent years around the world.

Rosie mentioned to me that for her birthday, she picked a women’s empowerment project that caught her eye on the list and told her children that instead of buying her a gift, she would prefer they made a donation to the project.  For the holidays, she mentioned making donations to projects in the countries where her staff had served as a gift to them. 

Could you make donations through the Peace Corps Partnership Program on behalf of your company?  Your staff? Your clients?  Yourself?  Give it some thought – it is a great way to make difference in our world.

On December 18th, there was a little announcement in the Colorado Business section of the Denver Post about Junior Achievement of Colorado Springs and Papa John’s International Inc.’s new national partnership to help local JA offices.  Junior Achivement is a nonprofit that “seeks to educate and inspire young people to succeed in a global economy.”  When I went to the JA website, I noticed they had a little ticker tape update running across the top of their site with news of various new corporate support.  I liked it.  Nothing about Papa John’s there though- it has rolled off since I clipped this last month.  However, I did find the press release in their archive.

The news announcement I saw mentioned that Papa John’s would donate $2.00 to JA for each customer who placed an online order at www.papajohns.com and uses the online coupon with the JA logo.  I thought sounded like a nice cause marketing effort.  When I read the press release, I discovered this is actually a much broader and more integrated partnership – which I really like to see.  When a business mobilizes multiple resources to support one nonprofit organization, there can be much greater impact for both organizations.  The release said, “Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) and Junior Achievement (JA) today announced a national partnership that will help local JA Offices deliver work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy lessons to U.S. students. Papa John’s will donate two dollars to JA for each customer who places their pizza order at www.papajohns.com and uses the online coupon displaying the Junior Achievement logo.

In addition, Papa John’s franchises and corporate-owned restaurants will conduct “job shadow” events at which JA students can experience first-hand what it is like to own and run a Papa John’s restaurant, and Papa John’s employees will be encouraged to volunteer to teach JA classes at schools in their communities. JA Offices can also expand the partnership to include recruiting Papa John’s franchisees and local market team leadership to serve on their boards of directors. “

I am hungry and in the mood for pizza (even if it doesn’t fit my New Year’s Resolution…), so where do I look for the online coupon so my $2 can go to JA if I am going to order pizza anyway?  Don’t see it on the JA site…  On the Papa John’s site, after clicking a link for online specials and coupons and entering my delivery address, I found the specials listed.

Next time you order pizza for lunch at the office, remember Papa John’s!

There was a little announcement in the Denver Post’s Colorado Business section about Staples making a $10,000 donation to Tree by Tree – Mile High Million to be used for planting trees in nine metro Denver communities.  It also mentioned Greenprint Denver – a group I had not heard of.  So…I Googled “Greenprint Denver.”  Turns out Greenprint Denver is “an action agenda for sustainable development for the City and County of Denver that demonstrates local government can be an effective force for innovation and leadership to improve the environment.”  On the home page, there was a prominent article about Staples.

Clicking on the learn more link, I got to the press release about Staples efforts.  “Greenprint Denver and Staples today announced a $10,000 donation to Tree by Tree – Mile High Million to be used for planting trees in nine metro Denver communities. To help raise the funds, 10 area Staples stores donated $1 of every purchase on Dec. 9 and 10. 

Staples really has made it easy for us to progress toward our goal of planting a million trees in metro Denver by 2025,” said Sara Davis, program coordinator for Tree by Tree – Mile High Million, a Greenprint Denver initiative. “This program is essential for promoting Colorado’s environmental and economic sustainability, and we are grateful to have partners like Staples who help us continue to grow.”

“Staples is committed to making it easy for our customers to make a difference for the environment – what we call EcoEasy,” said Mark Buckley, vice president of environmental affairs at Staples. “We’re proud to support Greenprint Denver in its mission to build a more sustainable Denver.”

So while not an example of support for a specific nonprofit, this effort shows Staples general support for the environment and the sustainability initiative of the City and County of Denver.  I wish I’d known before hand…I would have made sure to get any needed office supplies on one of the two days they gave a portion back.  Next time…  Maybe Staples could have sent an email to the local folks in its database to let us know or post a sign in the store.  I don’t know they didn’t post a sign as I was out of town those dates – however, remember if you are doing any special promotion like this and want to engage customers – be sure to let them know using various means!

This morning, I went to work at one of my remote office locations (aka Starbucks) at the Denver REI Flagship store.  When I went to the restroom, I was reminded of an REI practice that I have seen before and really like!  On the back of the door inside the bathroom stall, they have hung special plexiglass frames with their logo.  Inside the frame, they post a copy of the REI Events Calendar for the month as well as a description of various upcoming events.  The events listed include classes and programs – most of which are sponsored by REI.  However, also included are volunteer opportunities and nonprofit fundraising events that will take place in their store. The bathroom signs refer you to the REI website for more information on any of the events listed on the calendar .  Paper copies of the Calendar are available right outside the restroom area and at various spots around the store, as well.

In the January edition, the REI Calendar featured three community events.  The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training meeting will happen at the Denver Flagship on 1/26, Hike for Discovery: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s new adventure fundraising program will be presented on three days at two stores, and Saturday afternoons at the Boulder store, REI staff will host a Community Center Open House “to discuss local events, assist with trip planning and preparation, provide information on volunteer service projects and nonprofits, and be your resource for all outdoor activities.”  A great mix of community and business-related information.

Do you have somewhere at your business location that customers or employees spend a little time?  Any way to post information both about company happenings, products, or specials, AND community connections – either blurbs sharing things the company is doing with nonprofits or offering ways customers can partner with your business to get involved?

