Lessons Learned From a Decades-Long Nonprofit-Corporate Partnership

Bank of America and Cradles to Crayons' partnership has never been simply a handshake and a check. It is a true collaboration. | Credit: Lynn Margherio

In winter 2006, Cradles to Crayons was in its infant stages. The small nonprofit was operating out of a warehouse in Quincy, Massachusetts, with a big goal: to provide children in need with adequate clothing that fit, was appropriate for the season and offered them dignity. The long-term goal was to draw attention to a crisis no one was talking about — children’s clothing insecurity. As many as 20 million children across our country face this solvable crisis every year.

And like many organizations in infancy do, Cradles to Crayons was struggling.

Prior to starting Cradles to Crayons, I spent more than a decade in business consulting and leadership roles, including in the White House. Yet here I was facing the stark and humbling realization: This organization I built from scratch — based on a strong conviction that every child deserves to have the essential clothing needed to thrive at home, school and play — was on the verge of running out of money. More than how to sustain and scale to meet the growing need, I needed to figure out how this organization would survive. 

A Shared Vision With the Board

I turned to Cradles to Crayons’s board of directors. Despite only a few years under our belt, we were fortunate to have a diverse group of smart professionals on our side, including an executive from Bank of America. In no time, the board helped us build and launch a bare-bones fundraiser – a Hail Mary pass. 

Related story: How to Create a Corporate Partnership That Accelerates Your Impact

The first-ever Un-Gala was held in our parking lot. Sponsors showed up in blue jeans and sweatshirts with their kids, ready to sort and package donated clothing. The simplicity of the event model allowed 100% of the funds raised to go directly toward our mission — and it worked. Cradles to Crayons kept its doors open and now provides a million packages of clothing each year to children and families in need in five major metropolitan areas. 

I’m indebted to our board members. They each believe in what Cradles to Crayons stands for and they bring ideas and experiences born out of their own work to benefit clients and advance the organization’s mission to end clothing insecurity. Through each of them, Cradles to Crayons has access to the best thinking, stronger networks and better resources.

Bank of America backed the inaugural Un-Gala event as our lead sponsor. The willingness to take a chance validated this new, untested concept and enabled us to pitch the event to other corporate sponsors and philanthropists.

This is one of countless stories of Bank of America’s commitment to Cradles to Crayons. This partnership has never been simply a handshake and a check. It is a true collaboration that has grown steadily over nearly two decades, built on shared values and a shared vision. 

Since 2005, Bank of America has partnered with Cradles to Crayons across three markets (Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia) through philanthropic investments and thousands of employee volunteer hours to provide quality new and gently used clothing to children in low-income, homeless and crisis situations.

The Corporate Partner’s Perspective

Dean Athanasia, president of regional banking at Bank of America, has served as chairman of the Cradles to Crayons National board since 2016. Over the years, he, along with his kids and hundreds of his Bank of America teammates, have volunteered with Cradles to Crayons.

Dean Athanasia (left) of Bank of America and Lynn Margherio of Cradles to Crayons. | Credit: Lynn Margherio

He and I believe that partnerships between nonprofits and corporations have the power to create transformative change. Successful corporations should not only deliver profits but also purpose. Business leaders must lead by example. They have to be able to roll up their sleeves and do it, learn about it and understand it before they ask someone else to do it. They have to deliver and work within the team. Then it will be easier for people to follow. 

Here’s Dean’s advice, based on lessons learned from his Cradles to Crayons partnership:

• Find business and community leaders who are passionate about a mission, who work their tails off, who lead with their heart and who are willing to learn. 
• Get them involved in your nonprofit board. It’s an opportunity to bring big ideas to the table and their resources to back them up and make them a reality. 
• Encourage them to volunteer their time, skills, experiences and perspectives to nonprofits whose missions are to make a difference in the world. They have a lot to offer.
• Ask them to give personal financial resources as well. With donor participation rates declining, their support has never been more important.
• Remember generosity is contagious, and progress begets more progress. When they make a lasting, positive impact that changes lives, they also inspire others to continue building on that impact, sustaining progress.

We hope to inspire ways for nonprofits and businesses of all sizes to collaborate with a shared vision and make a lasting impact for generations to come. And we just held the 18th annual Boston Un-Gala — a celebration of how far Cradles to Crayons has come. 

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of NonProfit PRO.