Cause Marketing/Corporate Partnerships

In response to President Obama’s call to action to promote high-growth entrepreneurship across the country, the Startup America Partnership announced a new wave of commitments secured from more than 15 companies and organizations to deliver strategic and substantive resources that accelerate entrepreneurs starting and scaling companies. These new private-sector partnerships deliver more than $400 million in value to U.S. entrepreneurs, building upon 20+ commitments already secured by the Startup America Partnership from companies like Intel and IBM.

Recently, there's been a study by the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business circulating that cause marketing — specifically when people buy products tied to charities — depresses charitable giving. While I don't doubt the research's validity, I wonder if it is truly representative of the majority of donors.

Between the recessionary slump in charitable giving and cuts from federal and state government, local nonprofits have faced challenging times in recent years. But Orlando has one perk that most cities don't — the 3 million visitors who come here for corporate retreats, annual meetings and conventions each year.

Increasingly, their companies and organizations are seeking hefty community-service projects while they're in town, both to boost morale and promote a public image as one of the good guys.

With about two weeks left in this year’s tax season and with fewer families able to pay to have their taxes prepared in this challenging economic climate, the Walmart Foundation, United Way, One Economy and the National Disability Institute’s Real Economic Impact Tour are urging eligible tax filers to take advantage of easy, free tax preparation and filing tools. These tools will help tax filers save money as well as claim refunds and valuable credits like the earned income tax credit (EITC).

Wells Fargo customers logging into ATMs in recent weeks found a new option on their screens. Next to the box that says "Deposit Cash" is one saying "Donate to Charity." Donate they did. In just 10 days, the ubiquitous ATMs collected more than $1 million for Japan relief efforts by the American Red Cross. The experiment marks the first time ATMs have been used nationwide - by any bank - to raise money for a charity, say national banking officials.

A recent study, “Harnessing Corporate Philanthropy to Educate the World’s Poor,” conducted by the Center for Universal Education finds that every year, American corporations contribute nearly half a billion dollars for education in developing countries. This estimate shows that, in the aggregate, U.S. corporations constitute a significant source of financial resources for education in developing countries. In fact, they are the 7th largest donor after the World Bank, France, Germany, United States, Netherlands and Japan.

Fundraisers have long worried about a possible downside to corporate-charity marketing deals — that people who buy a special brand of yogurt or computer or stuffed animal because a retailer promises to give a small percentage of the purchase price to a good cause will figure they have met their charitable obligation and not give as much in direct donations.

It turns out the worries are warranted, according to new research from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. 

One hundred top industry leaders, in a variety of sectors from across the world, made a public commitment (“The Palindrome Pledge”) in order to change the way they give back to the nonprofit sector. The Palindrome Pledge grants that advisors will take a more prominent role in the board management or operations of a nonprofit, pushing the traditional role beyond fundraising and volunteering to address the pressing business and management needs of many nonprofits.

Chase announced an additional two-year, $25-million commitment to the Chase Community Giving philanthropic program on Facebook. The popular program has already awarded $10 million to 300 small and local charities in 38 states, and Washington, D.C., since 2009.

Internet lingerie retailer Bare Necessities announced a partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) to raise money through sales of bras and lingerie to support breast cancer research.

As a Corporate Alliance Partner of BCRF, Bare Necessities has agreed to donate a minimum of $10,000 to BCRF in 2011. Bare Necessities donated over $16,000 in 2010 by making a contribution for every bra sold during the month of October, and the company plans to exceed that figure through various online campaigns in 2011.