Creative Ways that Entrepreneurs Can Give Back

The holidays are almost here, and now is when most people want to do good, give back, support a cause, donate…entrepreneurs are no different. In fact, now is a good time to consider your giving back strategy for the New Year as well as the holidays. If you have the money to donate then go for it but there are many creative ways to give back than just dollars. As a business owner, sometimes you might want to consider different strategies to giving back for maximum impact in marketing and community goodwill.

Donations and Contributions

Donate what you cannot use to a nonprofit that needs it. Get a collection drive going and have your employees, clients and family participate. This could also be a great team building effort or a good partnership effort for your clients to join you. Nonprofits usually have a list of their urgent needs so you can divide what you collect and provide what is useful to that nonprofit. There are also nonprofits like the Salvation Army and Goodwill that will accept everything from clothing to furniture so you don’t have to worry about sorting through. For more conscious or focused donating, look at what is specifically required by a charity and donate for that cause accordingly, in cash or kind. You can consider doing a donation drive or fundraiser at your premises or online, announcing the specific items you want. During the holidays, most nonprofits are looking for canned food or warm clothes, even gift items for the homeless.

If it is money that you cannot donate

Donate your time and knowledge instead. Volunteer at a charity that needs manpower to carry out various errands or needs assistance with their social media/mailing programs or other departments of work. Speak at workshops where you share your know-how or offer pro bono assistance. Help with outreach by using your own social media and branding to talk about a nonprofit and thereby making others aware of the work they do. For most nonprofits, this free branding is a godsend - simply add a link to your site or your profile pages online letting people know this is the nonprofit you have chosen to partner with. You can also send a targeted request to all your contacts asking them to donate to your nonprofit/s of choice rather than spend money sending you cards and gifts! Another way to donate is fundraising auctions. Do you have products or services that you can donate for a good cause? Simply hand over your products to the nonprofit (sometimes they will even send volunteers to pick it up) or design and print a simple certificate off the internet, listing the services you are willing to donate so the nonprofit can get some funds in their coffers. This is a great way to add exposure for your business to a client base you might have never directly targeted.

Benefit from giving back

Which brings us to tying in your giving directly to your business, especially if you are looking at a long-term partnership. You might even see an increase in work that you do. Consider the areas that you specialize in and offer those skills to a nonprofit. You can also offer to donate a percentage of your income from projects with clients and believe it or not, you might find referrals coming through because of your good intentions. Are you a member of some community or professional organizations? Look at how they are giving back and maybe you can join their efforts and create harmony within your group. Is it too hard to figure out how to give back? Simply ask! Put the word out and watch the requests flow in. Your colleagues and staff might be involved in certain charitable efforts. Your spouse or children might know of a worthy cause through school and social networks. Just ask your neighborhood nonprofit what they need. Sometimes doing what is required and necessary is the best route to go instead of creating new ways that may or may not be equally helpful. Consider the maximum return on investment, for the charity and for your business.

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Here are some other recent posts I have written:

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About: Dr. Roshawnna Novellus is a financial literacy advocate that focuses on business financial strategy. She helps business owners increase profit, efficiency and free time while improving overall livelihood.

Check out my book: Budgeting is More Liberation Than Limitation, a simple guide of how to change your mindset about money so that you can jump-start reaching your dreams.