In the Colorado Business section of the Denver Post just before Christmas, there was a little paragraph announcing Chugwater Chili of Chugwater, WY had established a partnership with Urban Peak, an organization that provides ongoing services to homeless and runaway youth in Denver and Colorado Springs.  Chugwater Chili has committed to contribute 40 percent of the purchase of price of all product sales made through the Urban Peak website.

First I went to the Chugwater Chili website to find out more.  I did not see anything on their standard pages about the Urban Peak partnership or their community involvement in general.  I was disappointed.  Refusing to give up, I next typed “Urban Peak” into their search box and THEN up came a behind the scenes webpage with both organizations’ logos.  On this page, the promotion was prominently displayed – not once but THREE times and with red and blue colored key words- “Remember: 40% of your retail purchase (not including tax and shipping) from this website will go to the Urban Peak center you designate. For accurate credit, please check which center you wish to support; Colorado Springs or Denver.”  All good but I do still think it is a missed opportunity to not have a section on Chugwater’s regular web pages detailing how they support community organizations.

When I went to the Urban Peak site, the Chugwater logo and a link to the site was prominently posted on their home page which is GREAT.  Lets anyone going to the nonprofit’s site know how they can support the organization through this cause marketing promotion with Chugwater and is great exposure for the company.  It has been so cold here in Denver this winter, I am thinking chili sounds like a great meal.  I now know where to get some and do good!

On my United flight to DC this week, I found a one page Landing Page article published in the January 2008 issues of Hemispheres, the United Airlines inflight magazine on the Kenny Hugyou teddy bear promotion mentioned in my January 8 blog entry.  While I understand there is a different writing style for a magazine versus an online article, I was surprised to find the full details of this effort are only available by reading both versions – something most customers probably won’t do.  The magazine piece tells readers “United customers and employees show their compassion with a cleverly named bear.”  The promotion appears to be sponsored by the United Foundation as there is a quote from Sonya Jackson, the Foundation president, in the article about cancer being an important issue for their customers and employees.  So, the magazine article answers a couple questions I raised previously about why the American Cancer Society, who was responsible for implementing the promotion and the role of employees.  While employees are mentioned, their real role is not - are employees (like customers) donors of miles and dollars, project coordinators, teddy bear delivery people, or…?    The Hemispheres article mentions joining forces with their many customers who support of the American Cancer Society which tells me there WAS a strategic decision made by the Foundation to support this cause as a way to appeal to customer and employee values and concerns.  Glad to see they mentioned that explicitly.  The magazine article also provides a sentence educating readers about ACS’s programming. 

So I feel better about this initiative now.  However, I do wonder why the Hemisphere’s article did not mention that the special opportunity to donate miles or dollars for teddy bears for child cancer patients would end January 31st or give an email link inviting participation as it is only mid-January and there are a couple weeks left before it ends.  Unfortunately, interested customers won’t be able to participate unless they do some digging.  The online version does mention the window of opportunity and provides buttons making it easy for customers to donate.  There is one button for miles and another for dollars.  Am I to assume the desired outcome of both written pieces was different?  Action online and awareness in the print version?

I just ran across a question in LinkedIn posted by Tracy Chambers, a management consultant from Vancouver (http://www.linkedin.com/answers/management/corporate-governance/MGM_CGV/154082-17019495.) “Have you tied your corporate giving and volunteering program to your corporate strategy?”  Rodger Keesee, President, Kinetix Technology Services,  commented that ROI and volunteering were antonyms and that his company’s community involvement had no expectation of a return.  Loretta Mullany, President, The Mullaney Group, felt her company did get a return in terms of employee skills and goodwill and name recognition for marketing purposes.  “Frankly, we do this because we believe in it and because it is something we can do to give back to society. We don’t bother to formally measure ROI. I do sometimes have to make sure our volunteerism doesn’t hurt ROI by distracting from more profitable activities. It is a balancing act.”

My take is as follows and is what I commented to Tracy.  In my work, I sometimes hear an ambivalence from companies about whether it is OK to expect some “return” from their community involvement or to tell others about what they are doing.  If your community support/engagement comes from a place of authentic values and is not an attempt to whitewash other offenses, I think doing double duty – providing a benefit to both the business and nonprofit – is great and the only way to go.  Having a “return” to your business is not sacreligious.  I recently interviewed leaders from 50 companies of various sizes for a book I am writing for businesses on how to do more effective community involvement.  They all felt their community involvement had a positive impact for the company – everything from “feeling good” to strengthening their business reputation, customer loyalty, increasing sales, employee skills and retention, and access to capital. 

While I believe that doing something in the local community is usually better than doing nothing – just offering up your scarce resources for any social issue (whether cash or time or whatever else) on a first come first served basis can be a missed opportunity to synergize a greater impact in the community and to strengthen your company.  My mantra is “one pack of hotdog buns to every nonprofit that asks has no real impact - for the community or the company.”  Having a strategy about how to best use your company’s resources, skill sets and overall comparative advantage in service to the causes you choose to support with a link to business goals only makes sense to me and is the basis of my company, Business Nonprofit Connections, Inc.’s work with businesses of all sizes. 

My message is similar with nonprofit clients.  With nonprofits, I always emphasize the need to think about themselves as assets in the community and to think about engaging with businesses from a sense of win/win “partnerships” — not just the old school paradigm of checkbook philanthropy. The business also needs to get something out of the engagement or it is likely to be an unsustainable relationship.  The nonprofit will find themselves beating the bushes for new donors next year for their silent auction or other resource development activities which is really time consuming. With some tweaks, both sides can and I think should benefit.